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Present and Accounted for at School
Great post Kevin. I dropped my son off to school this morning and was taken back by the number of dads who were likewise bringing their children to school, actually outnumbering the mom's who were there dropping their children. I'll find out tomorrow how many dads attend this years first PTA meeting, hopefully more than the sporadic few who attended last year but one thing is clear to me, this is not our fathers generation of parenting; more and more dads are in the mix and our children are reaping the benefits. Numerous studies conclude that children fair significantly better in school, as well as in every other measurable way when dads participate in all of the same elements of parenting that mom's have traditionally taken responsibility for. Obviously, engaging in that part of their life that is school is highly important. We tell them, for example, that school is of primary importance and we drive the point home with expectations that they spend at least 12 years of their life attending, get good grades, take part in various school activities and we additionally mention how proud we would be if they go to college but how contradictory is our message if we follow all of that up by never even going the building?
Clearly, we need to take an equal and active part. My son, even at 6 years old has actually come to expect it; he loves that I attend field trips and gets almost as big a kick as I do to have all of his little friends recognize me as "D.J.'s dad!" He's also proud to show me his work and to have my approval / affirmation of everything he's doing. And I know, without a doubt, that witnessing the dialogue I have with his teacher helps to shape better behavior than what he would have otherwise.
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