It Takes a Village: Being a Good Dad, Collaboratively
July 21, 2026
Have you heard of the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”? This statement means that children
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Have you ever heard the phrase “men are from Mars, women are from Venus”? Popularized by the 1992 bestselling novel by the same name, it asserts that there is a stark difference, particularly in communication styles, between sexes that it’s akin to two extraterrestrial beings inhabiting completely different planets. Is there truth to this sentiment? […]
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Becoming a parent changes everything. Your routines, your priorities, even how you communicate and collaborate with your partner. For expectant parents, this life transition is a whirlwind of emotions: excitement, anxiety, pressure, impatience, stress, glee. How do you communicate well with a new member of the family on the way? This week on the Good […]
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Friday was a very special day at Good Dads! We’re thrilled with the amount of productive brainstorming and positive feedback from the newest members of the Good Dads team after last week’s Chapter Orientation. Facilitators and advisory board members representing Good Dads chapters throughout the state met at our headquarters in Springfield for a day […]
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Valentine’s Day can be one of the most romantic days of the year — or one of the most disappointing. Often, the difference has less to do with flowers, candy or dinner reservations and more to do with whether we feel truly seen, heard and valued by the person we love. Consider these common Valentine’s […]
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Last week, Training Camp looked a little different compared to other Good Dads training events! Whereas we’d typically invite anyone with a heart for service who believes in the power of responsible fatherhood to attend Training Camp events—this time we had a veritable all-star team at the Good Dads headquarters with returning facilitators. Because most […]
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The world certainly seems to revolve around the almighty dollar. Money can be the make or break of relationships. Money talks—and it’s important that couples do, too! But how do you communicate money matters with each other? Earlier this month, Good Dads founder and director, Dr. Jennifer Baker (who is also a licensed clinical psychologist […]
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This year on the Good Dads blog, we’re thrilled to be your guide through the 2026 theme: Good Dads Communicators. Between now and the end of the year, we’ll explore a variety of perspectives on how people communicate and how we can build our communication skills to lead happier lives. Lately, “communication” has become a […]
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Somehow, we blinked and the holidays are already here. While we hurdle toward the end of the year, nonprofits everywhere are neck-deep in their spreadsheets: crunching their numbers, gathering statistics and packaging everything together in appeal letters, annual reports, PowerPoints, e-newsletters and everywhere else we can think of putting them! As a communicator, I believe […]
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Imagine our surprise and delight when representatives from DMP, Digital Monitoring Products, called the Good Dads offices this fall. “We love the work that you do, and we want to support you,” they said. We jumped for joy! Every year as part of the DMP Cares initiative, the company’s leadership chooses to support two nonprofits, […]
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Thirty-two Missouri residents came together last week for Good Dads Training Camp, a fun and fast-paced training over three days in Springfield, MO, to learn all there is to know about leading New Pathways for Good Dads classes. This remarkable group joined Good Dads staff November 19–21 at the Downtown Church. Together, we dug deep […]
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With Thanksgiving season upon us, dads and their young learners across the state are learning about gratitude and respect with the Good Dads Strong Schools program. The message in these lessons is clear: Showing gratitude shouldn’t just happen once a year. Being grateful should happen every day! Schools across Missouri use the Good Dads Strong […]
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At Good Dads, we talk a lot about the importance of being an intentional father, but what does that actually mean? As it turns out, it means a lot of things! Being “intentional” means taking an active role as a parent. It means deciding, not sliding. And from what we’ve learned on the podcast, being […]
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It Takes a Village: Being a Good Dad, Collaboratively
Have you heard of the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”? This statement means that children
Just What the Doctor Ordered: Communicating with Your Child’s Pediatrician
This year on the Good Dads blog, we’ve examined many ways dads can be good communicators to their partners and
Hear, Hear!: Clear Communication for Families
“When clear communication is taking place, we feel informed, engaged, involved and aware.” That’s what Brian Mattson, father of two
Our Takeaways from the ‘Gone Guys’ Documentary Screening
Following Good Dads’ screening of “Gone Guys,” an energetic—sometimes hopeful, sometimes sad—but nonetheless meaningful conversation occurred. We hosted a six-member
Good Dads hosts New Pathways graduation
This time of year is special for several reasons, with schools letting out across the country, students moving up a
Mending Fences: The Three R’s of a Good Apology
Jude asks his son Kyle (15) to take out the trash by the time he gets back from the store.
Good Dads Recognized with SPS Partner in Excellence Distinction
This week hundreds attended an annual Springfield Public Schools celebration to recognize some of the wonderful individuals and organizations making
Mom and Dad Live in Different Houses
Five years ago, I was faced with what I felt to be an insurmountable task: explain to my two kids
New ‘Good Dads Forge’ program launches with first class in Fulton, MO
FULTON, MO – Good Dads Forge, a new program from the statewide nonprofit Good Dads, launched last week with its
Communicating with Clarity
“We have trust issues.” “We fight all the time.” “We have trouble communicating.” I’ve heard these phrases countless times over
Understanding Two New Good Dads Programs
This week on the Good Dads Blog we sat down with one of the newest members of the Good Dads
A Peek Inside Our Newest Curriculum, Fundamentals for Good Dads
Perhaps you’ve heard the buzz about Fundamentals for Good Dads, the newest curriculum from Good Dads. This eight-part course is