Dr. Ken Canfield revisits some dreams and visions about the state of fatherhood, and challenges each dad to make a difference where he can.
Fathering Is Worth Doing Badly
Fatherhood is hard for many of us, but it’s very much worth the struggle. Growing as a dad is a lifelong process.
Questions to Help Dads Connect Heritage & Legacy
As dads, our present and future are critically linked to our past. Use these questions to gain perspective on your fathering.
One Way to Restore Hope to Your Fathering
All dads feel hopeless sometimes, and a great way to become a positive, confident father might seem simple, but it definitely isn’t easy.
Birthday Reflections: A Father’s Legacy
As I “mature” as a dad and granddad, I’m more and more aware that my time is limited, and I want to do all I can to leave a strong legacy.
3 Fathering Insights from Joseph
Jeff Zaugg: Sometimes our dreams and expectations fall flat, and we can all learn from the dad in the Christmas story.
4 Truths About Dads, Being Role Models, & Past Mistakes
Having children and trying to raise them to be responsible people should make us look more closely at ourselves.
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.
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.
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.
Categories
Welcome to the fathers.com fathering library.
Let’s TALK: 4 Keys to Connecting with Your Daughter
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dad, there’s something important you need to know about your daughter. Here it is, short and to the point: When a girl or woman knows and feels she is loved by her dad, she will have: greater confidence stronger inner fortitude...
What Makes Your Child Laugh?
As a father, it's good if you actively observe April Fool's Day—not by playing cruel tricks on your children, but by celebrating those relationships with lots of laughter. Victor Borge said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." You already...
Dad: Your Faith Matters to Your Kids
Holy Week is a great time to remind and challenge you about one of the most profound ways you can influence your children—in faith and spiritual matters. There’s a wide range of approaches to faith, just like there are many different traditions for the Easter holiday....
Encouraging Our Daughters
Psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers recalls the spirited discussions around the family dinner table she had when she was growing up. Their family discussed politics, world events and other goings-on of the day. One day, the topic was President Roosevelt’s attempt to...
When Your Daughter “Becomes a Woman”
What are some needed strategies for us dads to how to navigate life with our daughter when she starts her monthly cycle? You have to admit it’s foreign territory for a dad. In a nutshell, I recommended that you not make a big deal out of it, but continue to show your...
Teaching Daughters About Sex?
A dad named Allan wrote to me, not asking should I teach my daughter about sex, but how should I? You see, he’s a single dad. And, he’s wondering, should I find a woman to talk to her? I commend Allan for recognizing the importance of this area of his daughter’s life....
Take Your Daughter to Work
I’m reminded of one father who instilled the value of hard work into his daughter. Harry regularly took his daughter Demi to work with him, where she learned the value of hard work, honesty, and generosity. When she grew older, she went to work for him every day, and...
Sex: Daughters
In a world that is sexually spinning out of control, what can we do to protect and support our daughters in this caustic environment? Now, we know that girls are wired uniquely different than boys. Where boys may be lured in more by the visual temptation, it’s the...
Reflection Dad / Lunch with Daughter
teve had an important lunch appointment. He had traveled several hundred miles, and he was more than a little nervous. But this meeting wasn’t to cut some business deal. It was to start a new relationship. His luncheon partner was his daughter. Michelle had left home...
Daughters and “the Gender War”
Some time ago, I spent a week in the mountains with my daughter Sarah on a father-daughter retreat. For me, it was a cleansing, refreshing time; for Sarah, it was a time of empowerment and blessing to be all God meant her to be. That week deepened our relationship,...
Daughters and “The Real Thing”
How would you train someone to spot a counterfeit bill? Well, you’d probably make them aware of the common methods of copying the original, and you’d point out telltale signs of fakery. But most of all, you’d want that person to be very, very familiar with the real...
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...