A major British study has shown that seven-year-olds whose fathers are closely
involved in their upbringing do better at school, suffer fewer mental health
problems when they get older, and are less likely to get involved in crime or
end up homeless than children whose fathers are not involved. The findings, by
researchers at Oxford University's Centre for Research into Parenting and
Children, are based on a study of 17,000 children born in 1958 who were tracked
through their life-stages, BBC News Online reported last week. Dr. Ann Buchanan
and Dr. Eirini Flouri said that all dads -- including separated fathers and
stepfathers -- can have a positive influence on their children's education by
simply listening to them read or helping with homework. Other factors identified
as positive father-child involvement included taking children on outings and
sharing the duties of child-rearing equally with their mothers. The study will
be published this month.