20 Oct 2007, Posted by Lance in General, No Comments.

Are Christian Fathers More Effective?

Hey, Dad, ever wondered if you
have what it takes to connect with your kids?

According to a study from
the University of Virginia, if you’ve got a relationship with Jesus
Christ, you’re already heading in the right direction.

"…evangelical dads spent more time with children playing, helping with homework and talking."

W.
Bradford Wilcox, an assistant sociology professor, studied fathers of
children 5 to 18 years old. Evangelical Protestant dads came out on top
or near the top in every category compared to fathers from other
denominations and those with no religious affiliation.

According to
Wilcox’s research, evangelical dads spent more time with children
playing, helping with homework and talking. They ate an average of 27
more meals a year with their children and were more likely to coach
youth sports or lead youth activities.

"Evangelical Protestant
fathers are very involved with their children, which I found
surprising, given their tendency to embrace traditional gender
attitudes," Wilcox noted.

So how can you defy society’s expectations and become an even better dad than you already are?

•
Watch a favorite TV show with your child. Ask him about the characters
and storyline. This is a simple way to enter your child’s world and
recognize other influences that affect the way he thinks.

• Take
your son or daughter to a restaurant you both like. Share favorite
things and talk one-on-one without the competing demands of other
siblings, phone calls or TV.

• Keep reading. Even tweens will enjoy reading a book aloud with you.

•
Include children in projects. Ask them to help you string the Christmas
lights, paint the basement or change the oil in the car. The teaching,
connecting and fun will be invaluable.

• Know their friends. As children get older, knowing them means knowing their friends.

I found this post over at Dynamic Dads, check out Paul’s site and what he is doing.