To have the best impact on your children's future, your involvement in their education needs to extend beyond their school-related learning. Whether it's in the car, on the playing field or at the dinner table, you can teach life skills that will have a positive...
by Jay Payleitner Once again, this week we’re featuring a chapter from It’s Great Being a Dad—written by three committed dads who frequent this space: Carey Casey, Jay Payleitner and Brock Griffin. This blog comes with a twist. After reading the good ideas below, your...
So you clicked over to read something that might help you be a better father. You must be the best dad in the world ... We all know that everyone absolutely adores sarcasm, right? It is one of those wonderful character traits that kids love about their dad and wives...
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...
Watching your child deal with nightmares can be pretty heartbreaking. We don't want our children to be upset by anything, real or from their imagination. Whether they are scared of the dark, the monster under the bed, or something else causing nightmares we want to...
Make sure you’re doing your best to dedicate time to your child’s education and start preparing them for college now, no matter their age.
We shouldn’t feel guilty for being committed to our jobs, but all dads should continue to ask themselves, Where am I most indispensable?
In a digital world, we have to be dedicated to setting boundaries with our children. This means setting guidelines AND holding your children to them. Beyond this, it also means explaining why those boundaries are in place and how you intend upon implementing them. To...
I can’t help but look back and ask myself, “Did I do all I could to help my kids develop a healthy spiritual life?” This is worth considering given the important influence fathers have in the area of faith and spiritual development.
Sometimes you’ll get lucky and have great success by going with your gut. But since you want to give your kids the very best, it makes a lot of sense to look outside for help.
We LOVE fall here at NCF. Why? Because it is a great season to spend with family! There are so many different fall activities to do that are sure to create lasting memories for both you and your kids. Here are 25 Fall Family Activities we suggest you try this year! Do...
by Jay Payleitner As my beloved Cubs surprisingly chase a playoff spot, my mind drifts back to a summer day at Wrigley, circa 1967. I was nine years old. It was the annual Payleitner pilgrimage to the shrine at Clark and Addison. When I was growing up, my dad made...
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. What keeps a dad motivated and hopeful? That’s a key question that I’ve been pondering and researching for some time, and I’ll have more on this in the coming weeks and months. I’m more and more convinced of this: Hope is a powerful force and...
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...
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...
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...
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;...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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....
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...
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...