Shannon is worried about the way Derek drinks. He could always “hold his liquor,” but lately it seems to be more and more important to him. She has tried to talk with him about how his drinking affects their kids,…
Do you tell yourself the truth? Are you truly honest with yourself? Most of us have some difficulty telling ourselves the truth – or knowing the truth about ourselves – at least some of the time. Most of us have some…
I was probably about 15 years old, staying overnight with a new friend, when it happened. We were upstairs in her bedroom when loud voices could be heard emanating from the kitchen below. I looked at my friend and saw…
In a year of chaos, stay at home orders, and the uncertainty of the future, self-care is important now more than ever. With health screenings, body weight, and water intake being discussed everywhere at all times, we felt it was…
What Counselors / Therapists Hear “How could you possibly know what I have been through?” “I want to stop. I swear it, but I just can’t. Never mind, you wouldn’t understand.” “I just do not know what to do. She…
Feeling a little grumpy lately? Out of sorts? Irritated with others whose behavior makes your life more difficult? You might want to consider taking the “Two Day Challenge.” I read about it recently in Soul Keeping, a book by…
Let’s face it. Celebrating the holidays can be very stressful and depending on your family’s background and traditions, the tension can last for weeks. Even if you are able to keep plans for your family festivities reasonable, you still have…
This blogpost is part 2 of our holiday series. You can read part one here. “My father expects that we’ll bring the kids and spend Christmas Eve with him and his new wife.” “My mother will feel hurt if we…
I was thirteen years old and standing in the middle of a grocery store in Mexico. Just twelve hours earlier, I was in my church parking lot praying with our group before we left for Mexico – excited, nervous, and…
What makes you happier—giving or receiving? You probably already know what your child would say. “Getting!” You may even believe this yourself, but if you did, you would be wrong. In one study with American men and women, 632 participants…
One does not simply become an astronaut. We may dream about it as a child, but the reality of exploring space is limited, and only available to the best of the best. To even apply to be a NASA astronaut…
What is Mediation? Mediation is a practice that allows divorcing couples to meet with a neutral third-party mediator to resolve divorce conflicts. Mediators are specially trained to guide couples through the divorce process while staying respectful of both party’s opinions. …
Dan sat on the couch visibly upset. His body was tense, and it looked like he was ready to start yelling or crying. “My son and I used to be attached at the hip. Anywhere I went he went. Now,…
Dan sat on the couch visibly upset. His body was tense, and it looked like he was ready to start yelling or crying. “My son and I used to be attached at the hip. Anywhere I went he went. Now,…
“She would have to have a needle in her arm for me to get primary custody of my children.” Those were the bitter remarks of a dad I was seeing in therapy 20 some years ago. He was a good…
Getting Started When Good Dads began, the only resource in our community that came close to helping fathers be more engaged with their children was something called All Pro Dads (APD). A small number of local faith-based efforts, primarily housed…
Here are Good Dads we are often asked, “What kids of dads do you help?” Good Dads is here to help all dads be more successful in connecting with their children. One of the ways we help dads of all…
Avoiding the Big Hang-Up “We were talking on the phone and she just kept yelling at me, so I hung up on her.” “I was so mad. I couldn’t believe what he said, so I said, ‘Are you done—because I…
Before we have children, we tend to spend much time dreaming about all of the things we will do with them, and all of the meaningful, wonderful conversations we will share. Maybe we will dream and brainstorm with them about…
My younger son walked in from the shed and plopped on the couch exasperated. I recognized the familiar pouty look right away. Something had happened and he was not happy with his older brother. A flash of frustration washed over…
“Ok, time to get in your car seat.” This statement was made in a very even, calm voice. It was not a new demand. In fact, I had said it every day—sometimes three times a day—for the last two years.…
Managing Real World Challenges Boy Meets World was a teen drama in the 90s that followed a young man through the ups and downs of adolescence from middle school to college. In the season where Cory (the lead protagonist) is…
“I recognize this world. We practiced for it at home.” These words are the bold declaration of a young man waving good-bye to his parents as he heads out into the real world—to college, to the military, or to work…
Freedom to Learn the Privilege of Choice What to make better decisions? Make a few bad ones. Generally speaking, the best learning occurs when we make a poor choice, are allowed to suffer the consequences, and get some guidance from…
When Structure Isn’t Enough – Fostering Unstructured Play in a Highly Structured World Ah, those glorious, carefree days of childhood play. Thinking back to childhood, what do you remember? If we could go to the future and ask children what…
