Dr. Foster Cline: If I could, give my kids more important Father’s Day gifts, because it is always more fulfilling to give than to receive.
One on One with Your Child
James is a busy man with many professional and community responsibilities—and he’s a devoted father. Several years ago, James’ son Darren developed a burning passion for the game of basketball—and he had some skills.
Great Fathers Make Good Neighbors
The teen years can be the best of times and the worst of times. At no other time in your child's life can things be more trying. One common mistake made by loving parents is that they don't give teens enough responsibility soon enough. Too often parents don't trust the values they have instilled over the years, so they attempt to force values on their children in adolescence, and the children rebel.
Speak Your Child’s Language
For many younger children, the language of their world is play. When fathers don't speak that language, but instead try to relate in an adult way, kids can't understand or relate, and may experience feelings of frustration, isolation, or ignorance. Sometimes fathers feel the lack of connection, too. But we can prevent it—and strengthen the bonds with our children—by learning their language of play.
Anger Could Be a Matter of Priorities
So often, a dad’s frustration and anger start as an inner conflict between priorities. You want to do one thing, but family responsibilities pull you another way.
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.
The Myth of Quality Time
Dad: how are you doing creating quality time with your kids? For many years parents have used that phrase when referring to their best intentions with their children: spending quality time with them. Through the years there have also been pro-fatherhood campaigns that...
Connecting Through Fashion: Understanding Your Daughter’s Unique Style
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dad, you’ve surely noticed some things about your daughter that you may never fully understand, often due to the built-in differences between male and female. And as a committed and dialed-in GirlDad, part of connecting with your...
Walking with Your Kids Through Tragedies
Our world—and here in the U.S., our nation—has endured another tragedy in last weekend’s assassination attempt and the death or injury of bystanders. You’ve probably heard and seen a lot about it, and details will continue to emerge. Sadly, this is one more incident...
4 Habits of Dads Who GET IT
Do you get it dad? Are you actively doing the habits associated with great fathering? Here at fathers.com, we put a lot of stock in empirical research about fathering. Much of our research is quantitative: social science data that can be measured, categorized and...
A Summer Fun Checklist for Dads
by Dr. Ken Canfield Happy 4th, dads! I hope you’re able to enjoy a long weekend celebrating our nation’s freedom (if you’re in the U.S.). There are many good reasons to look forward to Independence Day, and I hope you go all out with celebrating and enjoying time with...
A New Life and a Vote for the Future
by Dr. Ken Canfield My family is celebrating a new life with the birth of another grandchild. That makes sixteen grandkids total, although it’s the first child for one of my adult children—the last of the five to become a parent. It’s an incredible and joyful time,...
Father’s Day: Your Kids Are Worth Your Very Best
by Dr. Ken Canfield Dad: It’s Father's Day! How will you celebrate? There are probably as many options as there are unique dads. But we all share a few things in common, and there are positive things for all of us to keep in mind. This Father’s Day, I hope you feel...
Honoring Your Dad is a Privilege
The U.S. Census Bureau regularly releases interesting statistics related to various holidays. For Father's Day, many of them focus on gifts to get for a dad: As of 2021, there were 6,000 men's clothing stores in the United States, 15,000 hardware stores, and 20,000...
Creating Summer Memories: Intentional Fatherhood
Officially, summer is still almost a month away, but for many families the end of the school year is the start of summer vacation and a time of definite change in the routine. Maybe this summer your kids have a busy schedule of sports, camps and sports camps, music or...
Staying Calm at Bedtime: A Dad Needs Tips
This week we’re addressing a question we received from a dad. He wrote: Looking for some tips on staying calm at kids' bedtime. Having to ask them to do their teeth and put their PJs on 50 &#%?@! times kills me, and then they get upset, then I get upset. Happens a...
3 Reasons to Honor Moms
by Dr. Ken Canfield Dads, you’re ready to honor your mother and your children’s mother this Sunday ... aren’t you? I hope Mother’s Day is something you throw yourself into, because moms deserve it—and it’s good for us and for our kids. By now you have probably made...
Ways to Fight Fathering Commitment Erosion
How do you maintain your motivation and commitment as a dad? According to our own research on fatherhood, high commitment is the number-one sign or predictor of an effective father. And if you’re reading this, then there’s a good chance that describes you—you’re a...