Fathers have always played an important role in their children’s education. Ancient Egyptian texts, early American writings and other historic sources have placed the primary responsibility for educating a child specifically on his father.
Teens Who Don’t Care About School
When your high school junior or senior is on the verge of dropping out, what can you do?
David and his wife are struggling with their 17-year-old daughter. Her attitude is, “I don’t care about school.” She’d rather be hanging out with her friends.
Shaping Your Future Worker
Dad, don't you wonder—and worry—about your child's future career path? If your kids are like mine, people started characterizing them from an early age: "Wow, she has long fingers. She'll be a great piano player some day." Or, "He loves to push buttons and figure out how things work. I bet he'll grow up to be an engineer."
Read With Your Children
Read a good book lately—with your kids?
Let me take you back a few centuries. A Massachusetts Colony law enacted in 1644 stated that heads of households should be responsible for teaching their children to read. Not a bad law.
Teaching Discernment
The continuing barrage of negative media influences—particularly violent video games—challenges fathers to teach their children skills in discernment. A recent Gallup poll found that the “Grand Theft Auto” series is extremely popular among adolescent boys. Even though it received an “M” rating (intended for mature audiences) by the entertainment software rating board, 71% of boys and 34% of girls between the ages of 13 and 17 have played the game.
Fathers and Education
All fathers can play a critical role in their children’s education. Research shows that when fathers are involved, their children learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behavior. Seeking to assess the level of father involvement in children’s education, the National Center for Fathering conducted a national random sample in October 1999. The survey contacted 894 men and women and requested their responses to questions related to their children’s education.
You and Your Child’s Teacher
There are many things you can do to ease the transition into a new school year. If your kids are like mine, they already have the scoop on their new teachers. Mrs. So-and-so is strict; Mr. So-and-so is really hard; Mrs. So-and-so lets you get away with anything.
Dad: The Ultimate Educator
Clark Smith knows that he, like all dads, has an important role in educating his children. Here are some key ways he has tried to do that.
FATHERS: the Foundation of Education
Challenges in Education
Few would argue that education is one of our children's supporting pillars of success. Yet many of our public school systems across this nation are in need of help. This was a key issue in last year's presidential campaign for both candidates and materialized as the President's "No child left behind" education campaign.
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.
Dad Jokes: A Celebration
by Brock Griffin What’s the deal with dad jokes? Why are fathers, some of the most vital contributors to healthy families and communities, associated with humor like this ...? I was wondering why the frisbee kept getting bigger and bigger. Then it hit me....
Dad Tucks In
by Jay Payleitner Statistically, moms spend more time with kids than dads. To counter that inequity, let’s just make a rule. Whenever possible, Dad tucks in. The benefits are many. Mom gets a break. Dad gets a clear assignment that he can check off his...
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...