How To Be A Successful Father
Being a father is at once, the most challenging and most rewarding job on earth. Do the wrong things, and it can break your heart. Do all the right things, and it can still break your heart. Despite most of us having children without the benefit of parenting education or a manual on raising children, there are some tried and true guidelines all parents can follow that will increase the liklihood of a mutually beneficial relationship with their children.
Today's father is also often tasked with being more than just a dad. As time goes on, many of us are working at home to be caretakers, learning about the world so that we can effectively stay in the loop of our childrens' lives as a friend, and increasingly, learning to take care of domestic responsibilities more traditionally handled by mothers. The father of today wears many hats, but if he wears them well, unparalleled joy is his.
In this lens, you will find resources for extending the current capacity of your relationship with your children and very likely find a book or website that you will read or visit over and over again. Near the bottom, you will find resources for fathers who are either not in their childrens' lives or are fighting to keep their rights alive. I don't necessarily believe there is such a thing as a bad father, as we all do the best we know how to do. But it is my sincerest hope that through some of these resources, we will become more educated and therefore do a better job than we may have done otherwise.
Whether you are a working dad with little time to spend at home, an estranged dad who hasn't seen his child in years, a single father who works at home or anything in between, we are all in the Fatherhood fraternity. Over time, more resources and information will be added to assist you in whatever stage you are currently in, but for now, there's a little somethinghere for each of you.
With that, I thank you for stopping by. Check back often as updates will be incorporated as much as time allows. To take the conversation a step further, I have recently started a blog located at www.dadviser.com. While it is a work in progress, it will take the topics in this lens into greater depth and offer a more rounded forum for fathers of all types.
The Key To Your Child's Heart
From Dr. Gary Smalley
- In raising confident, responsible kids in a warm, close-knit family atmosphere, there are 4 things involved with successful parenting of children under age 12:
1. Maintain a close, trusting relationship with your child
2. Motivate children to do their best
3. Preserve order and harmony at home and have fun in the process
4. Equip kids for future careers, interests, and relationships
"The Key to Your Child's Heart" centers around a single essential principle that can mean the difference between an angry, rebellious, distant child and a happy, cooperative one. That principle - the key to your child's heart - is knowing how to keep your child's spirit open. This will allow your child to experience their full potential as children and adults.
Required Reading
Some of the best books I've read on the topic of parenting.
Essential Books For Fathers In General
Fantastic Families: 6 Proven Steps to Building a Strong Family
Based on the largest study ever done on strong families. A vault of useful and insightful information.
Amazon Price: $10.87 (as of 10/10/2008)
I Can Do That With My Kid: Family Activities That Encourage Reading, Writing, Communicating and a Positive Self-Esteem
Don't get bored working with your young child or you won't enjoy working with them. This book will help keep things fun.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
Ten Talks Parents Must Have with Their Children About Sex and Character
This book will help make talking about difficult subjest with your children A LOT easier.
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 10/10/2008)
Father's First Steps: 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know
The first book every new father should read.
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 10/10/2008)
Grace-Based Parenting
A loving look at parenting that will likely be alternative to most parents rule based attitudes.
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 10/10/2008)
Required Reading
The best books on the topic I'm most interested in.
The following books have helped transform me from an ignorant newbie with inadequate life skills, to a confident, mature, extremely loving and supportive father and man. These books have opened my eyes to the awewsome power a father has in his daughters' eyes and just how much of a difference a good father can make in a woman's life.
Essential Books For Fathers With Daughters
What a Difference a Daddy Makes: The Indelible Imprint a Dad Leaves on His Daughter's Life
A collection of heart-warming stories to reinforce the data that fathers set up their daughters for success. Outstanding.
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 10/10/2008)
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know
A medical perspective of why a father is the most important person in his daughter's life.
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 10/10/2008)
A Very Good Guide to Raising a Daughter
A look at the bond between father and daugter which will make you ask yourself, "Who is raising whom?"
Amazon Price: $12.95 (as of 10/10/2008)
101 Ways to Help Your Daughter Love Her Body
THE definitive guide for helping your daughter have high self-esteem. A Best Book of 2001 winner.
Amazon Price: $11.16 (as of 10/10/2008)
What a Daughter Needs From Her Dad: How a Man Prepares His Daughter for Life
A spiritual look at the roles a father plays in the continually changing life stages of his daughters.
