• Fathers’ participation in shared book reading has important and unique contributions to children’s development.
• Fathers can successfully and effectively engage in shared reading with their children regardless of their own reading abilities or confidence with reading aloud.
• Fathers who view shared reading as part of their parental responsibility and as an opportunity to bond with their children are more likely to engage in shared book reading activities.

What is shared book reading?

Shared book reading occurs when an adult – typically a family member or caregiver – reads to and with a child. This is a common practice for many families across the world. Familial shared book reading is important for many reasons: It introduces young children to print concepts such as book orientation and reading direction, promotes a range of early language and literacy skills in children, and helps develop positive relationships between caregivers and children.

Shared book reading is uniquely important for children’s development

The types of language exchanges that occur during shared reading are typically more advanced than those occurring in everyday conversations between children and adults. Additionally, the text found in books used during shared book reading introduces children to new vocabulary words beyond what they typically hear in their daily lives.

Parents also tend to engage with their children differently during shared book reading than they do in other types of activities, such as physical play or pretend play. Specific to father-child interactions, research shows that the diversity of fathers’ vocabulary, the number of questions asked, and the length of spoken sentences is greater during shared reading than it is while playing with toys (Salo et al., 2016). This positions shared book reading as a key activity that fathers can engage in that promotes children’s development in many areas.

Fathers interact with children in positive ways during shared book reading

Recent decades have seen increases in fathers’ participation in a variety of activities with their children, including shared book reading. Although some fathers and mothers tend to read books with their children in similar ways, research has shown that Dads interact with their children differently than mothers while reading with their children (Cutler & Palkovitz, 2020). Specifically, fathers ask children more open-ended questions (who, why) – a practice that challenges children’s thinking and expands their language skills (Rowe et al., 2004). Dads also engage in more conversationally challenging interactions with their children during shared book reading than do mothers (Anderson et al., 2004; Tomasello et al., 1990).

Photo: RODNAE Productions. Pexels.

Physical interactions also differ during reading. Recent research has shown that fathers are more likely than mothers to engage in close, interlocking contact while reading with their children, a behavior that helps promote a positive reading experience between parents and children (Cutler, 2020).

What fathers say and do during shared book reading matters for children’s development

Both the quantity and quality of father-child exchanges during shared book reading predict children’s language and literacy skills, influencing what children say and understand. For example, fathers’ linguistic complexity (the types of vocabulary words used, how many overall words are spoken) is positively associated with children’s expressive language (what they say; Rowe et al., 2004; Tomasello et al., 1990). Fathers’ participation in shared book reading also positively affects children’s receptive language skills (what they understand from spoken language; Tamis-LeMonda et al., 2004).

Language input

Additionally, fathers’ language input while reading books to their children is related to children’s general academic outcomes. Children whose fathers frequently participated in shared book reading activities with them when they were two years old had more advanced social-emotional skills and higher reading and math scores in pre-kindergarten than did children whose fathers read with them less often (Baker, 2013). Furthermore, fathers’ engagement in shared book reading is positively associated with children’s attention skills and ability to regulate emotions, especially for boys (Malin et al., 2014).

Why are fathers less likely than mothers to read to children?

Yet despite the important contributions fathers make to their children’s development through shared book reading, they are less likely than mothers to consistently read with their children or to be the main reader in the household. This gap has narrowed in recent decades, though, as fathers have increased their general levels of participation in their children’s lives.

Both the quantity and quality of father-child exchanges during shared book reading predict children’s language and literacy skills, influencing what children say and understand.

For some U.S. families, a positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the rise in family participation in reading activities, including between fathers and their children (Carlson et al., 2022; Mayol-García, 2022). Maintaining a higher level of father participation in shared book reading can have both short- and long-term positive effects on children, families, and communities. What factors may influence whether these trends continue?

Factors predicting fathers’ participation in shared book reading

Many factors influence how frequently fathers read with their children, including familial ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. In cultures across the globe, views vary regarding parents’ and familial caregivers’ roles in supporting young children’s language and literacy development. Though parent-child shared book reading is common in many countries, not all cultures favor shared reading as the primary way to involve children in literacy activities.

