When dads are predictable and reliable in positive ways, children are much more like.ly to grow up confident and secure.

When dads are predictable and reliable in positive ways, children are much more like.ly to grow up confident and secure.
Angry fathering really does affect our children. Here’s a wake-up call and some steps to help us be calm dads.
With all the uncertainty in today’s world, we must not underestimate what a difference it makes when kids feel safe, loved, valued, and heard.
Dr. Ken looks at his research-based 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers and how they have changed through the years.
A research study reveals an interesting way dads influence their kids — and maybe an area where we need to step up as fathers.
by Rick Johnson: When boys are brought up to feel competent and capable, they have a much better chance of succeeding at life.
There’s a lot more at stake than a win or loss. You have nothing to prove except that you love and support your child.
Whatever your natural tendencies might be in this area, how can you move toward more healthy involvement in your child’s education?
How to Be a Better Dad by Matt Haviland: I push myself to be a better dad by taking it one day at a time and learning as I go.
We’re creating a storehouse of images and memories in our kids’ minds that could live on and shape important decisions they face as adults.
Kids say and do some pretty crazy things, and it’s good for dads to respond to teach and correct them. But there also needs to be balance.
How we respond to difficulties or crisis situations will create a reference point that our children will remember and carry forward into the future.
Fatherhood has changed a lot in the last few generations. In some ways that’s good, and we could surely find some changes that are not so positive. But if we went back 50 years and asked an average person about what a father’s role is, there’s a good chance the answer...
What makes a good umpire in baseball? Is it flawless eyesight? Confidence? Decisiveness? Experience? Maybe the ability to deal with angry managers? Yes. Yes. And yes. But if you ask the players, most likely the quality at the top of their list would be something...
As dads, maybe the feelings we want to avoid the most are the disappointment, confusion, and remorse of being surprised by a major issue or challenge in a child’s life ... Someone your 9-year-old son has been chatting with online turns out to be a predator. Your...
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. There’s one factor that’s far and away the most important indicator that a man will succeed with his children: his commitment to them. The most effective fathers have a driving passion and an unfailing motivation to do their best for their...
Dad: this isn’t about a resolution. (Unless you’re into that.) Whatever you want to call it, the beginning of a new year is a natural time to make a positive change or start a new habit. And you should at least consider some ways to grow as a father. Reflect on what...
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Dad, if you’re anything like me, you’re very proud of your kids. Sometimes the simplest things they do can bring a lump to your throat or a tear to your eye. And I know ... Many of us notice our kids’ positive qualities and accomplishments, but...
Dad, do you want to know one the best gifts you can give your kids for Christmas—beyond the presents you wrap and place under the tree? Since the material gifts are likely already purchased and wrapped, let's talk a bit about a truly lasting gift you can give your...
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. What makes a family a family? There are many ways to answer that question, and it will likely be different for each family. One idea is to consider the regular activities that you do together—the activities that help to develop a sense of...
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. For many decades, we men had a bad reputation when it came to navigating the world. We wouldn’t stop and ask for directions. Maybe we thought, Hey, I’m a guy and I know where I’m going and how to get there. Or at least I should. Sometimes this...
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Dads and Friends of Dads: It’s a privilege to be working with an organization that is committed to a cause, and here at the National Center for Fathering, that cause is you, dads! We sincerely believe that responsible, engaged fathers are heroes...
Be ready, dad. When chances come to spend time with your teenager, don’t miss ‘em. Roy had a thirteen-year-old son named Sam. As you might expect with a father of a teen, satisfying connection times were hit-and-miss, and often it was "miss." Both of them were busy...
When Gary first held his son, it was awkward. The child cried and he didn’t know what to do. It was obvious that his wife already felt a deep affection for this new member of the family. But Gary didn’t know what to say, and there was no rush of emotion, no glow in...