by Jay Payleitner: Both parties do care, and both generations would probably like to communicate more effectively.
Mother’s Day: Tips for Dads to Honor Moms
Dad, you have some remarkable mothers in your life, and it’s up to you to help make Mother’s Day truly memorable for them.
Young Kids & Behavior Issues: Mean What You Say
These years don’t have to be terrible. You can help minimize difficulties with a commitment to consistency in what you say and what you do.
Dad: Look Below the Surface
As dads, sometimes we get upset and blow things out of proportion when there’s really so much to the picture that we don’t see.
Your Fathering Journey in 6 Stages
Fatherhood is a marathon, and there is great value in stepping back and looking at being a dad from a bigger-picture perspective.
A Gift for Your Ten-Year-Old
by Jay Payleitner: When a child learns one of these household maneuvers, they feel like they’ve been invited into the inner circle.
Don’t Miss the Good Stuff
Spring and summer bring possibilities for activities and events with each of your kids and your whole family. Make the most of them, dad.
“I Want to Know About Fatherhood”
Children don’t just change your life; they totally transform it. They give you a new perspective on everything.
Daughters, Legacy and Thinking Backward
Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield: Though you won’t be around forever physically, you will live on in the deposits you leave in your daughter’s life.
Spiritual Equipping: Raising Kids to Be Discerning
Children need guidance about right and wrong and why it matters. As dads, it’s our job to equip our kids to prepare our kids for life.
Kids Need a Dad Who Loves (or Respects) Their Mom
Doing our job well as fathers requires some teamwork—and the most common, most important partner is our children’s mother.
3 Questions for Dads on Providing for Your Family
Providing is still an important aspect of fathering, and we all need to do our best while keeping it in proper perspective.
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Birthday Reflections: A Father’s Legacy
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. I recently gathered with many of my children and grandchildren to celebrate a birthday: my 70th. It was a wonderful and sometimes wild time together. During the days before that celebration, I came up with a sheet of reflections that I handed...
Game Time! Have a FUN Family Christmas
Are there gamers in your family? Actually this isn’t the kind of gaming you’re probably thinking of. And it has very little (if anything) to do with phones, computers or keyboards (unless you come up with one that involves a piano). This is about playing games with...
3 Fathering Insights from Joseph
by Jeff Zaugg Have you ever had dreams or expectations that fell flat or didn’t materialize the way you hoped? That happened to my family and me a few years ago when we were on an RV trip in Texas. We had plans to spend a few days at a lake that looked beautiful on...
Perfume Day: A Powerful Dad-Daughter Holiday Tradition
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Per·fume [pərˌfyo͞om] · a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes. Day [dā/] · a period of twenty-four hours as a unit of time;...
What’s Your Plan for the Holidays, Dad?
It’s the week after Thanksgiving, and in case you didn't know it, dad, last week was a test—or maybe a warm-up. How did you do? It’s good to ask yourself questions like: “Did I help make the celebration all it could be? Or did I just kind of show up and let things...
A Year-End Message from Dr. Ken Canfield
Dad: Please watch this short video and then keep reading below for a year-end update and request from me ... https://youtu.be/1jYUmQOTfEg Dads: This is an exciting time of the year. I love the Christmas season for many reasons. It's also a time to reflect and take...
3 Ways Dads Can Be Intentional on Thanksgiving
by Jay Payleitner Thanksgiving? Already? If the days are moving too quickly, that's all the more reason to approach the holidays with thoughtfulness and intentionality. I do hope you're feeling grateful. Even if you've had a tough year,...
5 Things Single Dads Should Do Consistently
by Matt Haviland As a father, I try to operate with the ever-present knowledge that my words matter, and often more than I realize. Of course, that isn’t easy; we all say things that are careless and insensitive sometimes. And often the challenges increase when you...
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...