Find ways to represent the best of fatherhood where you are, no matter what you end up doing on Father’s Day.

Find ways to represent the best of fatherhood where you are, no matter what you end up doing on Father’s Day.
How do you live a life that leaves a legacy? First and foremost, you need to live according to your beliefs—healthy beliefs that encompass your faith, your family, and your friends.
Sometimes life leaves emotional scars on children. How can we dads help them most effectively? A stepdad named Eric wrote to us about this. He said that the greatest difficulty he has faced with his children has been dealing with the hurt they brought with them from...
When we hear a dad mention certain fathering habits or topics, we know that guy is really tuned in to his role.
What do you believe is most important about life, and about being a man? Kids need to hear from their fathers and father figures about that.
Kids are looking for heroes. Are you worthy of the title? On this third week of honoring everyday heroes for Father’s Day, we recognize WatchDOG dads—men who volunteer at their children’s schools to have fun and be positive role models. We know that a large percentage...
Leading up to Father’s Day, we’re honoring everyday heroes—real dads who are great examples of responsible fathering. This week’s example is an amazing story that demonstrates fatherhood at its very best... It starts with a boy named Gage, whose biological father left...
Have you heard about Sugar Bear? He’s fifty-five, and he’ll tell you that the worst day of his life was back in the early 90s, when he was released from prison. As he was being processed out, he saw one of his sons ... being processed in. Earlier this month, columnist...
It’s one thing to be a committed father in your own home to your own kids. But this week, can you take your commitment a step further and reach out to another child outside your home who needs a father figure? A mom named Kim wrote to us and told us that her husband,...
If you have the privilege of being a dad, you are fortunate; don’t take it for granted.
A recent story featured on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" epitomizes the Championship Fathering fundamental of Encouraging Other Kids.
The brutal murder of a 16-year-old boy in Chicago several weeks ago has brought youth violence to the headlines once again. Many leaders agree that this latest example is one more wake-up call for our nation to take action to combat some alarming trends, but in all of the talk, there are few viable solutions recommended.
Each of your children is unique and special. You had your first baby and had the incredible privilege of relating to and learning about that one for a few years. Then a second one came along, and that child was totally different in hundreds of ways. Maybe you had some...
Dad: are you ever confused or frustrated as you try to figure out what makes your kids tick? One of the key fundamentals of fathering is Awareness of our children—simply getting to know them better. As dads, we should make it our mission to gain insight into who they...
Dad: you have some remarkable women in your life—your mother and your kids’ mom. And you can play a big role in making Mother's Day truly memorable for them. Ideally, you would already have some plans in place by now. Maybe you have thought through what she...
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dads: In the past few weeks I’ve had a 47-second video go viral, with nearly 2.6 million views and counting on Instagram! (And honestly, I suspect a good number of the views, likes and shares are coming from daughters and wives...
For many years, our staff had opportunities to read children's essays about their dads, and then interview some of the dads related to our Father of the Year Essay Contests. The contests gave kids opportunities to write about their dads, and we were always amazed at...
Darren is a frustrated father of a two-year-old. You might be thinking, Yeah, so? That’s normal. In many ways, it is normal, and it’s easy to understand why parents came up with the phrase, “terrible twos.” Many young children go through that phase where they need to...
When was the last time you were surprised by your own impatience or insensitivity? Maybe you were in a store or a restaurant and the people on duty were not very attentive to your needs. The situation dragged on long enough to make you pretty frustrated—you deserved...
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Once a father, always a father. That simple truth reveals that fathering is a process that lasts from the birth or adoption of your first child until the day you die. And really, we could say it begins when you start preparing for fatherhood....
by Jay Payleitner There are a ton of things you take for granted that would be empowering to a ten-year-old son or daughter. That includes stuff you learned so long ago that you don’t even know you know. Examples? How to reset the circuit breakers. How to shut off...
Has springtime arrived for you yet, dad? During the past few weeks, we turned our clocks back for Daylight Savings (at least most of us did), we’re enjoying tournament basketball and all its madness, and this week came the first day of spring. Maybe that isn’t a big...
A few years back, we received an e-mail from a man who isn’t a father and doesn’t want children, but his wife does. Here’s what he wrote: I want to know more about fatherhood. Most of what I read says that I’ll learn to love poopy diapers, sleepless nights, constant...
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Most of you dads have played sports at some point in your life—and if not, maybe you competed in debate, music, science, or some other pursuit. And I’m sure you know that every single time you step onto the field or court, you...