Did you make fathering resolutions earlier this month? Consider these three suggestions from our long-time friend, Rick Wertz:
Father’s Day and the Privilege of Being a Dad
We all celebrated Mother’s Day a few weeks ago, and I hope you did it up right. Moms definitely deserve to be honored and celebrated. In many ways, Father’s Day is different. (And that’s okay.) Most dads aren’t expecting a whole lot in the way of gifts. We’re good...
4 Steps for Your New Year Fathering Action Plan
As the New Year arrives, it’s natural to think about turning over a new leaf. Bad habits to stop. Good habits to start. Resolutions to keep.
Contentment in the New Year
Dads, here’s hoping your New Year is “happy” ... and much more. As we start this new year, here's a thought from one of our long-time friends at NCF, Mick Trombley from Pennsylvania. He writes about the phrase that’s so common during these next few days: “Happy New...
Five Christmas Traditions
The holiday season is a time to build lifelong memories with your family. Traditions also help you bond and reconnect with loved ones, friends, and neighbors. Creating traditions takes just a little time and energy to plan. We’ve put together a...
We “Skipped” Christmas
by Eric Snow It was the fall of 1999. Earlier in the year my career had taken us to a new town 125 miles away from our nearest family. Valerie and I were adjusting to new jobs, and our 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter were making new friends and beginning to...
Maybe Do LESS Good this Holiday Season?
In December, more people are looking for ways to give and bless others. And that’s a good thing. We can be inspired when we see others helping people. But one dad says his family is almost overwhelmed right now because of all the requests to donate money, supplies,...
Thanks for What? Divorced Dads & the Holidays
While it’s difficult not having a partner during the holidays, it’s particularly difficult when we don’t have our children. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the things we don’t have and the things for which we’re not thankful.
25 Fall Family Activities
We LOVE fall here at NCF. Why? Because it is a great season to spend with family! There are so many different fall activities to do that are sure to create lasting memories for both you and your kids. Here are 25 Fall Family Activities we suggest you try this year! Do...
Tips for Traveling With Kids
While you're planning that last trip of the summer before the kids head back to school, keep these tips in mind! Traveling can get stressful, but you set the pace and attitude for your family dad. Make sure you're setting a positive one that is open for new ideas and...
Father’s Day: One of the BEST Ways to Spend the Day
by Jay Payleitner – Maybe Father’s Day should not be about me. And just maybe it shouldn’t be about you either.
NCF’s Guide to Summer Stargazing
This summer, make some family memories under the stars! Stargazing can be a fun and educational way to bond with your kids and do something new. Check out NCF's essential tips to planning a great night of stargazing for the family.
Categories
Welcome to the fathers.com fathering library.
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...
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...