I think most of us recognize that dads are important to their kids, but I don’t think most of us imagine just how critical they are. Recently, I read a new book, The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling…
I was fortunate enough to grow up with a father who was responsible, worked hard, had integrity, and made time for his family. At the time I did not comprehend the intentionality he had to take care of himself so…
Why Dads Matter to Child Health and Behavioral-Health Related Outcomes 1. Children with father loss have, by the age of nine, a 14% reduction in telomere length—the most reliable predictors of life expectancy. In addition, the telomere loss is 40%…
From the time they are very young, children often love nothing better than to have a parent read to them. It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve heard the same story, if they’re younger than three or four, they want…
Taking a road trip with your kids can be an unforgettable experience. The open road leads to endless possibilities and a chance not only to bond with your children, but also create memories that last a lifetime. But the road…
My dad is a great storyteller. Always has been, always will be. Add in the fact that I had an extremely active imagination at six-years-old, and it is not a stretch that I truly thought I was going to Hogwarts.…
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – On this Live, Life, Well the pandemic has forced almost all of us to deal with the loss of something. For students, they’ve lost time around friends. Maybe the athlete you know lost their senior year…
What happens when you are an over-the-road driver and your wife has twins? Prime driver, Daniel Skidmore and wife, Kerry, recently faced this challenge when they welcomed a set of twins to their growing family. When Jackson, age 3, was…
“Has that always been there?” my husband asks, noting some new structure on a familiar route. “I think so,” I say, “but honestly I don’t know for certain. It could’ve been there a long time.” “It’s odd we didn’t notice…
On a warm sunny morning not so long ago I took two of my granddaughters to Nathanial Green Park to play. They clambered over the equipment, scaled the slide backward (Don’t most children do this?),and maneuvered the merry-go-round. I sat…
“Three out of four,” she said. “It needs to meet three out of my four requirements in order for me to commit.” My friend was talking about the pre-requisites she considered essential before committing herself and her family to a…
Nearly every day I meet with someone who is disappointed that some realistic life expectation failed to be fulfilled as imagined. They thought they would be married by now, but they’re not. They hoped to conceive a child, but they…
Moms and dads both participate in the development of their children, but in unique ways. Both offer love, acceptance and teach life skills, but each accomplishes these in different ways. It’s helpful if moms and dads are aware of these…
In 2011, I was tasked with a deployment to Afghanistan. Thankfully, I had a few months’ notice, but my report date hit right before the Christmas holiday. My wife and I tried to soak in as much family time together…
When Matt looked out the window and saw red and yellow leaves piling up around the old swing set in the backyard, he was reminded of the approaching holidays and the sadness he felt. It wasn’t just that COVID would…
Jon Hardy, Anesthesiology Assistant, thought he wanted to be a pilot, but during flight school he started asking himself, “Is this truly what I want to do—spend time and weekends away from my family?” He began to realize he had…
I was twelve years old and our car was acting up. My dad, a full-time sheriff’s deputy, was very busy and not reachable. I stood with my mom at the auto repair shop, knowing she was very distressed. I could…
It’s not what you expect to see on the back of an 18-wheeler, but it’s the absolute truth for Prime drivers James and Shelby Abell. They have had their baby, Amelia, on board almost since she was born in 2017.…
When Louisiana-born, Barry Broussard thought about becoming a truck driver, he talked the decision over with his three kids. Two were nearly grown, to the extent they had graduated from high school, but Sarah, his 14-year-old daughter, was just beginning…
For Josh Keedy, Prime driver and father of four, it all boils down to respect. Self-respect is a big deal for Josh—something reflected in his work as a driver and in his role as a husband and father. This attitude…
When Tony Capraro says driving a big rig runs in the family, he’s serious. Both his mother and father, his grandfather, his sisters and younger brother all drove an 18-wheeler at some point in their lives. “It’s in my…
I was going to be a professional snowboarder. I was convinced of this fact. If that did not work out, I would study psychology, but I was also going to be an actor. You may be thinking the above statement…
What Blue Bloods Can Teach Us about a Career in Public Service I’m a big fan of Blue Bloods. In fact, since about the time the pandemic began my “Main Man” and I have watched every single episode in the…
“Why not Europe?” I said. “Other kids go to Europe.” “I don’t want to be like other kids,” she said. I prayed about it,” she said, “and I think this is something I’m supposed to do.” “Anyway, I probably won’t…
I struggled out of bed this morning only to discover I should have already been leaving for work. In between the 1 AM feeding, the 4 AM feeding, and “The Boy” waking up at 5:30 AM and screaming for “Dada”…
