Fathers Involvement With Their Children Has A Positive Effect on Educational Outcomes Says Recent UK Study
It goes without saying that parental involvement is crucial for a child’s development as well as their educational growth. A recent study conducted by the University of Leeds in the UK, finds that fathers have “a unique and important effect” on their children’s educational outcomes. The study collected data in a survey of about 5,000 families in the United Kingdom that included both a mother and father. The study was linked to the participants in the study from their early year profile at age 5 and then to the national pupil database at age 7. Click here to read the study.
The study found that when fathers engage in structured interactions such as singing, reading, playing, and drawing with their children before they attend school, it gives an educational advantage to them in their first year of elementary school. The report found that this trend continues as they progress through school. If there is greater involvement at the age of 5 it increases the child’s academic progress at the age of 7. The study found that father’s involvement had a positive effect on the child’s academic growth regardless of the child’s gender, age in the school year, ethnicity, or household income. The study recognized the detrimental effect early poverty had on success in school achievement.
Dr Helen Norman, a research fellow at Leeds University business school, who led the research, said: “Mothers still tend to assume the primary care role and therefore tend to do the most childcare, but if fathers actively engage in childcare too, it significantly increases the likelihood of children getting better grades in primary school. This is why encouraging and supporting fathers to share childcare with the mother, from an early stage in the child’s life is critical.”
Fathers Should Take Active Role With Their Children
Helen Dodd, a professor of child psychology at Exeter Medical School, said: “This is a strong piece of research, showing the importance of parent involvement in children’s development. It is particularly interesting that they found that fathers’ and mothers’ involvement might be linked to different outcomes for children, with fathers’ involvement linked particularly to broad educational outcomes whereas mothers’ involvement was more closely linked to overall wellbeing, attention, mental health, and social skills.”
“This may reflect the different ways that mothers and fathers might play with and interact with their children within traditional parenting roles in two-parent heterosexual families. It serves to highlight the important role that fathers have. It is important though to keep in mind that irrespective of the structure of a family, children benefit when their parents engage in these types of playful, creative activities with their child.”
The study encourages fathers to take an active part in order to maximize the positive impact that they can have on their children. Parents should split up routine childcare so that both parents can enjoy doing “the more fun, childcare engagement activities” They should work together and “collaborate with the child’s other parent as a learning supporter.” Furthermore, the report says that spending time solely dedicated to engaging activities is so important. The length of time spent each day is not as important as it is spending time each day. Even a short time spent, say 10 minutes a day, makes a difference.
Fathers Are Indeed Important!
Researchers on this study urged parents to be sure that the school knows both parents. Both mom and dad should be included in the communication process. Although it may sound like a stereotype, moms often assume the role of filling out the school paperwork and assume the role of communicator between the school and family. Both parents should be included in the contact details so that the school can reach out to both parents equally.
Andrew Gynne is the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on fatherhood in the UK. He weighed in on the report as well. He said, “This study shows that even small changes in what fathers do, and in how schools and early years setting engage with parents, can have a lasting impact on children’s learning. It’s absolutely crucial that fathers aren’t treated as an afterthought.”
We have previously posted many blogs about the important role fathers play in the lives of their children. Click here to read Fathers Are Indeed Important! This was posted on January 16, 2010. Click here for another good read back to the blog posted on October 17, 2015, Fathers: 5 Ways American Fatherhood is Changing.
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Attorney Robert “Chip” Mues has been focusing his legal practice throughout Southwest Ohio primarily in divorce and family law matters since 1978. Chip is passionate about family law and has proudly published the Ohio Family Law Blog since 2007. In addition, he is the managing partner of Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues. To learn more about him or the law firm, visit the firm’s website at www.hcmmlaw.com. Appointments are available in person, over the phone or by Zoom. Call us at 937 293-2141.