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.
Dad: Harness the Power of Sibling Competition
Jay Payleitner: Dad, you can use competition between your kids to help shape and motivate them. (And to get things done.)
3 Ways Dads Can Be Intentional on Thanksgiving
Jay Payleitner: If the days are moving too quickly, that’s all the more reason to approach the holidays with thoughtfulness & purpose.
Dad Tucks In
by Jay Payleitner: The benefits are many. Mom gets a break. Dad gets a clear assignment and a daily chance to spend one-on-one time.
A Script for Your Call with Dad on Father’s Day (Or Any Day)
by Jay Payleitner: Both parties do care, and both generations would probably like to communicate more effectively.
A Gift for Your Ten-Year-Old
by Jay Payleitner: When a child learns one of these household maneuvers, they feel like they’ve been invited into the inner circle.
Laugh with Them. Cry with Them.
by Jay Payleitner: When a child reveals a clear emotion, reflect their demeanor back to them. Celebrate with them in their joy or join them in their sorrow.
A Request for Moms: Help Us Make Our Home a Hangout
by Jay Payleitner – The dividends include stronger family relationships, deeper conversations, and peace of mind.
Kids vs. Romance: Connecting with Your Bride
Having kids should not put an end to romance. Actually, just the opposite. Dad and Mom need to be even more intentional about their marriage.
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.
See the Glory
How to Be a Better Dad by Jay Payleitner – Be grateful for each season of fatherhood while you’re in the midst of it.
DAD HAIKUS: Short Poems Honoring Men Who Stand Tall
Jay Payleitner sent us a bunch of dad haikus to help you celebrate your role as a dad and give you some food for thought.
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.
Make Every Day Count: A New Year of Fathering
Dad, what will it take to make this year the best ever for you and your kids? The media has a New Year tradition of remembering well-known people who died during the past year. A few years back, one of those people was a man who really seemed to “get it” as a father,...
16 Ideas for Father-Child Holiday Traditions
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC One December back in the late 60s, a father-daughter tradition began. One afternoon, my father drove my younger sister and me—seven and five at the time—two hours away in our turquoise station wagon to cut down our family...
Single Dads: Will it Really be OK this Holiday Season?
by Matt Haviland If the holiday season ushers in an assortment of emotions to most people, that’s even more true for single dads this time of year. Joy, laughter, and anticipation may be at the forefront. What about dread, anxiety, or doubt? “Yes” to all of the above,...
Ways to Give Meaningful Gifts to Your Kids
How do you decide what gifts to give your children this time of year? Maybe your family has settled into an annual routine that seems to work pretty well. Maybe the kids create lists to help you know what they want. Maybe most of the gifts have already been bought...
From Duty to Delight: Transforming Your Fatherhood
What’s the secret ingredient of good fathering? And maybe more importantly for many dads: What can you do if you never saw that kind of father as you grew up? Jeff is a committed dad who has a great perspective on fathering. He’s passionate about being the dad his two...
Time: Are You Spending or Investing?
by Ron Nichols There’s a common expression that we use all the time. It’s pretty harmless in itself, but as fathers we need to think differently with it. It’s the simple concept of spending time. We always say, “I spent a lot of time on that project,” or, “I spent 20...
Consistent Fathering: A Steady Hand in a Stormy World
by Dr. Ken Canfield Don’t worry. This isn’t about politics. It’s about being a father. The election is over and we’re all left to deal with it, whether we’re happy, a little angry, or mostly indifferent about the results. Maybe our lives will be significantly...
Dad: Water Your Daughter’s Heart with Positive Words
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dad, how powerful are your words in your daughter’s life? As you might suspect, I believe they are extremely important. Like a plant needs water, your girl needs your encouragement and affirmation. Allow me to illustrate further...
5 Ways Dads Can Protect Their Kids from Digital Dangers
by David Tucker - Founder, DigitalParenting.com We are bombarded with new studies almost daily illustrating how technology can have life-altering adverse effects on our children. From distraction and depression to predators and pornography, technology has evolved into...
Instilling Generosity in Our Kids: Strategies for Dads
by Dr. Ken Canfield Here in the middle of October, it’s evident in many American stores that we’ve already entered the holiday season. Halloween decorations are up for some, and Christmas products have been on display for several weeks now. This is an early heads-up...
Raising a Future Adult: 3 Ideas for Dads
Dad, if your kids are still pretty young, we have some news for you: They grow up. Some dads of teenagers and adult children would tell you that this is bad news, because a young-adult child is causing them a lot of worry and stress. Other dads would say kids growing...
Keep Using Your Unique, Mysterious Secrets with Your Kids
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Last week’s blog provided you with “dad hacks” that some fathers use to make their lives easier and connect with their kids. I trust at least some of them were helpful to you or at least caused you to do some deeper thinking or brainstorming. It...