The second Saturday in May they always appeared, side by side in the refrigerator, in perfect white boxes tied with gold cord. Sometimes they were roses, sometimes orchids. Always they were chosen to coordinate with dresses to be worn by…
As the driver of an 18-wheel tanker hauling food grade products, John Ogren is familiar with “surge.” He might be hauling anything from liquid chocolate to grape juice to soybean oil; it doesn’t make much difference when he needs to…
When I recently spoke with the Care Managers at Jordan Valley Clinic about the importance of fathers to children’s health, I was happy to have The Boy Crisis by Dr. Warren Farrell and Dr. John Gray to use as a…
How many of you are like me? While growing up you played as many sports as you could—baseball, basketball, football, and even soccer (VERY little)! I was NOT the best athlete. There were many of my teammates who did a…
Is one really lost if they don’t know they are lost? That is a question I have returned to again and again after a recent incident at the State Fair of Minnesota. As Minnesotans living in the heat of…
I frequently speak to groups about the importance of father engagement to outcomes for children—physically, mentally, behaviorally, and academically. I also say that even if you didn’t care a thing about how children fare, you might still be interested in…
Wilma Rudolph was 20th of 22 children born into extreme poverty. Glenn Cunningham was severely burned as an 7-year-old in a fire that took his brother’s life. Jim Abbott was born without a hand. What do these folks have in…
Quiz time! What happened on these dates in history? March 22, 2002 August 1, 2003 February 4, 2004 …
This was my toddler son’s response to my question about why he had chosen to pee down the heating vent next to the toilet. It wasn’t very reassuring to me, but I’m certain it made a lot of sense to…
From the time they are very young, children often love nothing better than to have a parent read to them. It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve heard the same story, if they’re younger than three or four, they want…
Some families go somewhere on vacation in the summer. Some prefer a “stay-cation.” And some use the precious months of June, July and August to pack up everything they own and move half-way across the country. In last week’s Good…
You’re on the website and reading this article because you want to be a good dad. Congratulations for making this a priority in your life. Our society needs more guys like you who aren’t satisfied with their current dad skills,…
The legendary coach, Vince Lombardi, once said, “Football is like life – it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority,” and most from the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations would agree. However, in the past…
Robert Hawkins has been a cattleman for as long as he can remember–his entire life actually. He grew up on a farm and when his father died suddenly while Robert was still a teenager, he carried on the operation with…
I grew up with a brother who was less than two years younger than me. We were raised by our hard working, single mother, along with equally hard working grandparents. I never really remember being taught “manners.” We kinda just…
Getting kids to learn the value of work is no easy task. When you throw in a couple of parents who most likely were raised with varying views of chores, allowances, and the appropriate age to start working at an…
As a parent, for the most part, we have the ability to help and protect our children as they grow. We can make sure they don’t go running in the streets, stick things in the outlets or consume toxic items.…
As parents our focus is often on ensuring our children have the right kind of friends. We arrange “play dates.” We sign them up for teams and activities where they can interact with other children we deem suitable playmates. We…
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. As a kid, my Mom worked very hard, and though we didn’t have a lot, she always made sure we had a wonderful Christmas morning. As much as I loved opening Christmas presents,…
“Say you’re sorry.” Many parents instruct children to express regret for thoughtless actions to another using these words. Head down, face frowning, the child mumbles “Sorry.” In return, he may hear, “Sorry too” or “That’s alright.” It’s really not alright.…
Good dads are not always tall, handsome, charming, or engaging. Some are short, average looking, quiet and shy. But a good dad always looks like a hero to his children. His super power may be juggling oranges. His cape may…
What does it mean to “show love?” Hugs, kisses, kind words, not pestering someone incessantly with questions, or telling someone, “I love you”? As a Dad of three young children (ages 9, 9 and 5), I’m constantly learning more from…
I love being a dad! I love the relationship, the love, the hugs, and even the challenge. As the dad of a 10-year-old, I now find myself beginning to reap the fruit and rewards of living out my best to…
A wise man once told me, “…what you practice in moderation, your children will excuse in excess.” That’s a profound declaration, and if we conduct an honest assessment, we will find that it is an unswerving truth. Yet, when you…
I loved my dad. He was so interesting and mysterious. He had adventure in his heart and did things I wanted to do. He had been to places I wanted to see. Stories of his travels had me breathlessly hanging…
