by Jay Payleitner – The dividends include stronger family relationships, deeper conversations, and peace of mind.
All About the Feet: Entering Your Daughter’s World
Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield gets inspired by a dad who showed love for his daughter by going with her for a pedicure.
Kids vs. Romance: Connecting with Your Bride
Having kids should not put an end to romance. Actually, just the opposite. Dad and Mom need to be even more intentional about their marriage.
Dad, Are You Behaving in the Bleachers?
There’s a lot more at stake than a win or loss. You have nothing to prove except that you love and support your child.
Teens: An Example of Fatherly Self-Control
By controlling ourselves, we can foster a closer relationship when it seems like our teens want to pull away.
Be Joyfully, Expectantly Inconvenienced
By Peter Lewis: Hope for, wait for, eagerly anticipate, even relish the joyful intrusion of your children into your life.
Growing into the Role: New Dads and Brain Research
We can be the fathers our children need, and at just the right time. That should give us confidence and a sense of purpose as dads.
Crush Your Son in Driveway Basketball
by Jay Payleitner – In just a few years, he will beat you. And that victory will be ever-so-sweet because it was earned.
Making Amends: How One Dad Did It Right
Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield answers dads who ask, “How do I make things right with my daughter? Because things between us aren’t so good.”
Bedtime Joys & Opportunities for Dads
Bedtime can be one of the best, most pure moments of fathering, or it can be a tense, emotional struggle. Whenever possible, dads, be there.
7 Life Lessons One Dad Learned From His Kids
by Joshua Becker: Children add joy, purpose, and fulfillment to our lives. And given the chance, they will teach us valuable life lessons.
The FATHER Formula: 6 Things Your Daughter Needs from You
Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield provides a template for you to gauge how well you’re putting your love for your daughter into action.
Categories
Welcome to the fathers.com fathering library.
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...
A Script for Your Call with Dad on Father’s Day (Or Any Day)
by Jay Payleitner Traditionally, Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year for phone calls. So where does that leave dads on Father’s Day? Well, maybe fewer calls are made because talking with the old man is more frustrating than talking with mom. Too often...
Each Child Is Different! 3 Important Truths for Dads
Each of your children is unique and special. You had your first baby and had the incredible privilege of relating to and learning about that one for a few years. Then a second one came along, and that child was totally different in hundreds of ways. Maybe you had some...
Important Father-Child Interviews
Dad: are you ever confused or frustrated as you try to figure out what makes your kids tick? One of the key fundamentals of fathering is Awareness of our children—simply getting to know them better. As dads, we should make it our mission to gain insight into who they...
Mother’s Day: Tips for Dads to Honor Moms
Dad: you have some remarkable women in your life—your mother and your kids’ mom. And you can play a big role in making Mother's Day truly memorable for them. Ideally, you would already have some plans in place by now. Maybe you have thought through what she...
What Dads of Daughters Need to Know in 3 Words
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dads: In the past few weeks I’ve had a 47-second video go viral, with nearly 2.6 million views and counting on Instagram! (And honestly, I suspect a good number of the views, likes and shares are coming from daughters and wives...
Young Kids & Behavior Issues: Mean What You Say
Darren is a frustrated father of a two-year-old. You might be thinking, Yeah, so? That’s normal. In many ways, it is normal, and it’s easy to understand why parents came up with the phrase, “terrible twos.” Many young children go through that phase where they need to...
Dad: Look Below the Surface
When was the last time you were surprised by your own impatience or insensitivity? Maybe you were in a store or a restaurant and the people on duty were not very attentive to your needs. The situation dragged on long enough to make you pretty frustrated—you deserved...
Your Fathering Journey in 6 Stages
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Once a father, always a father. That simple truth reveals that fathering is a process that lasts from the birth or adoption of your first child until the day you die. And really, we could say it begins when you start preparing for fatherhood....