| A father’s influence –
what a crucial connection to make when planning and conducting
a program that
encourages and supports father involvement. The Men Count
program at Puget Sound ESD has been successful since its inception
in the summer of 2001 in creating activities and environments
that are father-friendly.
We know that fathers are more likely to be involved in the
program if they are personally invited and encouraged to participate1,
so positive pictures of men interacting with children on the
walls of centers; books that reflect fathers in children’s
lives; and most importantly, staff who smile and warmly welcome
men into the school where their child is learning are tools
our program implements. These are keys to a successful male
involvement program.
Two distinct themes consistently emerge as reasons fathers
get involved in early literacy programs with their children:
1) to provide their child with a head start in reading and
writing; and 2) to bond with their child.2
Our Men Count program focuses on creating and nurturing a
connection between men, children and literacy. We strive to
emphasize the importance of fathers helping children appreciate
books, writing, environmental print and media literacy. As
part of the Head Start and early childhood mandate on literacy
and male involvement, we are ahead of the game. But there
is room for growth.
Our collaboration with community partners stresses our goal
of keeping literacy and men important to the success of Men
Count. We receive funds from the Boeing Company “Flight
to the Future” grant as well as books for kids from
Page Ahead. We invite both the King and Pierce County libraries
to participate with us at our event nights. Thanks to these
community partners, each child receives a book and access
to resources in their communities that promote the joy of
reading. Our favorite storyteller, Debbie Tully, captivates
the children and adults with her wonderful interactive stories.
We have also had Native American storytellers Gene Tagban
and Roger Fernandez tell stories of Native culture that teach
about caring for one another and the importance of protecting
our environment.
When planning activities for men and children, it is important
that activities are hands-on and active. It must be an activity
that father and child can do together, not just one watching
the other. One example is field trips by bus or walks through
the neighborhood. Father and child can look at maps, signs,
billboards, statues and other interesting things along the
way and can write their own story when returning home –
a story about the adventure.
Family stories are also important tools for literacy that
help young children learn about their culture and heritage.
Family stories help children understand where they came from,
who their people are, and who they are. Family stories connect
children to a larger reality – a larger story –
and gives meaning to their lives. It’s very important
to share stories with children and for fathers to listen and
encourage their children to tell their stories.
In the past several years, we have seen a rise in the number
of children’s books that feature men and children. This
is very encouraging and helps support the importance of father
involvement. Some books include “What Daddies Do Best”
by Laura Numeroff; Will Smith’s “Just the Two
of Us;” and “Vroomaloom Zoom” by John Coy.
(For a more extensive list, please go to the King
County Library Web site and look under “Special
Collections.”)
Thank you for your efforts to make your programs become “father-friendly”
and literacy rich. It is important to remember that fathers
are key assets to the success for children and research suggests
that programs can make a positive contribution by helping
fathers – or other men – develop a warm, comfortable
relationship with their children. How men relate to children
is influenced by how they think and feel about their role,
how others perceive them and whether or not they have a support
system.4 Keep up the good work that you do with children and
families. Build trust in these relationships and always remember
that “Men Count in the Lives of Children.”
For more information, please contact Tim
Ryan at 206-439-6910, ext. 4934.
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