The online video channel for parents, Parentchannel.tv (www.parentchannel.tv)  has this week  launched National Dads Matter Week, which aims to raise awareness of the important role dads play in the upbringing and education of their children, highlighted in the new video about why Dads matter.

As part of National Dads Matter Week, Parentchannel.tv has unveiled a new video clip which provides insight into why the role of a dad is important and offers tips to help dads get more involved:

To coincide with National Dads Matter Week Parentchannel.tv joined up with Parenting UK to conduct a national study among 2,000 British parents which looked at the role of dads in their child’s upbringing.

The findings revealed the importance of dads in their child’s upbringing, and the positive self perception as a role model for their children:

• 73.3 per cent of parents said dads were very or extremely important to their child’s development
• 87.17 per cent of dads interviewed felt they were a good role model for their children and the majority (74 per cent) of parents thoughts dads were equally important to their sons as well as daughters

The research revealed that when it came to the level of involvement in their child’s upbringing dads still feel marginalised:

• Nearly 20 per cent (19.62) of dads feel left out of their child’s upbringing whilst 62 per cent of parents thought dads could be more involved with their children

When it came to which parent children enjoy spending more time with, the research showed that, whilst kids may be spending less time with their dad, they enjoy the time with dad and want more time with them:

• The majority of parents 32.85 per cent said their child spends between 2-4 hours a day with their dad
• 70.54 per cent of respondents thought children spend the most time with mum
• 37.10 per cent of respondents believed their children enjoy spending more time with their mum whilst 34 per cent felt their child enjoyed spending more time with their dad

Jacqueline Harding at Parentchannel.tv has suggested a number of things which families can do as part of National Dads Matter Week:

• try to spend twice the amount of time your normally do with your children this week
• organise a special Dads and Kids day at the weekend (it doesn’t have to be expensive, you can just go to the park, go on a bike ride, have a film night – just doing something together is good)
• try changing your routine around a bit: if you don’t normally do bedtime stories, make it your turn

Jacqueline Harding at Parentchannel.tv said:

“Dads clearly matter to the upbringing and education of their children; and their role is equally important to the upbringing of both sons and daughters.

“The survey findings indicate that dads play a vital role in their child’s development and kids enjoy their time with dad roughly as much as they enjoy their time with mum.

“As part of National Dads Matter Week we hope more families recognise the good dads can bring and do more to make them feel more involved in their child’s upbringing and our new video gives advice on this. We want to encourage Dads to sign up to spending more time with their kids this week – and let us know!”

Matt Buttery from DadTalk.co.uk said:

“From educational achievement to emotional development and healthy self esteem, the contribution that dads make to the life and the development of children is unique and enduring, and Parentchannel.tv’s National Dads Matter Week is a great way to recognise this. We at DadTalk.co.uk are pleased to endorse such an initiative.”

For free advice and practical help on all aspects of parenting, please visit ParentChannel.tv at: www.parentchannel.tv