From Matt Haviland: Do you understand the long-term impact your words are having on your children? It’s especially important for single dads.
Is Your Father an Example or a Lesson?
Whether our dads were mostly positive or negative in our lives, they have a profound impact on how we father our kids.
Daughters and the Power of Listening
Scott revitalized his relationship with his teen daughter Emily by devoting more time and energy to her as part of his everyday commitment.
Fatherhood and the Waiting Game
Waiting on our kids isn’t fun. But being there shows them over and over that they are worth our time, effort, patience, and perseverance.
Mars, Venus, and the ABCs of Fathering Daughters
Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield: Here are three quick-and-to-the-point components of being a dialed-in dad for your daughter.
The Power of Knowing Your Child’s Needs
When we are more aware of our children’s developmental needs, we’re more motivated to encourage them and more likely to enjoy time together.
Dad: Communicate High Value to Your Kids
We dads too easily let our cell phones, our work schedules or even our hobbies rule our lives at the expense of investing in our children.
A Public Commitment to Fatherhood
Be a model of committed fathering—not perfect, but always looking to improve and grow. Be unashamed about your desire to succeed as dad.
Summer and Free Time
Dad, be prepared for those “I’m bored” comments from your kids. You can help them come up with fun, stimulating activities.
Military Dads & the Price of Freedom
Let’s appreciate military dads for the sacrifices they make and what they go through as they try to stay connected with their families.
4 Things I Learned as a Single Father
From Matt Haviland: Some of my hardest moments taught me the greatest lessons and gave me perspectives I may not have known otherwise.
9 Ways to Leap Beyond Father’s Day to Dad Awesome Day
Jeff Zaugg: Please don’t settle for “Dad Average” on Father’s Day or any day. The “Dad Awesome” approach is about intentionality.
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4 Truths About Dads, Being Role Models, & Past Mistakes
Tristan Thompson has come to an important realization as a father. You may know him as the former NBA player who went on to be in a relationship and have children with Khloé Kardashian and make regular appearances on the Kardashians’ TV show. It’s a celebrity family...
Single Dads & Consistent Words: 5 Things to Avoid
by Matt Haviland How often do you think about the words you use? Even more: Do you understand the long-term impact that your words are having on your children? I was a single father for more than nine years, sharing parenting time with my daughter’s mom. As my...
Is Your Father an Example or a Lesson?
All fathers start out as sons. Many of us probably didn’t even think about becoming fathers until it was just a few years or months away. But once we did start imagining ourselves as fathers, the obvious and natural role models we thought of were our dads. By that...
Daughters and the Power of Listening
When dads and daughters get together and focus on each other, good things happen. We saw it over and over years ago when we hosted father-daughter events all over the country, and it’s a big reason why we’re starting them up again. We heard incredible stories of...
Fatherhood and the Waiting Game
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. If you’re a dad, you know that waiting is part of the gig. {And please note: this is a somewhat lighthearted look at fatherhood, but I don't want to minimize the very real and difficult waiting that many couples do when they're trying to...
Mars, Venus, and the ABCs of Fathering Daughters
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Men are from Mars. Women are from Venus. I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase before. Maybe you’ve even read the book by John Gray, though it first came out more than thirty years ago. I find his book title to be fitting in...
The Power of Knowing Your Child’s Needs
How well do you know your child's developmental milestones and progress? A study at the University of Rochester discovered that about one-third (31.2%) of parents of 9-month-olds are "clueless" about child development milestones, such as when babies talk, learn right...
Dad: Communicate High Value to Your Kids
Rick and his family were out at the lake, staying in a cabin for a week, getting some well-deserved vacation time. One morning they were getting ready to go fishing, and Rick was walking along the dock toward the boat with his arms full of gear. He stumbled on a loose...
A Public Commitment to Fatherhood
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Some years back, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal set out to write a story that she believed would really impact her readers. She wanted to interview a CEO of a publicly traded company who was committed to his family and actively involved...
Summer and Free Time
Ahh, the sounds of summer. No, this isn't about the crack of the bat, or fireworks, or even the sizzle of the barbecue. This is about the droning whines of your offspring. Maybe this summer you've heard statements like: “Dad, There’s nothing to do around...
Military Dads & the Price of Freedom
A few years ago, one of our staff had the chance to talk to an active military dad during an airport layover. Jim, an officer in the Air Force, had been away from his wife and kids for four months, and he had missed Christmas with them for the second time. It was...
4 Things I Learned as a Single Father
by Matt Haviland I was a single father for almost a decade. They were challenging years, but looking back I realize that some of my hardest moments taught me the greatest lessons. That doesn’t mean everything got easier as time went on, or that I achieved some level...