We believe that Real Dads Read will be a great project in Atlanta ( and eventually other cities ) to not just increase literacy activities for fathers and their children , but to also change the negative media narrative and images around Black men / fathers . Real Dads Read is an ideal opportunity to help elevate a counternarrative by providing a great two generational approach to services for parents and children .
Four Ways for Fathers to Inspire a Love of Reading in Their Children
What is important to a father will be important to his kids . The early years of a child ’ s life can be the most informative , so the key is to introduce the child early and often to reading . Follow these tips below to show your child that it is extremely valuable to read not just for enjoyment , but to read for knowledge .
1 . Go to the Library From the smallest town to the biggest city , every place has a library to explore . According to the Office for National Statistics , a little less than 30 percent of all men used a library at least once in the last year . As a comparison , about 45 percent of all women have used the library at least once in the last year . So , dads , once every week , every family should take a trip to their local library . Show kids everything the library has to offer . Walk them into the different sections , review how e-books or audiobooks work , look at the daily newspapers , and talk with the librarians by asking their thoughts on why a library is perhaps the best field trip a child can take . Your child will remember this throughout the years ,
and the library will be a safe haven for them for the rest of their lives . Their memories of these trips will be priceless and passed down from generation to generation .
2 . Set a Good Example Your son or daughter will duplicate whatever they see you do . Even if you have never been a voracious reader in the past , becoming one will ensure that your child will be one as well . And the number one indication of academic success later on in life in young children is not only their ability to read , but how much time is spent reading .
3 . Limit Television Time Parents that spend hours in front of the television everyday are showing their children that it has a sort of control over them . Be aware of this and be wary . Raising a couch potato not only takes time away from their studies , but it prevents them from building relationships with others . Plus , in a society where almost 50 percent of the population of adults are overweight or clinically obese , limiting television exposure can help combat this problem . The number one thing that people do while watching television is overeat . Setting reading time for the entire family every night prevents a dull imagination and actually will benefit everyone ’ s health .