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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Gallery: Fanning the Flames of Fatherhood at Good Dads’ 10th Anniversary Celebration
All of us at Good Dads are feeling an abundance of gratitude for the outpour of support we witnessed at
The Harvest You Don’t See
Growing up in the country, Halloween wasn’t spooky season. It was gas-up-the-van-and-hope-you-hit-five-houses season. My brothers and I would pile in,
Good Dads Awarded 5-Year Federal ‘Healthy Marriage, Responsible Fatherhood’ Grant
Good Dads learned Tuesday morning that it is among 109 organizations in 38 states to receive grant funding via U.S.
3 Reasons to Support Responsible Fatherhood Today
In the nonprofit field, we always have our eyes set on the horizon. We’re always concerned with what the future
Pastor Brian Mattson on Strong Schools Captain Connections
Brian Mattson has a lot of roles in his life: husband, father of two, lead pastor of the Downtown Church
Practice Makes Perfect
Have you ever had this thought? You buy a Powerball ticket and discover you won the jackpot! You’ve made it!!
Father-daughter duo Rick and Daisy Gideon on learning lessons through Strong Schools
What do making paper airplanes, coloring pictures and creating pipe cleaner creatures all have in common? These are great, simple
Father-son duo Brian and Hudson on bonding opportunities through Strong Schools
Father of three sons Brian Stranghoener didn’t know what he was getting into when his 4th grader, Hudson, brought home
Simple Moments, Big Impact: Dads Making a Difference at School
In the latest episode of the Good Dads Great Communities podcast, we spoke to experts about father involvement in elementary
The Griffin family on learning the value of teamwork through Strong Schools
Eric Griffin, Springfield father of two kindergarteners and two fifth graders, knows what being a busy father looks like. He
Strong Schools Coordinator Jim Millsap on fatherhood engagement efforts in schools
Most people would be more than happy to stay retired after serving nearly 40 years in the education sector. Jim
Bringing it Home Attendees Joined Good Dads for First-Ever Reunion
We loved seeing Good Dads leaders from across the state Friday, July 18, at our Family Reunion in Springfield, MO.