As fathers, we should be aware of what our children (and grandchildren) are seeing and hearing in the media and elsewhere, and we can view these events as opportunities for thoughtful discussions with them.
Are You Coasting, Dad?
Renew your commitment to your kids every morning. There’s so much at stake, especially when it comes to your children’s future.
Father’s Day and the Privilege of Being a Dad
We all celebrated Mother’s Day a few weeks ago, and I hope you did it up right. Moms definitely deserve to be honored and celebrated. In many ways, Father’s Day is different. (And that’s okay.) Most dads aren’t expecting a whole lot in the way of gifts. We’re good...
3 Tips for Sibling Rivalry
As fathers, we want our kids to learn to get along. But often our goal becomes ending the ruckus as soon as possible rather than helping them learn.
4 Qualities of CALM Fathers
A calm father makes his children feel comfortable and secure, and increases the opportunities to experience the real joys and rewards of fatherhood.
Use Your Words Wisely: How to Use Your Speech to Build Up Your Children
Dads, our words have so much power to heal or to hurt. But too often we forget how powerful they are.
Dads: Demonstrate Healthy Emotions
Fathers are very important role models for their children, and this is very true when it comes to expressing emotions.
Be a Spiritual Mentor
I can’t help but look back and ask myself, “Did I do all I could to help my kids develop a healthy spiritual life?” This is worth considering given the important influence fathers have in the area of faith and spiritual development.
Dads: Connect Face-to-Face
Too many families are letting the use of cell phones and other technology—especially texting—distract them from more important goals.
Raising Honorable Sons: 5 Important Keys
by Rick Johnson One of the character traits sorely lacking in our culture today is that of masculine honor. Dads who want their boys to grow up to be good men, fathers, and leaders of their family will strive to teach this powerful concept to their sons. Perhaps no...
10 Tips for Talking to Your Son About Girls
You remember being at that age dad, when girls are definitely the hot topic. Make sure you’re the one having the important discussions on girls with your son.
Building Teamwork in Your Family
You may have your favorite sports team, and it may be pretty important to you that they make it to the playoffs. But when it comes to the most important team in your life, its your family! Make sure your team is in sync. Here are NCF's 9 Ways to Build Teamwork in Your...
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.
The Myth of Quality Time
Dad: how are you doing creating quality time with your kids? For many years parents have used that phrase when referring to their best intentions with their children: spending quality time with them. Through the years there have also been pro-fatherhood campaigns that...
Connecting Through Fashion: Understanding Your Daughter’s Unique Style
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dad, you’ve surely noticed some things about your daughter that you may never fully understand, often due to the built-in differences between male and female. And as a committed and dialed-in GirlDad, part of connecting with your...
Walking with Your Kids Through Tragedies
Our world—and here in the U.S., our nation—has endured another tragedy in last weekend’s assassination attempt and the death or injury of bystanders. You’ve probably heard and seen a lot about it, and details will continue to emerge. Sadly, this is one more incident...
4 Habits of Dads Who GET IT
Do you get it dad? Are you actively doing the habits associated with great fathering? Here at fathers.com, we put a lot of stock in empirical research about fathering. Much of our research is quantitative: social science data that can be measured, categorized and...
A Summer Fun Checklist for Dads
by Dr. Ken Canfield Happy 4th, dads! I hope you’re able to enjoy a long weekend celebrating our nation’s freedom (if you’re in the U.S.). There are many good reasons to look forward to Independence Day, and I hope you go all out with celebrating and enjoying time with...
A New Life and a Vote for the Future
by Dr. Ken Canfield My family is celebrating a new life with the birth of another grandchild. That makes sixteen grandkids total, although it’s the first child for one of my adult children—the last of the five to become a parent. It’s an incredible and joyful time,...
Father’s Day: Your Kids Are Worth Your Very Best
by Dr. Ken Canfield Dad: It’s Father's Day! How will you celebrate? There are probably as many options as there are unique dads. But we all share a few things in common, and there are positive things for all of us to keep in mind. This Father’s Day, I hope you feel...
Honoring Your Dad is a Privilege
The U.S. Census Bureau regularly releases interesting statistics related to various holidays. For Father's Day, many of them focus on gifts to get for a dad: As of 2021, there were 6,000 men's clothing stores in the United States, 15,000 hardware stores, and 20,000...
Creating Summer Memories: Intentional Fatherhood
Officially, summer is still almost a month away, but for many families the end of the school year is the start of summer vacation and a time of definite change in the routine. Maybe this summer your kids have a busy schedule of sports, camps and sports camps, music or...
Staying Calm at Bedtime: A Dad Needs Tips
This week we’re addressing a question we received from a dad. He wrote: Looking for some tips on staying calm at kids' bedtime. Having to ask them to do their teeth and put their PJs on 50 &#%?@! times kills me, and then they get upset, then I get upset. Happens a...
3 Reasons to Honor Moms
by Dr. Ken Canfield Dads, you’re ready to honor your mother and your children’s mother this Sunday ... aren’t you? I hope Mother’s Day is something you throw yourself into, because moms deserve it—and it’s good for us and for our kids. By now you have probably made...
Ways to Fight Fathering Commitment Erosion
How do you maintain your motivation and commitment as a dad? According to our own research on fatherhood, high commitment is the number-one sign or predictor of an effective father. And if you’re reading this, then there’s a good chance that describes you—you’re a...