After a long day at work, coming home and spending time reading children’s books may be the last things fathers feel like doing.
However, experts suggest that dads can both improve their bond with their kids and significantly improve their literacy by reading to them on a regular basis.
Mem Fox, a widely-published author and former professor of literary education, emphasizes the importance of fathers in particular reading aloud to their children, particularly their sons, according to the thetimesherald.com.
"Anything that demonstrated a male enjoying reading would probably be the most significant factor in getting the boy to read," she remarks.
Boys typically have worse reading skills than girls their age, taking longer to learn, reading less and enjoying books less, although the Washington Post notes that experts are divided on why this is the case.
Scholastic, an educational resource, offers parenting advice for moms and dads trying to engage their reluctant sons in reading.
It suggests that many boys like to read things that teach them practical skills, as well as books they find funny. Experts also recommend finding books centered around things individual children are interested in, such as sport or cars.
