When I learned that my son had lied to me, I thought about confronting him, but I was afraid that approach might not help him learn from the situation. So, here are the principles I tried:
The Secret to Showing Children Respect
Our love and respect for our kids shouldn’t be based on a sense of our rights, or even what we think a child deserves. Our respect for them has to be selfless, active, and not dependent upon our mood or their behavior.
6 Tips to Connect With Your Teen Daughter
Download Tools for the Journey: 6 Tips to Connect With Your Teen Daughter from NCF now to get 6 great tips on how to keep the line of communication open between the two of you!
Don’t Be a Disney Dad
by Scott Moore What is a Disney Dad? A "Disney Parent" actually has a legal definition: "a noncustodial parent who indulges his or her child with gifts and good times during visitation and leaves most or all disciplinary responsibilities to the other parent." It's...
Family Challenges and Issues – Everybody Loves Raymond
Kids are defiant sometimes. It may take everything a dad has to handle it positively, without losing his cool.
Family Challenges and Issues – Cinderella Man
Kids have a lot to learn about life, and figuring out the best way to shape their character—including correction and discipline for their mistakes—is always a challenge.
Conflict Resolution – Fly Away Home
Resolving conflicts means telling the truth, admitting wrong, and seeking forgiveness as you try to move forward.
Be the Good Boss
If a dad just tries to be the disciplinarian without building a foundation where his kids trust and respect him, it will end in failure.
Discipline Lessons from a Speeding Ticket
People attending our events have requested more practical information on discipline, and we know all dads (and moms) will benefit from the practical ideas presented by Dr. Bob Barnes. He teaches that children learn best from experiencing the natural consequences of their actions, and it's pointless for parents to get caught up in power struggles with their kids.
Great Fathers Make Good Neighbors
The teen years can be the best of times and the worst of times. At no other time in your child's life can things be more trying. One common mistake made by loving parents is that they don't give teens enough responsibility soon enough. Too often parents don't trust the values they have instilled over the years, so they attempt to force values on their children in adolescence, and the children rebel.
Prepare To Fight Fair
The Williams family was at it again. Mom accused Dad of being rude to her that morning, and Dad denied it. His memory, he claimed, was much more accurate than hers. Mom said he was crazy—if he couldn't even remember to put up the toilet seat, how could he claim to remember the fight?! Dad exploded in anger, and mom said he was acting just like his father. Dad yelled that she was stupid and overweight.
How to Make Discipline a Positive Experience
How do we teach our kids responsibility and self-control without losing control ourselves?
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.
Consistent Fathering: A Steady Hand in a Stormy World
by Dr. Ken Canfield Don’t worry. This isn’t about politics. It’s about being a father. The election is over and we’re all left to deal with it, whether we’re happy, a little angry, or mostly indifferent about the results. Maybe our lives will be significantly...
Dad: Water Your Daughter’s Heart with Positive Words
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dad, how powerful are your words in your daughter’s life? As you might suspect, I believe they are extremely important. Like a plant needs water, your girl needs your encouragement and affirmation. Allow me to illustrate further...
5 Ways Dads Can Protect Their Kids from Digital Dangers
by David Tucker - Founder, DigitalParenting.com We are bombarded with new studies almost daily illustrating how technology can have life-altering adverse effects on our children. From distraction and depression to predators and pornography, technology has evolved into...
Instilling Generosity in Our Kids: Strategies for Dads
by Dr. Ken Canfield Here in the middle of October, it’s evident in many American stores that we’ve already entered the holiday season. Halloween decorations are up for some, and Christmas products have been on display for several weeks now. This is an early heads-up...
Raising a Future Adult: 3 Ideas for Dads
Dad, if your kids are still pretty young, we have some news for you: They grow up. Some dads of teenagers and adult children would tell you that this is bad news, because a young-adult child is causing them a lot of worry and stress. Other dads would say kids growing...
Keep Using Your Unique, Mysterious Secrets with Your Kids
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Last week’s blog provided you with “dad hacks” that some fathers use to make their lives easier and connect with their kids. I trust at least some of them were helpful to you or at least caused you to do some deeper thinking or brainstorming. It...
Dad Hacks: Use These, Share Yours
Many of our best insights here at NCF are research-based. We often talk about the I-CANs or the 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers, and much of what you’ll see at fathers.com is based on those frameworks and the fathering practices associated with them. We also regularly...
Three Responsibilities of a Father
by Jeff Hamilton, founder of Dad Academy® The responsibilities of being a father are more than just what you are able to provide financially or support emotionally. Research proves the importance of a father’s presence in a child’s life. Beyond being present, a...
Fit Fatherhood: Inspiring a Healthy Lifestyle for Our Kids
Disclaimer: At fathers.com, we are not fitness experts. It isn't our main focus or calling. However, maybe a lot of us would benefit from occasional reminders about taking our physical well-being seriously as dads. Of course, good health may not be the most important...
Single Fathers: 3 Do’s and 2 Don’ts
by Matt Haviland Early in my years as a single father, I was invited by another man at work to join a small group of guys he was hosting. Immediately I felt out of place: I was the youngest guy in the group, I was the only single father, and compared to the other...
Back to School: Embrace Your Role as a Dad
Maybe your kids just started school a few days ago, or maybe where you are they start in the coming weeks. It’s a big deal for them, and it impacts the entire family. For kids, a new school year means new teachers, new classrooms, and new responsibilities. Sometimes...
Know When to Pick Your Battles, Dad
by Jay Payleitner Our kids were not fussy eaters. But one of them really, really didn’t like asparagus. Actually, none of the kids liked asparagus. But during one particular dinner, that one particular 8-year-old let it be known that there was no way he was going to...