ADVICE RATING |
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Dads and Reading |
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by kseers  (March 2009) (rank 25th) |
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My son's school teacher has mentioned several times the importance of men reading in front of their sons. She lends school families books and magazines for the parents, so that their children can see them reading. She sees this as pivotal to the children's interest in reading.
I
thought we were fairly safe as I read constantly and we read books with the children every night. However she asked me what my husband reads for himself - not when he is reading to the children. Mmmmm.... Not much - Phantom comics, the occasional car magazine, training material and the odd (very odd) book. They do look at technical books together - my son loves cooking books and craft books. But I have to say that my son doesn't see my husband reading much.
In many households in Australia it is the Mum who does the reading and takes reponsibility for the learning. Many Australian men don't read for pleasure. This realisation was a shock to me as I grew up in a household where my Dad read all the time - as did my brothers and my mother. I gather we were unusual.
But there is a point in a boy's life where they will idolise and copy Dad, and, regardless of what Mum may do, if Dad does not value something and see it as important, then their sons will not see it something worth doing. This alone can (and often does) cause boys in primary school to lose interest in learning.
So, I thought I would share this - Dads, let your sons see you reading (and writing) - you may well influence them to keep going with their learning and see it as something valuable to pursue.
). The kids come and see what I'm up to every now and then.
But now that I think about it, I don't think he reads in front of the children. The kids are so loud and so demanding that no one can really get any reading down around here until they're asleep. But I suspect this will change as they grow older. 
