Now, a website to help dads read bedtime tales to kids even when not around

Melbourne July 12 (ANI): Fathers who fear not being able to get home at time to read their kids bedtime stories can sigh in relief for a new website offers them the chance to do so with remote reading.

British website FiveDads.com prompts fathers to read one of 15 popular stories into their computer's microphone for a fee of about 10 dollars.

Hi-tech software then records the voice of fathers reading a story along with addition features such as music and sound effects.

The audio file is then emailed to the child.

Audio editor Chris Coombs came up with the idea for his daughter when he had to shift to Canada after the New York terror attacks.

"We realised we could be providing something for people to make a connection with their kids that otherwise they could never have," News.com.au quoted him as saying.

But relationship experts seemed less convinced, saying the alternative could not take the place of the traditional story telling techniques.

Newcastle University families and fathers research program leader Dr Richard Fletcher said: "Reading involves a whole lot of relationship building, that is why it is important. It is not just because that is a way children build up their word skills and language functionality."

He added: "But you wouldn't mix up the effect of sitting physically reading with your child to getting an email about it. We want dads to read to kids so that they become a part of that world that children inhabit." (ANI)