Adam Halliday
“I feel grateful for Good Dads; (at first) I didn’t think I was going to get anything out of it,” admitted father Adam Halliday, who, like many fathers in the New Pathways program, was looking for a fresh start. He had a desire to develop skills for his role as a father to his 14-year-old daughter.
“Fatherhood is the most important thing I will ever do,” he said. “It’s my main reason for why I have to finish the things I start.”
Adam’s life has been full of challenges, describing it as a “dumpster fire.” He cycled from prison to probation, struggling with feelings of anger as he and the mother of his daughter split up. Because of these circumstances, he got to see his daughter less and less.
The challenges he faced were hard to bounce back from.
“I was in a cycle of wanting to (be) better and a lot of self-sabotage,” he admitted.
While living in Beacon House, a recovery home in Blue Springs, MO, Adam saw a flyer promoting New Pathways for Good Dads classes starting soon in the residence.
“It was a really good experience,” he said. “I met some good dudes and learned a lot.”
Adam faced homelessness during his recovery journey, leading to major setbacks in his career. He struggled to hold steady employment. Adam says fellowship with other fathers, his personal faith, and Good Dads prevented him from giving up. Quickly overcoming his initial skepticism about Good Dads classes, he started looking forward to going to class each week.
“I tried to follow other guys who dealt with the same stuff to see what they did,” he said. Adam added that the other men in the class helped him feel less alone, encouraging him to keep attending classes. “(Good Dads) forced me to see some different points of view… on some of the things I was struggling with.”
The Good Dads 2.0 course, a 16-week class focused on fatherhood skills, stress and anger management and conflict resolution, resonated with Adam because of the curriculum’s job training model and construction metaphor.
“I have had major difficulty in landing a job, finding resources to work and to get to and from work,” Adam said. Attending weekly classes allowed him to feel more motivated. Feeling supported and confident in his abilities, Good Dads programs played a role in a major change in Adam’s attitude. Exchanging ideas with fellow fathers, he began working on his resume.
Adam said that Good Dads provided “new opportunities I wouldn’t have been able to find (otherwise).” Before Good Dads, he didn’t have a lot of conflict resolution skills, which led to disagreements and arguments between him and his daughter. But with Good Dads, he learned a variety of approaches for handling different conflicts. He also learned that what might work for some people might not work for others.
“You have to relearn how to be a man under pressure,” he said. “I have a better game plan and outlook on how I would deal with (conflict).”
Adam admits he still has a long way to go in his fatherhood journey. He’s successfully completed Good Dads 2.0, dedicating time to make up for classes he missed.
Learning how to be a good dad helped Adam to be a better man, giving him the skills and confidence to take control of his life. He described fatherhood as “the main reason behind all the other reasons.”
Like many children, Adam’s daughter is involved in team sports. He enjoys attending her games and sitting in the stand with her and her teammates. There’s a lot of joking and laughter, and Adam feels grateful he gets to experience these special moments with her.
“(Our) relationship is a ‘180’ from what it was a few months back,” Adam said with pride. “Watching my daughter get to do that is one of the greatest gifts. Thank you, Good Dads, you gave me this right here.”
Since participating in Good Dads classes, Adam’s relationship with his daughter has continued to grow stronger. He wants to be a stable figure, a man of his word, and to be “involved in everything, even the stuff that isn’t fun or pretty.”
“I want her to know that Dad never stopped or shied away,” he continued. “I want to be a man that my daughter is proud of; set the standard for what kind of man I would want her to look for. I would do anything for her.”
About the Author
Dora Gilreath is the communications assistant at Good Dads. She joined the team in 2024 and has a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in creative writing at Missouri State University. She loves reading, writing and anything related to theater.