When you appreciate your wife, you let your children know that your marriage is important, and you set a great example for them.
Ways to Honor Mom – the Real MVP
Have you and your kids been busy making plans and arrangements to make Sunday a special day? Mother's Day is an opportunity to honor one of the most important contributors within the family: our mothers and our children’s mothers. You’ve probably heard calculations...
Moms: You can help your child’s father be a better dad
Research found that moms have a strong influence on dads’ childcare efforts. When a mom praises a dad’s efforts, he often takes a more active parenting role.
3 Ways to Really Be There for Your Wife
Do you have thoughtful, creative plans in place for Valentine’s Day? Some guys go all out for it: “This is one more opportunity to demonstrate how much I love her, and I’m making the most of it.” Others practically boycott the holiday: “It’s just a trumped-up excuse...
Do you “get it” when it comes to being a father?
When we hear a dad mention certain fathering habits or topics, we know that guy is really tuned in to his role.
Your Relationship to Your Child’s Mother – Reflections from When Harry Met Sally
Older couples talk about their memories and lives together. (A nice feature from the movie that not many people probably remember.)
Your Relationship to Your Child’s Mother: “Dancing in the Minefields”
Music video of the song by Andrew Peterson. “It was harder than we dreamed, but I believe that’s what the promise is for.”
Video / Your Relationship to Your Child’s Mother – Fireproof: Salt and Pepper
An object lesson about being committed to your spouse “for better or for worse ...” Do you need to recapture that sense of lifelong commitment in your marriage?
The Dad/Mom Team and Partnership Video – Everybody Loves Raymond
At its best, parenting is a partnership, where mom and dad work together to bring about what’s best for the kids ...
Video / Your Relationship to Your Child’s Mother – Fireproof: Fight Scene
Does this scene ring true in your marriage? Marriage is difficult. It’s made up of two very different people who don’t always see eye-to-eye. It takes a lot of work and sacrifice! But it’s worth working on—for yourself and for your children.
Your Job Description: Defining What it Means to Be a Dad
At no time do we feel the need to figure out how to be a dad more than when we first become fathers. What about a job description for dads?
Six Tips for Husbands on Valentine’s Day (Including One that’s “Naughty”)
Ideas from Jay Payleitner: “Buying a last-minute gift is naughty, and not in the good way. It tells your wife that you don’t consider her as a high priority.”
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.
“I’m Proud of You Because …”
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Dad, if you’re anything like me, you’re very proud of your kids. Sometimes the simplest things they do can bring a lump to your throat or a tear to your eye. And I know ... Many of us notice our kids’ positive qualities and accomplishments, but...
Give Yourself for Christmas
Dad, do you want to know one the best gifts you can give your kids for Christmas—beyond the presents you wrap and place under the tree? Since the material gifts are likely already purchased and wrapped, let's talk a bit about a truly lasting gift you can give your...
11 Things That Make Your Family Special
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. What makes a family a family? There are many ways to answer that question, and it will likely be different for each family. One idea is to consider the regular activities that you do together—the activities that help to develop a sense of...
Where Are You as a Father?
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. For many decades, we men had a bad reputation when it came to navigating the world. We wouldn’t stop and ask for directions. Maybe we thought, Hey, I’m a guy and I know where I’m going and how to get there. Or at least I should. Sometimes this...
A New Resource to Equip Dads Like You
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Dads and Friends of Dads: It’s a privilege to be working with an organization that is committed to a cause, and here at the National Center for Fathering, that cause is you, dads! We sincerely believe that responsible, engaged fathers are heroes...
Teens: Make the Most of Opportunities
Be ready, dad. When chances come to spend time with your teenager, don’t miss ‘em. Roy had a thirteen-year-old son named Sam. As you might expect with a father of a teen, satisfying connection times were hit-and-miss, and often it was "miss." Both of them were busy...
How to Bond with Your Baby
When Gary first held his son, it was awkward. The child cried and he didn’t know what to do. It was obvious that his wife already felt a deep affection for this new member of the family. But Gary didn’t know what to say, and there was no rush of emotion, no glow in...
Dad, do you shirk discipline?
A few years back, a research study on parental discipline emerged from the Australian Institute of Family Studies, and here's the big headline for fathers: Dads are largely shirking discipline duties. "When it comes to disciplining the kids, there's been a role...
Treat Your Daughter Like Royalty
Insights Straight from Girls by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dads, I'm here to give you an all-access pass behind the curtain of a girl’s heart from the vantage point of a few courageous girls who shared their thoughts. Romance and royalty. I wonder what it is...
Laugh with Them. Cry with Them.
by Jay Payleitner Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. - Romans 12:15 When our kids come to us with emotional news, why do we often reflect the opposite emotion back to them? I will never forget a brief conversation I had with my dad my...
5 Ways to Make a Difference for Your Son
According to recent research, boys in our country are "fragile." And this isn't a new idea. Similar things have been written for almost the past 30 years. When compared to girls, boys generally show much higher tendencies to struggle with issues such as: learning...
Single Fathers: Press On
by Matt Haviland Is it possible to be a great father as a single dad? The short answer is, “Absolutely!” However, since being a single parent brings a variety of outside factors and dynamics, we may have to take a slightly different approach. It will surely look...