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...
5 Tips for Dads With Daughters
Raising daughters is an adventure! Maintaining focus on doing the right things makes raising strong and healthy daughters more likely.
Forgiving a Dying Deadbeat Dad
by Rashad Smith "Your dad has cancer that has spread all over his body..." was the text message that I received from my sister Keisha who heard the information from our Uncle Barney who has been more than a father than Bobby could dream of. I texted back, "That's...
Contentment in the New Year
Dads, here’s hoping your New Year is “happy” ... and much more. As we start this new year, here's a thought from one of our long-time friends at NCF, Mick Trombley from Pennsylvania. He writes about the phrase that’s so common during these next few days: “Happy New...
Five Christmas Traditions
The holiday season is a time to build lifelong memories with your family. Traditions also help you bond and reconnect with loved ones, friends, and neighbors. Creating traditions takes just a little time and energy to plan. We’ve put together a...
We “Skipped” Christmas
by Eric Snow It was the fall of 1999. Earlier in the year my career had taken us to a new town 125 miles away from our nearest family. Valerie and I were adjusting to new jobs, and our 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter were making new friends and beginning to...
Bridging the Gap
You don't have to wait for a new school year to try something new with the students in your life. Here are five ways to build on what your children are learning in school.
Maybe Do LESS Good this Holiday Season?
In December, more people are looking for ways to give and bless others. And that’s a good thing. We can be inspired when we see others helping people. But one dad says his family is almost overwhelmed right now because of all the requests to donate money, supplies,...
Teaching Kids About Money
Teaching your children about financial responsibility is one of the most important lifelong lessons you can give - and one that may not be effectively taught in school. Consider these suggestions to improve the financial savvy of your kids.
Thanks for What? Divorced Dads & the Holidays
While it’s difficult not having a partner during the holidays, it’s particularly difficult when we don’t have our children. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the things we don’t have and the things for which we’re not thankful.
Partner With Your Child’s Teacher
Dads partner with their child's teacher by visiting at least once a month, in person or over the phone. Involved fathers help their children succeed in the classroom and do their best with their teachers.
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...
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What to Do When You Dread Father’s Day
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Father’s Day is an occasion to celebrate, no doubt about it. It might even be a day for dads to recommit themselves to loving and investing in their children in meaningful ways. That’s what all of us are about at fathers.com. But...
A Script for Your Call with Dad on Father’s Day (Or Any Day)
by Jay Payleitner Traditionally, Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year for phone calls. So where does that leave dads on Father’s Day? Well, maybe fewer calls are made because talking with the old man is more frustrating than talking with mom. Too often...
Each Child Is Different! 3 Important Truths for Dads
Each of your children is unique and special. You had your first baby and had the incredible privilege of relating to and learning about that one for a few years. Then a second one came along, and that child was totally different in hundreds of ways. Maybe you had some...
Important Father-Child Interviews
Dad: are you ever confused or frustrated as you try to figure out what makes your kids tick? One of the key fundamentals of fathering is Awareness of our children—simply getting to know them better. As dads, we should make it our mission to gain insight into who they...
Mother’s Day: Tips for Dads to Honor Moms
Dad: you have some remarkable women in your life—your mother and your kids’ mom. And you can play a big role in making Mother's Day truly memorable for them. Ideally, you would already have some plans in place by now. Maybe you have thought through what she...
What Dads of Daughters Need to Know in 3 Words
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dads: In the past few weeks I’ve had a 47-second video go viral, with nearly 2.6 million views and counting on Instagram! (And honestly, I suspect a good number of the views, likes and shares are coming from daughters and wives...
Young Kids & Behavior Issues: Mean What You Say
Darren is a frustrated father of a two-year-old. You might be thinking, Yeah, so? That’s normal. In many ways, it is normal, and it’s easy to understand why parents came up with the phrase, “terrible twos.” Many young children go through that phase where they need to...
Dad: Look Below the Surface
When was the last time you were surprised by your own impatience or insensitivity? Maybe you were in a store or a restaurant and the people on duty were not very attentive to your needs. The situation dragged on long enough to make you pretty frustrated—you deserved...
Your Fathering Journey in 6 Stages
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Once a father, always a father. That simple truth reveals that fathering is a process that lasts from the birth or adoption of your first child until the day you die. And really, we could say it begins when you start preparing for fatherhood....
A Gift for Your Ten-Year-Old
by Jay Payleitner There are a ton of things you take for granted that would be empowering to a ten-year-old son or daughter. That includes stuff you learned so long ago that you don’t even know you know. Examples? How to reset the circuit breakers. How to shut...
Don’t Miss the Good Stuff
Has springtime arrived for you yet, dad? During the past few weeks, we turned our clocks back for Daylight Savings (at least most of us did), we’re enjoying tournament basketball and all its madness, and this week came the first day of spring. Maybe that isn’t a big...
“I Want to Know About Fatherhood”
A few years back, we received an e-mail from a man who isn’t a father and doesn’t want children, but his wife does. Here’s what he wrote: I want to know more about fatherhood. Most of what I read says that I’ll learn to love poopy diapers, sleepless nights, constant...