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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All of us at Good Dads are feeling an abundance of gratitude for the outpour of support we witnessed at our celebration on Thursday, Oct. 16. Father-focused individuals from across the state joined us to support Good Dads as our nonprofit spreads like wildfire. A million thanks to the wonderful community leaders who celebrated 10 […]
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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, dressed in whatever costume plastic and imagination could cobble together, and hit a handful of homes—each one separated by long stretches several minutes in the car. Mama was our Halloween MVP. Daddy was usually still […]
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Good Dads learned Tuesday morning that it is among 109 organizations in 38 states to receive grant funding via U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Administration for Children and Families. The ACF said in a press release on Tuesday that more than $100 million was slated for initiatives related to Healthy […]
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In the nonprofit field, we always have our eyes set on the horizon. We’re always concerned with what the future holds. So it should come as no surprise that we’ve been planning for our 10th anniversary fundraising dinner and celebration for months. But this year, things feel a little different. If you’re reading this article, […]
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Brian Mattson has a lot of roles in his life: husband, father of two, lead pastor of the Downtown Church in Springfield, and Strong Schools captain for McGregor Elementary. Brian heard about this new way to get involved in his community from Good Dads’ founder Dr. Jennifer Baker, who attends church where Brian is lead […]
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Have you ever had this thought? You buy a Powerball ticket and discover you won the jackpot! You’ve made it!! You can quit your job, pay off the mortgage, buy the car you’ve always wanted, and retire to some Caribbean island. I’m sure you have – I have. Even though we dream that just doing […]
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What do making paper airplanes, coloring pictures and creating pipe cleaner creatures all have in common? These are great, simple ways for dads to bond with their kids—and beyond that, they’re also all activities featured in Good Dads Strong Schools events! Believe it or not, the simple act of building a paper bridge or playing […]
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Father of three sons Brian Stranghoener didn’t know what he was getting into when his 4th grader, Hudson, brought home an informational flyer on a before-school breakfast program called Good Dads Strong Schools at his school, Bissett Elementary. Curious, Brian wanted to see what it was all about. For Brian, he’s enjoyed watching his sons […]
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In the latest episode of the Good Dads Great Communities podcast, we spoke to experts about father involvement in elementary schools. Hosts welcome Strong Schools Coordinator Jim Millsap and Good Dads Board Member Dr. Mike Dawson for a meaningful discussion about how even a few minutes of paternal presence can positively impact schools, families and communities....
Eric Griffin, Springfield father of two kindergarteners and two fifth graders, knows what being a busy father looks like. He works hard as an accountant to provide for his family, but it’s rare for him to see his children until late into the evening after work. “Most days I get up and I’m at work […]
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Most people would be more than happy to stay retired after serving nearly 40 years in the education sector. Jim Millsap, Good Dads’ Strong Schools Coordinator, isn’t most people. “I was so bad at retirement, I came on board with Good Dads,” he joked. Jim has always enjoyed being involved in education. He previously spent […]
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We loved seeing Good Dads leaders from across the state Friday, July 18, at our Family Reunion in Springfield, MO. This wonderful event was the perfect summer celebration and opportunity to make memories together. We'll be thinking about the joy, listening and insights from this day for a long time!...
Learning Through Failure: Exploring “Letting Your Children Fail – Using Setbacks to Foster Growth & Resilience”
In Episode 3 of Hot Topics, Good Dads hosts Will Cox and Dr. Jennifer L. Baker tackle a powerful and
How Fathers Can Be a Role Model Even If They Did Not Have One Themselves
The Good Dads Blog features some curated content from online resources. This post originally appeared on the Northern Life Magazine
A Fence at the Top of the Cliff
We’re building a fence at the top of the cliff. That’s probably one of the easiest and most concise ways
New Pathways Progress Report
Last Monday, we sent out an important progress report on the New Pathways for Good Dads program. As we celebrate
Sparking Curiosity: How Dads Inspire a Love for Learning
Curiosity is the foundation of lifelong learning, and in Good Dads’ most recent podcast episode on “The Difference a Dad
Snow Day Stories from Good Dads
Brrrrr! Bitter winds are howling. Tiny frozen crystals dance from the cloudy sky. Slippery ice covers every surface. It can
How to Keep the Romance Alive All Year Long
We’ve been covering healthy relationships (romantic and otherwise) here on the Good Dads blog for years, and this week we’ve
Helping Your Student Achieve Success
The oft-heard adage, “Fake it ’till you make it” isn’t perfectly true, but it does contain an important nugget of
The Transformative Power of Fatherhood: Exploring “The Difference a Dad Makes”
The debut episode of The Difference a Dad Makes podcast brings together co-hosts Dr. Jennifer L. Baker and J. Fotsch
Good Dads at the Capitol!
Several members of the Good Dads team, including executive staff, board members and facilitators, caravanned to Jefferson City today to
Call for Proposals: Good Dads Family (Chapters & Facilitators) Reunion
Good Dads invites proposals for 75-minute sessions to be presented at our first (hopefully annual) family reunion for facilitators and
Dads Can Raise Kind, Generous Children When They Lead by Example
Most dads hope to raise kind, generous children who care for others. Most parents want to see their children playing