Dads who don't read to their kids are idiots

A new study has found that over 80 per cent of young fathers don't enjoy reading to their children. Harry de Quetteville says they don't know what they're missing 

How often do you get a concentrated 15 minutes to pass on your utterly biased world view? Photo: Alamy

By Harry de Quetteville

The Telegraph - 13 May 2014

Some things are so obvious that they hardly need pointing out. Like the fact that young fathers today are idiots for not reading bedtime stories with their children.

Distressing isn’t it? But apparently true. According to new Booktrust figures, only 19 per cent of 16-24 year-old fathers say they enjoy reading at bedtime with their children. That’s compared to 78 per cent of fathers aged 55 and over. Bedtime stories, it seems, are dying out.

Well, young dads don’t know what they are missing out on. Bedtime stories are bliss.

For once the children are not running around filthy, naked, clawing at each other’s eyes, drowning in tears and snot and fighting to play with the steak-knife set that you forgot to put away.

Instead, for a brief moment, they are cosy, inquisitive and content. Their teeth are brushed, pyjamas are on, faces are scrubbed, even their stubby little devils’ horns are temporarily concealed by angelic golden curls still gleaming from the bath. Chaos is distilled into order.
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