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 10/10/2008)
Required Reading
Books for all men. We either have sons or were one.
Whether you have sons or not, these books will add valuable insight into the growth and development of the male gender and may answer some questions you never knew you had. I may never have a son, but if I do, I will be more than ready thanks to some of these authors.
Essential Books For Fathers With Sons
Father and Son Read-Aloud Stories
Classic fairytales retold through a male-only perspective. This book provides hours of wonderful father-son bonding.
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 10/10/2008)
More Lunch Bag Notes: Everyday Advice From A Dad To His Son
Motivational advice for fathers to sons. There's also an accompanying book for daughters. Very inspiring.
Amazon Price: $9.26 (as of 10/10/2008)
Lessons for Dylan: From Father to Son
A reminder from a sick father about the most important things in life. An emotional roller coaster.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
Between Fathers and Sons: Critical Incident Narratives in the Development of Men's Lives
A psychological perspective of the father-son relationship told through a variety of narrative forms.
Amazon Price: $95.00 (as of 10/10/2008)
Letters to My Son: A Father's Wisdom on Manhood, Life, and Love
An honest accumulation of fatherly advice you wish you'd have gotten as a child yourself.
Amazon Price: $11.20 (as of 10/10/2008)
Reader Feedback
I welcome all feedback, advice and tips. Please leave a link to your site if it is parent or father-focused. Thank you for visiting and best of luck in your parenting endeavors.
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FamilyDads
You've done a great job with this lens. Nice work! Glad to meet another dad who shares a common view of the importance of fatherhood. Posted April 19, 2008 |
We would appreciate your listing our fathers site on your webpage. Thank you! Lee
www.fathershelphotline.com
Posted October 03, 2007
Father-Focused Websites
Promoting Responsible Fatherhood, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Home Page
Dept. of Health and Human Services, Promoting Resp more...1 point
Divorce Lawyer Consultation
A divorce can be a devastating thing for most peop more...1 point
http://www.dadlabs.com/ - Home
DadLabs: Building Better Dads0 points
DadBloggers
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fathers.com ~ We're here for dads!
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About Fatherhood: Resources and Support for Fathers
Interested in becoming a better father, whatever y more...0 points
http://www.fathersdirect.com/
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Home - Fatherville.com
Fatherville.com - Where Real Fathers Write About R more...0 points
Great Dad - Advice for Expectant Dads, New, Single, Stay at Home dads with Parenting Information and Pregnancy Care
Great Dad provides advice for dad - new, divorced, more...0 points
National Fatherhood Initiative ::: fatherhood.org
The National Fatherhood Initiative is a non-profit more...0 points
DadResources.com - Equipping Fathers...Building Families.
Online shopping for the best resources for dads0 points
Resources for Separated or Estranged Fathers
AKA How to get back in your child's life
In this list, you will find links to child support services, legal advice, custody issues, support groups and much more. I too, have found myself on this side of fatherhood and can tell you from experience that getting back into your child's life is not only the right thing to do, it is not difficult and can be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do in your own life. Remember, it is never too late to make up for past mistakes.
Resources For Separated and Estranged Fathers
http://www.fathers.org/
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Dads Divorce - Essential Information and Resources about Divorce, Custody and Child Support for Divorcing Fathers
Dads Divorce provides legal information and resour more...0 points
Parenting Time . net - Win Child Custody - Custody Calendar - Custody Tracking - Divorce Assistance
OPTIMAL is a powerful tool that helps parents win more...0 points
DadsRights.org: Divorce, Custody, Child Support and Other Resources for Single Fathers (formerly the Fathers Rights & Equality Exchange)
Resources for single fathers and
those who love th more...0 points
The Divorce Support: Child Custody & Visitation Resources
a support site for people experiencing, divorce, d more...0 points
http://www.fathershelphotline.com/
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Fathers & Families: Welcome
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SPARC - Divorce and Custody Help
The SPARC site is dedicated to providing help for more...0 points
Family life resources - Divorced fathers
Family life resources - divorced fathers0 points
http://www.ancpr.org/
ANCPR helps non-custodial parents protect their ri more...0 points
resources for fathers
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http://www.fathers-resources.com/
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http://www.daddyblogger.com
DaddyBlogger - for non-custodial fathers, grandpar more...0 points