For example, some Hispanic and Native American families view oral storytelling as more important than or equally important as reading books with their children (Janes & Kermani, 2001; Nelson-Strouts & Gillispie, 2017). Such practices benefit children’s development and can be considered complementary activities fathers can participate in with their children.

Photo: Karolina Grabowska. Pexels.

Father’s views on parenting roles

Father’s views of their parenting roles and responsibilities also play a part. Fathers who view shared book reading as part of their parenting responsibility or whose partners expect them to read with their children are more likely to do so (Ortiz, 2004; Swain et al., 2017). The overall level of engagement fathers have with their children is also associated with the likelihood that they will read with them. It makes sense that fathers who are very involved and available to their children are more likely to read with them.

Furthermore, fathers’ personal experiences with reading affect how often they read with their children. Dads who are confident readers, who enjoy reading themselves, and who have had positive experiences with reading, either at home or in school (or both), are more likely to participate in shared reading activities with their children than dads who have not had these experiences (Duursma et al., 2008; Ortiz, 2004).

The types of books available

The type of books available during shared book reading and fathers’ perceptions of the purpose of shared reading experiences can also influence how often they participate in this activity. Some Dads feel more comfortable reading informational or non-fiction books than fiction books with their children (Robertson & Reese, 2017). The availability of books in the home in fathers’ native languages also affects how likely they are to read with their children. Fathers who have limited literacy or who speak a different first language than their children are less likely to participate in shared book reading (Duursma et al., 2008; Ortiz, 2004).

All fathers can engage in shared book reading, regardless of their reading ability or familiarity with reading aloud

Attitudes matter, too. Sitting close to or holding a child while relaxing and sharing books together is often perceived as a time of emotional closeness between parents and children. Dads who view shared book reading as an opportunity to spend time with and bond with their children are more likely to participate than fathers who view the experience as a chore or as a way to teach their children a lesson (Bus & van IJzendoorn, 1992; Janes & Kermani, 2001).

Conclusion

By engaging in shared reading with their children, fathers can support children’s development while also fostering positive father-child relationships. Many fathers across the world recognize the importance of shared book reading. However, the rates at which fathers read with their children continues to lag behind that of mothers.

Highlighting the unique contributions Dads make to children’s development through reading is an important consideration for programs and policies designed to support families and communities. Supporting fathers who are hesitant to read with their children or feel less confident about reading is also important.

All fathers can engage in shared book reading, regardless of their reading ability or familiarity with reading aloud. Here are suggestions for how to ensure that all fathers feel supported in shared book reading.

Considerations for fatherhood programs and family literacy initiatives

• Normalize and promote father-child shared book reading as an important activity for fathers.
• Highlight the unique contributions fathers make to their children’s development by engaging in shared reading.
• Focus on the overall importance of sharing books and not on being a “perfect” reader. (For example, encourage the idea that stories can be shared without reading every single word on the page.)
• Ensure that messaging and marketing materials promoting family literacy activities feature fathers.
• Select books to share that are of interest to a wide range of fathers and that account for the varying literacy abilities of adult readers, such as books that feature fathers interacting with their children in positive ways, bilingual books, and wordless picture books.
• Offer books that portray fathers from varying racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, as well as fathers from varying family constellations (single fathers, same-sex fathers, kin fathers, stepfathers).

The post Reading with dad – Influences on fathers’ engagement in shared book reading and why it matters for children’s development appeared first on Child and Family Blog.

Men and fathering develop through successful transitions to offer the closeness, engagement and connection needed for positive father-child relationships.

Father-child relationships reflect the nuanced kinds of involvement that children require from their dads and simultaneously highlight fatherhood’s central role in male adult development. That’s why we should focus more on the quality of the father-child relationship across time and contexts. The prize is more informed, enthusiastic and skilled fathers, and better-parented young people.

Typically, messaging about the father-child relationship is quite basic (concentrating primarily on physical involvement) and time limited (over-focussed around becoming a dad). As a result, it doesn’t make the most of what’s possible for children or men. Findings from research present a bigger vision of the father-child relationship – one that describes and mobilises fatherhood across the lifespans of men and their children as well as offering more sophisticated insights into what being an “involved” dad entails.

Men ask me, “How can I be the best dad that I can be?” I highlight three things, grounded in research findings, which always matter; investing in them always pays off. They are the “ABC of fatherhood”.

