• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

Study Finds 97% of Dads Don't Read to Their Kids

According to a British study done by CITV in connection to their new children’ show, Bookaboo, parents struggle to find time to read to their children:

“While 95 per cent of parents have read to their children at some point, only five per cent of those polled read to their children during the day. More than one in ten said they read every couple of weeks or less, and five per cent could not remember the last time they shared a book.”

The 97% of dads who did not read to their children claimed that they could not find time due to work commitments and being too tired. 89% of the moms polled did read to their children, but half admitted that they were distracted by cleaning, cooking, and other household chores.

Ahem.  Allow me to climb onto my soapbox.

A love of reading is one of the most important gifts we can give to our children, and reading aloud when they are young is the surest way to attain that love.  Children derive enormous intellectual, developmental, and emotional benefit from being read to, and it costs us nothing but time.

Jim Trelease, in his Read-Aloud Handbook, submits that there are two basic “reading facts of life”:

  1. Human beings are pleasure-centered.
  2. Reading is an accrued skill.

In other words, by carving time from our busy lives to sit with our children, allowing them to snuggle up warmly against us and captivating them with the rise and fall of our reading voices, we condition our children to find reading to be a pleasurable activity.  If we fail to find time to do this, or if we do so unwillingly or distractedly, children will see reading as something to be avoided, a chore.

Since reading is an accrued skill, the more children read, the easier it gets and the more it is enjoyed.  The building blocks of reading well are forged while being read to; the Commission on Reading, organized by the National Academy of Education and the National Institute of Education, found that “the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.”

In addition (attention fathers), the more people that read to children, the more reading styles they are exposed to, and the more they see that reading is a universal, cooperative endeavor.

It is also vital that children see adults reading to enforce the pleasure principle, although that likely happens less and less. One in four adults read no books in 2007 and the national average was a mere four. 

Meanwhile, TV use last year rose to 151 hours month, or 4.5 hours daily per person.

Yet parents have no time to read to their children.

Photo Credit: jinglejammer under Creative Commons

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Preparing Your Nest: Home Birth Necessities
Will the Feds Finally Boot Junk Food From Public Schools? »

Comments

  1. Crimson Wife says

    March 8, 2009 at 9:18 am

    How many hours per year do these dads who claim to be “too busy” to read spend watching sports?

    My DH works very hard to support our family, and some of the jobs he’s held have required 80+ hours/week (Army officer, investment banker). But no matter how busy his schedule, he’s always made time to read to our kids. It might only be a few minutes a few times per week, but it’s important to him so he finds room in his schedule.

    Reply
  2. Stephanie - Green SAHM says

    March 8, 2009 at 11:57 am

    Makes me grateful for my husband. He reads to our kids regularly. It’s not that hard to take a few minutes to read a short story to younger kids, and as they get older you can take turns reading.

    Reply
  3. Erinne says

    March 8, 2009 at 3:23 pm

    There is a difference between saying “97% of dads don’t read to their children” and “of dads who don’t read to their children, 97% cite….” The headline is misleading.

    Reply
  4. Erinne says

    March 8, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    Ah, the word “the” changes the whole sentence. My apologies! Guess I need to read more closely, as well.

    Reply
  5. Julie says

    March 8, 2009 at 8:29 pm

    I am the primary reader in our house. I read to my kids often and I read to myself constantly. My husband rarely reads to the kids, because he can’t read very well. Ahem…he was never read to as a child. He doesn’t remember being read to AT ALL, ever. 🙁 He does make an effort to read to them whenever one of our kids brings him a book, which I greatly appreciate and encourage, but they generally bring their books to me. I try to send along the really easy ones to their dad so they can get that experience with him because I think it’s so important, not just for the kids, but for my husband as well.

    Reply
  6. Erin says

    March 9, 2009 at 11:14 am

    We started reading to my son when he was 2 days old. We have never put him to bed without reading a book (or several) first. He is now 20 months old and he brings books to us constantly. Both my husband and I read to him equally.

    We are busy people – I work 2 jobs and my husband is a full-time architecture student (one of the most time-consuming bachelor degrees you can earn) and he’s self-employed. It’s not hard to find the time to read to your kids. I admit, sometimes after I’ve read the same book 5 times, I’d like to get on with life and do something else. I remind myself in these times that there is something very valuable and very special about cuddling with your child as they learn from every word you say.

    If anyone claims they don’t have the time to read to their kids, they definitely had no business procreating.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Study Finds 97% of Dads Don’t Read to Their Kids « Hunnybeez says:
    March 8, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    […] Read more of this story » […]

    Reply
  2. Toddler Green Board Books « Child Products says:
    April 8, 2009 at 5:46 pm

    […] Here! A Simple Eco-Easter Free and Cheap Things To Do In Genesee County, Michigan or In Your Town Study Finds 97% of Dads Don’t Read to Their Kids Add a comment or question Recommend this post Share/Email Stumble It « Previous […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

It’s Time to Quit Plastics and How to do It

Reduce Plastic Waste with re-brush Eco-Friendly Toothbrush

More from the archives!

Chemical Industry Decides Public Health Really IS Better Than Private Profits

New Pharmacy Research: Holy Basil has Anti-Aging Properties

Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends

Contest: Win Organic, Non-Toxic Insecticide from EcoSMART

From Inspiration to Action: 18+

COVID Back to School: Helping children cope with uncertainty

covid19 pregnancy

Does the Coronavirus Attack the Placenta and cause 2nd Trimester Miscarriages?

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy
logo
Food Advertising by

Ohio Doctor Prescribes Outside Time for Children

The HopeFULL Company’s BellyFULL Kit Designed for Sensitive Children But Good for All!

screen time

Kids & Technology: How much screen time is too much?

Natural, Vegan, GMO-Free Candy Canes

The Best Vegan Dal Soup Recipe Ever!

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Obese Women: Don't Gain Pregnancy Weight, Study Says

Pack O Fun Magazine, Halloween Issue Full of "Green" Crafts

New Endangered Species Poster for Kids from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service

10 Ways to Save Money in the Kitchen

Back to School: Naturally prevent head lice with Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Hair products

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoPrivacy policy