When you think of parent engagement in schools, do you think of mothers running the Parent Teacher Association, volunteering in their children’s classrooms and chaperoning school events? Frequently we think of fathers’ involvement in schools as relegated to coaching their children’s sports teams.
This narrative is reinforced by movies, TV shows and other media, and was the reality for decades. When you think back to your childhood, it’s likely your mother was more involved in your school life than your father.
[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health.]
Today we know that it’s just as important for dads to be involved in the classroom and education of their children. Research confirms that a father’s emotional engagement leads to multiple positive outcomes and serves as a significant protective factor against high-risk behaviors in both girls and boys. This holds true for fathers living in the home as well as those who aren’t. For example:
— More frequent father engagement in a child’s literacy and education results in higher achievement levels in reading and math for the child.
— Positive father engagement is associated with lower levels of impulsivity, higher ratings of self-control and better stress tolerance.
— Fathers who become involved in school settings early in their children’s lives are more likely to stay engaged longer.
Yet, despite this clear evidence that children benefit directly from having dads who are involved, the myth that fathers are somehow unimportant or unnecessary to raising healthy children persists.
Educators who work with families have an unprecedented opportunity to engage fathers in children’s lives at school, especially in the elementary grades, and to raise awareness about the critical role fathers and father-figures play in how well students perform. While most fathers would welcome the opportunity to be involved in their children’s school life, they are still largely absent, especially when compared to the number of mothers who are committed to parental involvement in schools.
According to Kimberly Marie Hill, who did a 2015 study on the involvement of fathers in schools, “A targeted effort must be made to reach out to all parents, including single parents, working parents, parents of diverse cultural and language backgrounds and fathers. Whether absent or present, fathers have an impact on children, mothers and family dynamics, for better and for worse. To the detriment of their children, the voices of fathers are frequently missing from research, policy and school efforts on parent involvement.”
[Read: Creating Your ‘Dad’s Vision Statement.’]
We can’t, however, put all the responsibility on educators to bring the “drop-off dads” or “doorstep dads” (fathers who are showing up more but often not increasing their involvement beyond that) further into the school and get them meaningfully involved.
Dads have to take responsibility for stepping up and getting more involved in the everyday life and fabric of the school, even if it means stepping out of their comfort zone. One study published in the journal Topics in Early Childhood Special Education in 2001 found fathers were most likely to attend activities designed for the whole family, and meetings focused on learning about child development and planning for the child’s future, and to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about parenting skills.
If you are a father looking to be more involved in your child’s school, or even if you think you participate enough, I encourage you to try the exercise below to measure your level of involvement to see where there might be room for improvement. Maybe you’ll find new ways to participate in your child’s education, which leads to improved outcomes for the whole family. (Moms, this exercise applies to you, too!)
Assess Your Level of Involvement in Your Child’s School
The following table will help you look specifically at your current level of school involvement. Comparing your involvement in your child’s school with your own father’s involvement in your school or a partner’s involvement in your child’s school will quickly highlight the similarities and differences. For each listed area, simply give yourself a score of 1 if it’s area where you’re rarely or never involved, 2 if you sometimes get involved or 3 if you’re frequently involved.
— Drop off or pick up your child.
— Attend parent teacher conferences.
— Volunteer at school.
— Attend PTA meetings.
— Attend parent education events, like to hear from guest speakers.
— Attend class-level events, like science night.
— Attend school-wide events, such as a game or a theater production.
[See: 13 Tips for Getting Kids Health-Ready for Back to School.]
When finished, total your score and decide if you should change your level of participation. Use this to help assess if you need to get more involved in your child’s school.
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Why Dads Should Get More Involved in Their Kids’ Schools originally appeared on usnews.com
