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.
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.
Dad, Help Prepare Your Kids for the School Year—Here’s How
A new school year can be very intimidating. Dad, this is your chance to make a big investment of encouragement in your kids.
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.
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.
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.
What to Do When You Dread Father’s Day
Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield: If you feel angry, sad or confused on Father’s Day, here are some truths to hold to and suggested steps to take.
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.
Mother’s Day: Tips for Dads to Honor Moms
Dad, you have some remarkable mothers in your life, and it’s up to you to help make Mother’s Day truly memorable for them.
Young Kids & Behavior Issues: Mean What You Say
These years don’t have to be terrible. You can help minimize difficulties with a commitment to consistency in what you say and what you do.
Dad: Look Below the Surface
As dads, sometimes we get upset and blow things out of proportion when there’s really so much to the picture that we don’t see.
Your Fathering Journey in 6 Stages
Fatherhood is a marathon, and there is great value in stepping back and looking at being a dad from a bigger-picture perspective.
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.
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...
Dad, Help Prepare Your Kids for the School Year—Here’s How
Getting ready to go back to school impacts the entire family... For kids, a new school year means new teachers, new classrooms, and possibly new responsibilities. Sometimes it means new friends. The first days at a new school—or first days in middle school or high...
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...
9 Ways to Leap Beyond Father’s Day to Dad Awesome Day
by Jeff Zaugg I’ll never forget the joy that swelled up inside my 9-year-old heart as I watched my dad leap into a swimming pool from a raised perch in front of hundreds of cheering cruise ship passengers. It was the biggest event of the four-day cruise: the Belly...
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...