Is it ever OK to skip school? One dad shares insights about balancing academics and athletics, and the value of strategic skill development.
Valentine’s Day Tips for Dads of Daughters – and Sons
Your Valentine’s Day shopping and planning for your wife is surely well under way, if not complete—and that’s good! Some may view this "holiday" as just another excuse for greeting card and flower companies to make money—as well as jewelry, candy and clothing...
5 Ways to Make a Difference for Your Son
Many are saying that today’s boys are “fragile.” Here are some suggestions to help you invest strategically in your son.
Boys Need Men to Teach Them About Life
by Rick Johnson: When boys are brought up to feel competent and capable, they have a much better chance of succeeding at life.
Crush Your Son in Driveway Basketball
by Jay Payleitner – In just a few years, he will beat you. And that victory will be ever-so-sweet because it was earned.
Goodnight Upside Down
A man gets a birthday call from his father, and the two of them are transported back in time. A story by Peter Lewis.
3 Tips for Becoming a Good Listener to Your Son
We all want to be listened to. But truly listening isn’t always easy. Here are a few tips to help you become a good listener to your son. For more resources on understanding your son, read: Just understand your son. Just be DAD - 5 Things Your Son Wants to Tell You
Learn (and Pass On) Authentic Manhood
A Dad’s Stupid Quest for Masculinity by Mike McCormick Recently, my 14-year-old son and I were riding ATVs in the Rocky Mountains on a father-son bonding weekend. At one point, we encountered a particularly treacherous incline. It had snowed that morning, and the...
How to Give Your Son a Positive Identity
by Tim Brown: Boys today need to be taught by their dads the true value of who they are—and affirmed for who they are.
5 Things Your Son Wants to Tell You
by Steven Cessario What did you want to tell your father when you were a teenager? Maybe you had feelings for a girl and you wanted some advice, or maybe you were frustrated with school, a friendship, or even life at home. Did you want your dad to hang with you, to...
How to “Build” a Better Dad: Invest in Your Sons
by Tim Wright These are interesting days to be a dad. On the one hand, research overwhelmingly tells us that dads play an essential role in the lives of their sons and daughters. On the other hand, certain voices in culture not only question the necessity of dad, but...
Believe in Miracles: 5 Lessons from Raising a Cancer Survivor
I would never say that I have handled the various challenges perfectly, but there are some important things I have learned along the way
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...