ABC of the father-child relationship

The “A” is for “affective” climate. This is the sense of love and constancy of a father being there. So a child feels: “My dad has my back. He really cares for me. I could call him at any moment and he would come. I can be halfway around the world and he is thinking of me.”

This affective climate is the most crucial foundation of a father-child relationship. I have worked with fostered children and orphans for 25 years, and there is no mistaking that kids carry themselves differently when they don’t know that they have a dad who cares for them. Being secure in a father’s love is the basis for a positive identity and the courage to explore and learn new things.

“The more a dad can connect his fathering to everyday events, functions, roles and contexts, the ‘more of a dad’ he becomes.”

“B” represents a father’s behavior. Dad goes to his children’s games, helps with homework, gets out with them and kicks a soccer ball. It’s the observable mark of an involved father-child relationship. When a father is positively engaged in these ways, his children tend to have better school attainment, smoother peer relationships, less drug use, delayed sexual initiation and fewer issues with the law and authorities.

Finally, “C” stands for connection. This is about a father’s synchrony with – and sensitivity to – his children, allowing dad to make use of teachable moments. A father who has mastered connection is good at reading his child’s mood. If he thinks his child needs more from him, he’ll give more. If he thinks that he’s overwhelming the child, he’ll back off. It’s what Edward Tronick, the American developmental psychologist, described as the “dance of parenting”, where we learn about turn taking and being tuned in to others.

Sometimes, I ask dads to describe the “greatest hits” of their fathering experiences. Notably, the A, B and C are always there, working together. Fathers are almost disparaged for having too much fun with their kids, but the ABC is right there when they are having fun. Indeed, I can look at most fathers and say, “See, you already know how to do this! You’re an expert.”

The reality is that these three factors or skills contribute positively to all relationships– father-child or spousal or peer – and they work intergenerationally at all ages for children. The challenge for policy and practice is to facilitate the father-child relationship such that the ABC – affective climate, behaviour and connection – are being enhanced.

Photo: Mark Panado. Creative Commons.

Father-child relationship quality underpins men’s development

An added incentive is that developing these facets of the father-child relationship is not only good for the kids – it’s also a vital part of adult male human development.

Studies have demonstrated that involved fatherhood improves a man’s cognitive skills, health and capacity for empathy. It builds his confidence and self-esteem, while enhancing emotional regulation and expression.

For example, involved fatherhood helps men to develop their theory of mind and their executive function. Theory of mind is an understanding that other people have different experiences, perspectives and understandings. A close father-child relationship means that a father will typically be more empathetic to the outlook of children, a skill that he can then apply elsewhere, such as at work, better understanding the diverse perspectives of colleagues.

A close father-child relationship develops the dad’s capacities for evaluating, planning and decision-making – all part of executive function. Dads do this every day. It comes into play, for example, if they are home for only a couple of hours before the children go to bed but plan to use that time well, on an outing or helping with homework or going to a soccer game. That use of executive function to juggle resources effectively carries over into other parts of a man’s life.

An involved father will create or deploy interpersonal relationships and contextual resources to support his parenting. I remember a dad saying he never used to be involved in his community, but now he is in the neighbourhood association to campaign for speed bumps because he wants his children to be safe.

Personal health and emotional regulation improves around a strong father-child relationship

Many men think afresh about their personal health once they become fathers. A dad told me that he used to smoke three packs of cigarettes a day. He’d continued smoking after he got married. But once his wife became pregnant, he quit cold turkey. I’ve seen similar changes related to exercise, diet and substance use. It’s as though men become better versions of themselves for the sake of their children, even more so than for themselves or for their spouses.

A strong father-child relationship also affects emotional regulation. Men frequently say that they have learned to control their anger better or not express negative emotions, such as fear, so readily. They have often also recognised the need to express tender emotions which men, stereotypically, are said to find challenging. Again, their emotional development as fathers carries over into other contexts such as being less likely, for example, to fly off the handle with the boss.

“The more contexts that compete with positive involvement with his children, the more fragile his fathering identity becomes, unless he can bolster his stand against these things.”

