Dad, be prepared to navigate the challenges of the journey with a lifelong commitment so you can thrive at every stage of your child’s life.
Entering Your Child’s World: 5 Areas for Dads to Stay Connected
Aware fathers are on a quest to observe and be positively connected to many facets of our children’s lives. There are huge benefits for them and for us.
Self-Disciplined Kids & the Power of Saying “No”
Dads, we can cultivate self-discipline, inner confidence, and greater responsibility in our children by instilling in them an internal locus of control.
Make Every Day Count: A New Year of Fathering
Make this year a meaningful one with your children. Prioritize time with them and create positive daily routines to help you build strong bonds.
From Duty to Delight: Transforming Your Fatherhood
Committed dads embrace their role as a privilege, not an obligation. Shift your mindset and become a more engaged and positive father.
Time: Are You Spending or Investing?
As fathers, we need to invest every minute of our time wisely. Strengthening bonds with our children is clearly one of the highest-yield investments.
Instilling Generosity in Our Kids: Strategies for Dads
As dads, we play a crucial role in shaping our children’s character. We can nurture compassion, a culture of giving, and a desire to make a difference.
Keep Using Your Unique, Mysterious Secrets with Your Kids
Some fathering practices are distinctive to you and your kids, and somehow they just work. Even simple rituals can strengthen your bond with them.
Dad Hacks: Use These, Share Yours
Dads can use tips and tricks to make our demanding role a little easier. Some are practical and everyday, and others more serious and life-changing.
Know When to Pick Your Battles, Dad
Jay Payleitner: Some battles with your kids aren’t really worth the trouble. But if you choose a battle, dad, be ready for it. Here’s how.
The Myth of Quality Time
To a child, any time can be quality time. As dads, we need to relish every moment and every opportunity to connect with our kids.
A Summer Fun Checklist for Dads
No summer is quite complete without some activities, and we have a checklist to help you follow through and make memories with your kids.
Categories
Welcome to the fathers.com fathering library.
On the left you will see how our blogs and articles are categorized. Choose your stage in the fathering journey under Your Kids, click on a specific situation that applies to you, or browse through the items in our hot topics and fathering fundamentals. Also, check out Tools for the Journey – short downloadable pieces with tips for specific challenges.
Single Dads: Worth Honoring on Father’s Day
by Matt Haviland Did you know that the origins of Father's Day have a connection to single fathers? Sonora Smart Dodd is largely credited with creating Father’s Day. Her father, William Jackson Smart, raised Sonora and her siblings by himself after her mother died in...
The Power of Being a Happy Dad
by Douglas Peake Here’s an early Happy Father’s Day to all the great dads out there! Even more than celebrating what you do, I want to recognize you for who you are. And according to one researcher, one of the most important ways to be a better dad is to cultivate...
25 Ways to Speak Life to Your Daughter
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dads, if my previous blog a few weeks ago felt a bit brutal or negative, this one will be more uplifting ... if you will take it to heart and follow through. Using a similar approach as last time—getting straight to the point and...
Home & Away Dads: Work Travel and Staying Connected with Family
Traveling for work continues to be a challenge for many dads in today’s world, and it probably will be indefinitely. Many of our work routines changed drastically during the pandemic, and we learned that working remotely and meeting by video are actually viable...
10 Meaningful Ways to Honor Her This Mother’s Day
by Ryan Debok Quick Summary: Whatever your relationship status with your children’s mother, here are 10 intentional ways to express appreciation to her on or around Mother's Day: Write a Letter – Honest, personal words that name her value. Let Her Sleep In –...
It’s Not About You: Becoming a Dad Changes Everything
There’s a truth all fathers know. Maybe dads-to-be are getting a sense of it, but new dads are bumping up against it every day. Veteran dads definitely know it, but maybe it’s been so long for them that they’ve forgotten. What is it? Fatherhood changes everything....
Dad Words That Wound: What NOT to Say to Your Daughter
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC During the past 15-plus years of working with fathers and daughters, I’ve grown to understand and appreciate where you dads are coming from. What I continue to hear from men is one of two responses: Tell it to me straight with as...
Father, Forgive Them: An Easter Lesson for Every Dad
What do Holy Week and Easter mean to you? Of course, Christian dads will find many life-changing lessons and truths connected with the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Whether or not you go along with the religious significance of those events, all...
Winning Battles or Hearts? Influencing Your Children’s Character
Dad, do you find yourself “laying down the law” more than you’d like to? Maybe there’s a better approach. Jerry is a partial-custody father who’s going through some big challenges with his 12-year-old daughter, who stole some hair color from a relative and colored her...
Aware Fathering: A Challenge to Reflect and Start a New Habit
Dad, this is a somewhat random day of the year. It isn’t Father’s Day, New Year’s Day or the first day of school for your kids—times when we at fathers.com typically urge guys to recommit to their fathering role. Maybe we could say springtime is when the sun is out...
Chores to Careers: Cultivating a Strong Work Ethic in Your Kids
Dad, here’s one important thought that can help guide your fathering efforts: You’re raising a future adult. It might be difficult to imagine right now, but one day your child will be “adulting” in significant ways. Will she be responsible and kind? Will he follow...
“The Worst Dad Ever”: Patience & Poise for Fathers
Sometimes our children can bring real challenges to us as fathers. Sometimes they say crazy things, but with passion and conviction. Maybe they make decisions based purely on emotion, with no real thought about long-term consequences. As dads, these are real tests of...