Kevin: Over the course of many years of parental investment, I have tried to calculate whether or not my fatherhood has made a difference in the life of my three boys. Being fully aware of all my weaknesses, I have…
Although you might not think about the Business Agent for Heavy Construction Laborers to have a very soft spot in his heart for his wife and family, if you’re thinking of Derick Barnes, you’d be wrong. Derick describes himself as…
As a kid growing up in a small town, I loved to play sports. I began playing baseball at a young age, then football, basketball, bowling and track. I not only enjoyed playing, but watching sports on TV or in…
In May 2013 Sean Murphy watched Forks over Knives and made a decision. He would no longer eat meat, fish, poultry or any other animal products. In short, he would become vegan. Many people go from eating meat and fish…
One minute I was soaking in the sun with the breeze blowing through my hair, and the next I was walking across a semi-submerged submarine towards a hatch that would change my perspective on life. As I climbed down the…
Larry Hinex describes himself as “a pretty simplistic guy,” driving for Prime with a goal of earning enough money to help his daughter, Jakeisha, who is in college pursuing a degree in a law-related field. Larry also has two sons,…
At this time, my wife Elisa is currently on a 15-day mission trip to Uganda and Ethiopia. While she is away, I took some vacation time to stay home with the kids. I must say I am handling my duties…
One of my son’s teachers, who also happens to be a very good friend, gave the kid a graduation card that was a special encouragement to him. I was moved when I read it as my friend talked about being…
There’s so much good information in The Boy Crisis by Warren Farrell PhD and John Gray, PhD that we could devote the contents of the Real Good Dads blog to it for the next six months. At the same time,…
“I’m tired. Let’s go back to the hotel.” “I’m thirsty. Can’t we have something to drink?” “My feet hurt. Let’s find a place to sit down.” We were experiencing what many view as the ultimate vacation, but everyone was miserable.…
FOMO – that’s what some people use for “Fear of Missing Out,” that is, being so concerned about missing something important you are rarely actually present in the moment. For some, this means constant connection to social media. Who hasn’t…
There is hardly a person on the planet that doesn’t like the opportunity to play. Of course, the term “play” has varying meanings at varying ages. For instance, play to a two-year-old might mean whacking a bowl with a mixing…
Fall evokes myriad emotions and memories for most people. By the looks of the grocery store aisles, it certainly must evoke all things pumpkin spice. But for many dads, it often brings thoughts of campfires, S’mores, and football . .…
Robert Hullett has been with Prime nearly two years—7 months driving a company truck and more recently, as a lease operator. He currently drives a 2016 Peterbilt and is looking forward to upgrading to a 2019 Peterbilt soon. He drives…
Baseball. Ice Cream. Apple Pie. Each is part of an all-American summer for many dads and kids, but there’s another activity many dad, granddads and kids enjoy all over the country—fishing. If you talk to Ron Hartman, father of two…
Kevin Weaver (Dad): Recently, my middle son, now a married father of two, as well as an Army infantry officer with the 101st Airborne, sat down and penned some thoughts regarding his upbringing, as well as my involvement in it.…
I am a proud father of two boys, who are 8 and 14, along with a 16 year old daughter. Over the past 4 years, I’ve noticed more and more gray hairs on my face and in my hair line…….95%…
Growing up with a Dad as a pastor, our lives were always under a microscope, being construed and misconstrued. There was no shortage of voiced, or unvoiced, expectations from members of the church, the community, even those who didn’t personally…
Children are born, and from that moment on they begin the process of separation from their parents. The first big step is Kindergarten. Putting your child on the bus, watching it drive away, and breaking down in tears on the…
On the highway of life, there are so many wonderful adventures with our kids. That is, on the metaphorical highway of life. On the literal highway, especially when our kids start sitting behind the wheel of the vehicle we all…
I keep a stone from the summit of a mountain on my desk. On it is written, “You can’t get the mountaintop experience unless you are willing to climb the mountain.” One thing I have been able to enjoy with…
“OK, honey, you’re going to run into the stairs . . . Stop!” “Go ahead; straighten yourself out and let’s back out of the driveway. . . . No, turn the wheel to the right. No I mean to the…
My wife and I teach our kids to do three things with money. We created three money containers for both of our girls that say – GIVE, SAVE, and SPEND. We feel the three lessons below are the foundation of…
It happened again this week. Someone called and requested the opportunity to come by and talk about why I was involved with starting Good Dads. Why would a woman who is a mother and grandmother attempt to launch such a…
What parent hasn’t heard those words? A red-faced child plants both feet firmly, sticks out the lower lip, and what can charitably be called a “hissy fit” erupts. Ownership is at stake! As children we are not natural givers. We…