Fatherhood gives men permission to play, possibly for the first time in decades. If a man without children enjoys building blocks or colouring books, he may be considered immature, but doing these things with children makes him a sensitive caregiver. A close father-child relationship gives fathers opportunities to re-experience childhood, reintegrate memories, and make sense of relationships with their own parents. When they get down on the ground with kids, it’s not only great parenting – they are also engaging in deep psychological development for themselves.

None of this happens overnight. A man doesn’t magically develop these skills through the birth of a baby. He achieves developmental gains gradually by successfully building the father-child relationship through a series of transitions that include, for example, different stages of child development, family crises, individual changes in his life, transitions experienced by other family members and historic shifts in broader conditions such as the economy.

It’s about more than becoming a dad

Clearly, it’s not just about managing childbirth and other stages in a child’s life. It’s also about what happens to father-child relationship quality when a family member dies, when dad loses or changes his job, when couples split up or when the family moves to another place.

Each transition changes the long-term fathering trajectory incrementally and slightly, contributing to different levels of commitment, fathering identity, behavior and sets of skills. The more a dad can connect his fathering to these everyday events, functions, roles and contexts, the “more of a dad” he becomes. The more contexts that compete with positive involvement with his children, the more fragile his fathering identity becomes, unless he can bolster his stand against these things.

Rethinking policy and practice can achieve a lot

There are clear challenges here for policy makers and practitioners. They must determine to support father-child relationships through common transitions within fathering and facilitate factors that are associated with positive adaptations. Parent educators and family service providers can provide information that will help families to anticipate and develop effective strategies for coping with transitions by focusing on father-child relationship quality across time and contexts.

Get dads through these transitions well and the rewards are men who become the best fathers they can be, with children, partners and communities gaining interdependent benefits.

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1. The loving care of a father is a foundation for his child’s wellbeing and creates a life-long relationship.

2. The loving care of father can be as powerful and important as that of a mother.

3. All fathers, both biological and non-biological, have an innate ability to bond with their babies from the first days. A father’s brain changes when he actively cares for his child, generating enhanced capacity for care and empathy.

4. Loving care takes many forms. Each family and each father-child relationship is unique.

5. Fathers are family, and family carers are among the most important influences on children’s development, wellbeing and health. This is so even when fathers do not live permanently with their children.

6. A harmonious community of care around a child, with parents and carers supporting each other, is a foundation for the child’s healthy development.

7. Fatherhood, like motherhood, is a journey. Fathers need time and practice – to care for, nurture, play with, and teach their children.

8. Loving fatherhood means respect for and collaboration with the mother and the absence of violence.

9. To provide the care and form the relationships that children need, fathers need support and validation from their partners, families, communities and society.

10. Maternal and newborn health services, early years services, and economic self-sufficiency services should offer, and encourage the use of, support for fathers and other family carers in ways that engage creatively with the local culture and socioeconomic conditions. They should provide information and help about how to support maternal and child health and child development. They should support family carers’ relationships with their children and a harmonious community of care for children within families. They should offer support for all carers to meet their children’s financial needs. This support should be accessible to fathers even if they live apart from the mother.

11. Workplaces and employment laws should honour and support the caring responsibilities of both fathers and mothers.

12. Fathers’ involvement in the first 1,000 days of their children’s life should be a focus of international early childhood development strategies.

13. Promotion of gender equality needs to include support for fatherhood. Equal economic opportunities for women and men must include the opportunity to share the care of their children.

14. Men are inherently loving and caring beings. Men’s caring instincts and emotional life should be celebrated as part of what it is to be a man in today’s cultures.

15. Loving fatherhood and men’s caregiving of all kinds should be recognised and celebrated as an inspiration to other fathers, mothers, grandparents and carers, in this generation and the next.

The Charter was coordinated by Duncan Fisher, Editor of the Child & Family Blog. The authors would like to thank the following researchers for their help in drafting the Charter: Andrea Doucet (Canada), John & Lynn Rempel (Canada), Richard Fletcher (Australia), Margaret O’Brien (UK), Kate Ellis-Davis (UK), Jaipaul Roopnarine (USA), Ruth Feldman (Israel), Ron Mincy (USA), Brenda Volling (USA), Marsha & Kyle Pruett (USA), Gary Barker (Brazil).

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