It’s a traditional fathering role that’s still very important. But how does protecting our children look in today’s world?
Dad: Live Out an Unwavering Commitment
Commitment is the #1 secret that sets highly effective fathers apart from others. It helps you persevere through difficulties and find ways to be there for your kids.
New Year, Better Dad
If you’re serious about being the dad your children need, then you’ll want to start the year with a targeted plan. Our new resource will help.
“I’m Proud of You Because …”
Many of us notice our kids’ positive qualities and accomplishments, but we put words to our pride far too seldom. Here are 3 steps to take.
Give Yourself for Christmas
It’s all about time together—being available to your kids, giving them your full attention, and making some great memories with them.
11 Things That Make Your Family Special
These activities have “family time” written all over them. They strengthen bonds, provide important reference points, and create memories.
Where Are You as a Father?
As dads, we shouldn’t be backtracking and wasting time going in the wrong direction, especially when there’s a reliable “fathering GPS.”
Dad, do you shirk discipline?
When kids misbehave, why do some dads leave it for Mom to handle? As dads, we need to sign up for the entire role of being a father.
4 Qualities of Growing Dads
Great dads learn that humility and commitment are more important than having the right answers. They learn from mistakes and grow through the tough times.
The Paradox of “No Guarantees”
While we dads can’t guarantee that our children will make wise choices and lead a responsible life, we can greatly increase the odds.
A New School Year: 3 Tips for Dads
Your children will mature and be shaped in incredible ways over the coming months, and your involvement can help set them up for success.
Effective Fathering for a New Generation
Dr. Ken looks at his research-based 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers and how they have changed through the years.
Categories
Welcome to the fathers.com fathering library.
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...
9 Ways to Leap Beyond Father’s Day to Dad Awesome Day
by Jeff Zaugg I’ll never forget the joy that swelled up inside my 9-year-old heart as I watched my dad leap into a swimming pool from a raised perch in front of hundreds of cheering cruise ship passengers. It was the biggest event of the four-day cruise: the Belly...