How 10 minutes a day with dad affects a child’s learning

The connection between a student’s success and the fact that he has a father who regularly devotes time to him is as direct as it gets. Moreover, according to numerous studies in recent years, a father does not have to spend the whole day with his child for something to change for the better. Ten minutes a day is enough.

The fact that the active participation of a father in a child’s life is very useful for that child has been known for a long time and has been described in detail by psychologists, teachers, educators and other specialists. And in general, hardly anyone will doubt the advantages of a full family. In recent years, scientists have again decided to address this topic and understand what exactly and how the father involved in the child’s cognitive process can influence.

Swim breaststroke, argue with bass, chop wood

Published this week research Leeds University Business School claims that children learn better in primary school if their dads read books with them, draw, sing, play, sculpt, build with construction sets, tell interesting stories, etc. That is, they say, there is a direct relationship between the father and child (or children) having total time, which they spend not sitting in front of the TV, but actively communicating and devoting it to some kind of developmental activity.

The authors of the study studied the results of control tests of five- and seven-year-old schoolchildren from 5 thousand two-parent families.

The results showed that if a father was engaged in some kind of developmental activity with a three-year-old child, then when he goes to school at the age of five, the child does better than other students who did not have such experience.

Fathers who worked with their five-year-old children contributed to better results on important final tests that children take at age seven.

At the same time, as it turned out, it is not at all necessary to spend half a day in active communication with the child. If the father works a lot or often leaves for work, even ten minutes spent between him and his child in mutual contact doing some kind of developmental activity will bring positive results in terms of the child’s studies. As the study shows, almost 60% of children had higher test scores if their dad read books to them every day or several times a week. If he read a book once or twice a week or a month, 54.4% and 46.6% of children showed improvement in their studies, respectively.

“Various, collaborative creative activities several times a week—even for short periods of time—help deepen a child’s cognitive and language development,” the study says.

What is especially important is that the positive effect is achieved regardless of the financial situation of the family, regardless of the ethnicity and gender of the child. The researchers explain the reason for this by the fact that fathers communicate with children differently than mothers, which means they bring variety into their children’s lives, other topics for communication, a different view of the world around them, etc. In addition, oddly enough, it is fathers who often develop in children a positive attitude towards school and learning.

What about mothers? Don’t they affect children’s educational success? Scientists answered this question as part of the same study.

If you go to your dad for successful studies, then to your mom for consolation and practical advice, that is, emotional well-being and the ability to behave in society.

Given this influence of fathers on children’s academic performance, education experts advise schools to maintain contact not only with mothers (as is usually the case), but also with fathers. And they urge not to treat fathers “on a residual basis.” And lead author of the study, Helen Norman, a research fellow at the University of Leeds Business School, emphasizes that “it is vital to encourage fathers to participate alongside mothers in raising children from the earliest stages of their lives.”

And dad will cope with the difficult task himself

Leeds scientists are not the only ones who have recently decided to study the role of fathers in the intellectual development of children. The authors of another study on this topic are scientists from the University of California at Long Beach and the analytical Witherspoon Institute in Princeton (USA) – indicate, that, of course, the influence of fathers on children is more effective at an early age, right up to the end of primary school. But active communication based on mutual contact with the father is also important for adolescents.

At an early age, children are more susceptible to the influence of their parents, and in adolescence, relationships with peers are more important to them than with their parents, they want to share their feelings and news with them less, they no longer strive to please their parents, and there is less time for close communication. less, taking into account the academic and extracurricular load. But, the authors of this study say, it is always possible to find forms of communication and leisure activities that will benefit a teenager.

For example, sorting out complex school assignments, volunteering together, etc. And if a father can find an approach to a child at this age and help him with his studies or support him in a difficult life situation, he, according to the authors of the study, will help his child “self-actualize.” , become a self-confident person, improve behavior and moral character.”

“When fathers are involved in parenting, the results are positive across the board: academically, socially, and emotionally,” says University of California professor Tyrone Howard, co-author of one of the studies on the topic, and a father of four.

By the way, experts from the Irish Institute of Social and Economic Research indicate and other nuances of fathers’ active participation in the lives of their children. Thus, children who have a good relationship with their father grow up happier, less anxious and more physically active. And a 2021 survey of nine-year-olds in Ireland found that the majority (78%) get along with their dads, with 84% saying they would turn to their dad if they had a problem.

Dad can be anyone

As shown by the US Census Bureau studyif fathers are involved in the lives of their children or at least live with the family during the period when children have a difficult adolescence, children often decide to follow in the footsteps of their father in choosing a profession or place of work.

According to this study, 28% of sons and 17% of daughters in such families at some point begin to work in the same place where their father worked or works. Such children, even before the age of 18, are ready to work together with their father, because they believe that he can prepare them well and teach them what is necessary.

Moreover, children who worked with their father before the age of 18 usually entered permanent work at an earlier age than their peers. They also stayed in one job longer and earned more.

Alena Miklashevskaya