There’s great power and affirmation in a father’s touch. A kiss on the forehead. A rub of the head. A bear hug. A squeeze on the knee. A fist bump. A pat on the back. An arm around the shoulder.
8 Reasons Your Kids Need Grandparents
Rickie began experimenting a bit when she left home and went to college. First, she got a few extra piercings. Her dad, Jim, wasn’t thrilled, but he tried not to let it affect their relationship; it was her decision, after all. Then Rickie wanted to dye her hair blue....
Don’t Hold Back Affirmations
Think about your kids and focus on the positive—times when you feel love, pride, admiration, or maybe awe at the blessing of being a dad. The big question is, Do your kids know how you feel?
3 Ways Fathers Instill Hope
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. It’s one of the most necessary preventive qualities that a father can instill in his children—giving them security, peace, confidence, and many other qualities you surely want them to have. It requires your steadfast focus and asks you to...
Involved Fathering Helps Your Marriage
This week we’re highlighting some insights that Justin Batt shared during our recent fathering radio special. Justin started a weekly habit of creating fun and memorable activities with his kids. For him, it worked out best on Saturdays because that’s when his wife...
Older Dads: Stay Plugged In
Younger dads, please don’t ignore this blog. I’m writing to more experienced dads, but I hope you’ll stay with us and maybe catch a glimpse of your future. We know the tendency for many seasoned dads is to tune us out. They feel like their fathering role is slowing...
Father’s Day Review: Info and Inspiration
We hope you had a fantastic Father’s Day. No matter how you celebrated, you deserve to be honored for the role you play in your children’s lives. As usual, Father’s Day brought more attention to dads from the media, and this year was no exception. There’s some...
4 Ways to Ring in Your New Year of Fathering
Think of Father’s Day as a milestone, the start of a new year in your fathering, when you end one season and begin another.
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...
Kids’ Essays Show the Power of Father Figures
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Every Father’s Day I get reflective about the state of fatherhood in our nation—where we’ve been and where we’re going. First, my attention goes to all the children who are fatherless; we are acutely aware of the impact of fatherlessness. Its...
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.
3 Ways to Influence Kids’ Relationships
I hope all our reminders about Valentine’s Day over the past month did you some good. By now you surely have the special gifts, gestures, and date(s) planned for your wife (and kids). Or maybe you’re one of those couples or families where February 14th isn’t such a...
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.
Effective Fathering for a New Generation
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Recently, someone reminded me that it’s been 30 years since the publication of my book, The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers. 30 years! A lot has happened with that book since 1992, including dozens of weekend 7 Secrets events in cities all over...
Dads and Fast-Food Modeling
Are you a fast-food dad? A few years back, we ran across an unusual way of looking at a father’s influence and the importance of setting a positive example ... and it has to do with food! Here’s a statistic that probably won’t surprise you: In 1974, out of all the...
“Dad, I Wish We Could Talk About ________”
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. What topics do teenagers want to talk about with their dads? A few years back, we asked that question to a group of teenage daughters at one of our father-daughter events. (I try to never miss an opportunity to capture a few more insights and...
Involved Fathering … or Connected Fathering?
Here at NCF, we often talk about involved fathering. Dads need to be engaged in their kids’ lives. Involvement is the "I" in the I-CANs of Fathering, the four key fundamentals dads put into practice. And it’s no surprise that research shows a strong link between a...
Let the Selfies Begin: Creative Summer Fun for Dads & Kids
by Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield The past few years have been intense, as we all know. Not only have we been struck with a pandemic and political and social unrest, but it seems like shootings in schools and stores and other places are continually on the rise. If...
Divorced Dads: Two Thoughts to Keep in Mind
“When people ask me about my father, I tell them I don’t have one.” That’s what one boy said after his parents divorced. Mike is that dad, and he told us those words cut him to the heart. A few years back, he moved to another state to pursue better work opportunities,...
Fathering and Our Kids’ “Unalienable Rights”
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As those of us in the U.S. celebrate another year in our...
4 Ways to Be a More Committed Dad
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. We all celebrated fathers and fatherhood last week, and I hope you were able to enjoy some time with your family. I hope they honored you in a meaningful way. Did you spend any time reflecting on your fathering role? It seems like a natural...
Father’s Day: Redefining Your Role
Who defines your role as a father? Around Father’s Day, we see all kinds of stereotypes about dads. Maybe you’ll receive a card with a joke about neckties, grilling, tools or golf. Maybe one or more of those apply to you, and maybe the joke will even be clever. It’s...
Honor Your Dad Like a 5th Grader
For many years at NCF, spring gave us opportunities to recognize deserving kids and dads as part of our Father of the Year Essay Contests. We selected winning essays written by kids in markets around the country, and then chose dads to be honored as finalists and...
On Father’s Day: Promote Responsible Fatherhood
We’re right in the middle of what we call “Father’s Day Season,” which really kicks into high gear in early June. Maybe you barely even think about Father’s Day until that weekend, but this week the challenge is this: Start anticipating and planning for it now. And...
Teaching Your Kids to Drive – and Other Skills
Got a student driver in the house? Or one that’s a few years away? For kids, that first driving lesson with Dad is like a rite of passage. For dads, it’s like a trip to the dentist, only the dental chair is on a roller-coaster. Okay, it’s not that bad, but sometimes...