-- Fathers increased their involvement in their child's school:
-- Walk/take their child to school +16 percentage points
-- Attend class events +11 percentage points
-- Visit their child's classroom +11 percentage points
-- Fathers increased their interaction with teachers, school officials
and other parents:
-- Attend parent-teacher conferences +8 percentage points
-- Attend school meetings +7 percentage points
-- Attend school-based parent meetings +12 percentage points
-- Fathers increased their interaction with other fathers for support:
-- Meet with other dads for support +20 percentage points
While these positive results are encouraging, there are still a lot of
fathers that haven't engaged in critical activities with their child. For
instance, below are findings from the survey that cite the percentage of
dads answering that they "never" engage in the following activities:
-- Have lunch with their child at school 74% -- Volunteer at their child's school 54% -- Read to their child 39% -- Visit their child's classroom 32%Simply put, research shows that greater involvement of men in the lives of children helps them achieve success socially, intellectually and academically. That's why National PTA created Men Organized to Raise Engagement (MORE) of which NCF is a key member. The MORE partnership ensures greater father and male involvement to produce positive outcomes and successful relationships for children, parents, schools and communities. The report comes just in time for Father's Day and just before National PTA installs its first-ever male president in its 113-year history. Charles "Chuck" Saylors will become the first man in American history to hold this position. Another related event includes the National Fatherhood Rally will which will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on June 20th. Other rallies will be held across the country. The National Partnership for Community Leadership has called for one million dads to make a commitment to their children and encourage dads to make their commitment at www.fathers.com/rally. Contact the National PTA or NCF offices for the full report. About National Center for Fathering The National Center for Fathering is a non-profit research and education organization whose vision is to see every child with an involved father or father figure. Based in Kansas City, its mission is to inspire and equip men through research, training, programs and resources to be the fathers, grandfathers and father figures their children need. The Center's website at fathers.com serves as the portal to its many initiatives including Championship Fathering, WATCH D.O.G.S., the Father-Daughter Summit, Fathering Court, and training for dads and father trainers and coaches. Its CEO, Carey Casey, is the author of "Championship Fathering" (May 2009). About National PTA PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education health, and welfare of children and youth. To view a media-rich version of this release, go to: http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/2009/pta_90612/index.html
Contact Information: Contacts: Lucy Bloom Office: 913-378-1038 Cell: (913) 568-4146 James Martinez Office: (312) 670-6782 Ext. 325 Cell: (773) 339-4533