If you’re a new dad, soak in all the great feelings that come with fatherhood. If you’ve been a dad for some time, try to recapture that feeling of commitment and awe in relating to your children.
One Girl’s Dream-Come-True Dad
Every year at this time, we get to judge children's essays as part of our Father of the Year Essay Contest. And just when we think we have read just about every possible insightful and inspiring expression from a child to his or her father, kids come up with things...
How Are You Using Your Super Power?
Do you ever wonder what your kids could become if they really believed they could do anything? As a father, you have great power in the words you speak to them.
The Power of the Written Word
Is there a special handwritten note from your childhood that you remember? I fondly remember my special note. It was from my father.
The Best Way to Yell at Your Child
A while back, we asked dads to send in their ideas for creative ways to show love to their children. We received some great ones, and one of our favorites is a bit unusual: A dad named Jim shows love to his kids by yelling at them!
Which of your kids is your favorite?
Remember The Smothers Brothers variety show? It was highly rated and filled with cutting-edge comedy. TV legend has it that the NBC execs were continually censoring jokes and bits that pushed the envelope of propriety. Thinking back, it was all very tame by today's standards. (The impact of television on the degradation of the culture is a discussion we can have some other time.)
The Secret to Loving Your Child
Recently, we presented a simple but creative idea from a dad about how he expresses love to his children, and we asked you to write in with more ideas. We received some great ones, and you will benefit from these. We'll share a few here and more in the future.
"I love you more than …"
Not long ago, a reader of our weekly email named Tom sent us an encouraging message. He took our suggestions on expressing love to his children and made them his own. He wrote:
Priceless Video: A Philly Father Forgives
Maybe you saw the funny and engaging replay of the father and daughter at the baseball game in Philadelphia a while back: Steve Monforto made a great catch on a foul ball, a dream he has had since he started attending Phillies games at three years old.
Words that Change Children’s Lives
What would cause a woman to say she loved someone she has barely met? The answer comes from the sister of one of our staff members.
Love … More Than a Feeling
You wake up at 3:20 in the morning and hear your daughter calling you: “Daddy, can you help me?” You don’t even think about elbowing your wife. You get up and go check on her.
Dad, are you the “CEO” in your home?
It seems like there's a new holiday popping up all the time these days, but I believe this one is worthy of our attention. September 12th is the National Day of Encouragement.
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.
Daddy’s Daughter Comes of Age
Today your daughter has opportunities that mom and grandma never dreamed of. Women’s sports are making their mark. Of note are women’s basketball programs that rival the men’s. At some Big Ten universities, in fact, the women’s games are one of the hottest tickets in...
Nurturing Daughters
More and more research is finding that “a key component of a woman’s sense of worth is rooted in her experience with her father.” Cute little girls just love to be hugged by their daddies. It’s nurturing at its best. Yet before you know it, she has become more than...
Value Your Daughters’ Opinions
Nicole Gallagher was the behind-the-scenes producer for ABC News’s American Agenda. I got to know her over the phone when she was working on a piece that focused on fathering. From our first conversation, I knew this woman had a high sense of self-esteem and a...
Daughters and Sports
Here’s something that some dads rarely consider. Daughters can be athletes, too! As a matter of fact, girls need to learn about teamwork, good sportsmanship and the thrill of victory just as much as boys. According to a recent article in the Kansas City Star, high...
A Father’s Heart for Daughters
There are a lot of reasons for you to be a loving father to your daughter. She’ll have a more positive view of men in general. More self-esteem as a woman. She’s more likely to stay sexually pure until marriage and have a healthier view of sexuality. But, today,...
A (Re)Vision for Fathers & Society
by Dr. Ken Canfield I believe it’s good to plan for the future as fathers so we’re better prepared for the changes and challenges that our kids will bring our way. It’s also good to have dreams and aspirations for what we want to be, like setting high goals that...
Dad: Harness the Power of Sibling Competition
by Jay Payleitner Competition between siblings (or cousins) is a great tool for dads. While you can still outsmart them, there are all kinds of ways you can shape and motivate your kids and they won’t even know it. Got a pile of bricks that need to be moved from here...
Fathering Is Worth Doing Badly
Here at fathers.com, we want all dads to do their best. Be devoted to your children. Make them a top priority. Commit yourself to being there for them through all the ups and downs of life. Give them lots of encouragement and affirmation. Teach them skills and...
Questions to Help Dads Connect Heritage & Legacy
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Becoming a father is life-changing in many ways, as all dads know. At some point, often during the first few weeks or years of fatherhood, there is a kind of nexus between the past and the future in each man’s journey. Regarding the past,...
Tension with Our Kids’ Mom Deeply Affects Our Fathering
When there’s tension with your child’s mother, it impacts everyone. That might be an odd message to convey so soon after Valentine’s Day, but we all know what real life is like all the other days of the year that aren’t our anniversary or a special date night. And for...
A Dozen Activities to Help You Win Your Daughter’s Heart
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC With Valentine’s Day less than a week away, here’s a reminder that the holiday isn’t reserved only for romance between sweethearts. It’s also an opportunity for a girl to be treated in an extra special way by her dad, thus...
Winning and Losing in Father-Child Contests
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Bob’s two teenage sons were challenging him in many ways physically—arm twisting and wrestling and so on—and they talked about racing him to see if they were faster. It leads to a common question for dads: What’s the impact of winning or losing...