There’s a lot that happens to us when we become dads, including some feelings and adjustments that are unique to fatherhood.
Questions to Help Dads Connect Heritage & Legacy
As dads, our present and future are critically linked to our past. Use these questions to gain perspective on your fathering.
“I Want to Know About Fatherhood”
Children don’t just change your life; they totally transform it. They give you a new perspective on everything.
Advice for New (or Soon-To-Be) Dads!
We’ve asked some of our friends to give you their best advice as you prepare and start out on your fathering journey. Here are some of our favorites.
How Fatherhood Can Change You
Some recent research studies have found biological changes in new fathers — even at the hormonal and brain cell level.
Birth – Your Gateway to Fatherhood
Your child's birth is the gateway through which you, your child and its mother must journey in order to become a family or add to your family. The quality of the birth experience influences the quality of your relationship with your family. It can create bonds of trust and support, or it can reinforce feelings of isolation from mother and child.
Get Ready to Be a Dad with a Fathers Assembly
When my wife was pregnant, I was nervous. I knew I was on the brink of the most monumental transition in my life, and the men around me were not helping.
Dads and Childproofing
Hollywood celebrity Matthew McConaughey recently made the following comment about his 14-month-old son, Levi: "He’s getting bigger, more fun, smarter and craftier by the day." Toddlers are great at keeping their dads very busy, and their growing craftiness can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a cause for concern because they can disappear very quickly, sometimes into very unsafe environments. Have you had that experience?
Growing as You Prepare for Fatherhood
If it feels like you don’t instinctively know how to care for your baby, that’s normal. Every new parent has to learn,
A Poem for Harrison, My Unborn Son
I don’t remember exactly when it was that my wife told me she was pregnant, but I know I’ll never forget it. It lacked all the basic elements for a good commercial: No international flavored coffees. No emotional background music. No surprise greeting card that ended with Hallmark tears of joy. Just an earful of sobering news.
Older Fathers
In recent years, some high-profile men have become fathers in their fifties and sixties: Paul McCartney, David Letterman, and the list goes on. They are part of a growing trend of men having children later in life.
Should I Have Children?
Luke e-mailed us asking for resources that will help him decide if he should have children. Bill Beahm, formerly on our staff, responded to him, and we want to share what Bill wrote.
Maybe some of you are asking that same question. Or, if you already have kids, maybe this will be a good reminder for you.
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.
Everyday Heroes: Dads Have Superpowers!
by Donald Calkins That’s right, dad. Your children believe the world revolves around you; they see you as holding the universe in your hands. While that may be exaggerated, the truth is that most dads have extraordinary influence over their children. I remember going...
Make Every Day Count: A New Year of Fathering
Dad, what will it take to make this year the best ever for you and your kids? The media has a New Year tradition of remembering well-known people who died during the past year. A few years back, one of those people was a man who really seemed to “get it” as a father,...
16 Ideas for Father-Child Holiday Traditions
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC One December back in the late 60s, a father-daughter tradition began. One afternoon, my father drove my younger sister and me—seven and five at the time—two hours away in our turquoise station wagon to cut down our family...
Single Dads: Will it Really be OK this Holiday Season?
by Matt Haviland If the holiday season ushers in an assortment of emotions to most people, that’s even more true for single dads this time of year. Joy, laughter, and anticipation may be at the forefront. What about dread, anxiety, or doubt? “Yes” to all of the above,...
Ways to Give Meaningful Gifts to Your Kids
How do you decide what gifts to give your children this time of year? Maybe your family has settled into an annual routine that seems to work pretty well. Maybe the kids create lists to help you know what they want. Maybe most of the gifts have already been bought...
From Duty to Delight: Transforming Your Fatherhood
What’s the secret ingredient of good fathering? And maybe more importantly for many dads: What can you do if you never saw that kind of father as you grew up? Jeff is a committed dad who has a great perspective on fathering. He’s passionate about being the dad his two...
Time: Are You Spending or Investing?
by Ron Nichols There’s a common expression that we use all the time. It’s pretty harmless in itself, but as fathers we need to think differently with it. It’s the simple concept of spending time. We always say, “I spent a lot of time on that project,” or, “I spent 20...
Consistent Fathering: A Steady Hand in a Stormy World
by Dr. Ken Canfield Don’t worry. This isn’t about politics. It’s about being a father. The election is over and we’re all left to deal with it, whether we’re happy, a little angry, or mostly indifferent about the results. Maybe our lives will be significantly...
Dad: Water Your Daughter’s Heart with Positive Words
by Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC Dad, how powerful are your words in your daughter’s life? As you might suspect, I believe they are extremely important. Like a plant needs water, your girl needs your encouragement and affirmation. Allow me to illustrate further...
5 Ways Dads Can Protect Their Kids from Digital Dangers
by David Tucker - Founder, DigitalParenting.com We are bombarded with new studies almost daily illustrating how technology can have life-altering adverse effects on our children. From distraction and depression to predators and pornography, technology has evolved into...
Instilling Generosity in Our Kids: Strategies for Dads
by Dr. Ken Canfield Here in the middle of October, it’s evident in many American stores that we’ve already entered the holiday season. Halloween decorations are up for some, and Christmas products have been on display for several weeks now. This is an early heads-up...
Raising a Future Adult: 3 Ideas for Dads
Dad, if your kids are still pretty young, we have some news for you: They grow up. Some dads of teenagers and adult children would tell you that this is bad news, because a young-adult child is causing them a lot of worry and stress. Other dads would say kids growing...