Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield: If you feel angry, sad or confused on Father’s Day, here are some truths to hold to and suggested steps to take.
A Script for Your Call with Dad on Father’s Day (Or Any Day)
by Jay Payleitner: Both parties do care, and both generations would probably like to communicate more effectively.
Honor Your Dad Like a 5th Grader
Your children may honor you on Father’s Day. And you can do something similar for your dad or a significant father figure.
3 Features of a Letter Dads Need to Write
Gaining insights about our fathers (or lack of a father) will give us needed perspective on our own fathering.
Kids Need to Hear “I’m Proud of You”
All children—at any age—need to be blessed verbally by their dads. Something isn’t quite complete without it.
Neil’s Father’s Day Tribute to His Dad
Neil’s dad wasn’t perfect, but he demonstrated the kind of commitment that it takes to be an effective father.
Overcome Your Father’s Shortcomings
How to Be a Better Dad by Sam Jones. “My challenge was figuring out how to give my children something I never received from my father.”
Inspiring Video: Is This Your Future?
By Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Dad, do yourself a favor and watch this 3-minute video: “Beginnings. The older you get, the more rare they become.” “Endings are too often on my mind. I pray for new beginnings.” This video challenges us to think about beginnings and endings. I...
Forgiving a Dying Deadbeat Dad
by Rashad Smith "Your dad has cancer that has spread all over his body..." was the text message that I received from my sister Keisha who heard the information from our Uncle Barney who has been more than a father than Bobby could dream of. I texted back, "That's...
3 Ways to NOT Bully Your Kids
as told to Brock Griffin / fathers.com We are just finishing up National Bullying Prevention Month, and it’s definitely worth recognizing in today’s world. We would all be wise to learn more about the challenges related to bullying and find ways to be part of a...
Build (or Rebuild) Your Legacy: A Tale of Two Fathers
Dan, Jerry, and Vonnie: stories from people in hospice care that illustrate the powerful, multi-generational impact we all have as fathers.
Make Moments with Your Kids
by Ryan Nelson: I could probably father so much more effectively if I would just invite my kids alongside me as I do the things I love.
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.
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...
Dad, Help Prepare Your Kids for the School Year—Here’s How
Getting ready to go back to school impacts the entire family... For kids, a new school year means new teachers, new classrooms, and possibly new responsibilities. Sometimes it means new friends. The first days at a new school—or first days in middle school or high...
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...
What to Do When You Dread Father’s Day
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Father’s Day is an occasion to celebrate, no doubt about it. It might even be a day for dads to recommit themselves to loving and investing in their children in meaningful ways. That’s what all of us are about at fathers.com. But...