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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
School’s out and the kids are in—in your homes, in your refrigerators and in your hair. The newness of the experience has passed, so you have started looking for someone or something to babysit them. You could maybe get the…
The boys are all grown and have their own lives now, but when I look back at some of the best times I had with my children, one simple activity stands out. How low could I go. When you are…
The Good Dads Blog features some curated content from online resources. This post originally appeared on the Northern Life Magazine website and was not written by Good Dads staff. Reposted with permission. Being a father is one of life’s most…
Curiosity is the foundation of lifelong learning, and in Good Dads’ most recent podcast episode on “The Difference a Dad Makes,” hosts Brian and J. Fotsch welcome Rudy Martinez, Director of the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, to explore how dads…
Brrrrr! Bitter winds are howling. Tiny frozen crystals dance from the cloudy sky. Slippery ice covers every surface. It can only mean one thing: a snow day! For some, there’s nothing better than building snowmen, making snow angels and waging…
We’ve been covering healthy relationships (romantic and otherwise) here on the Good Dads blog for years, and this week we’ve collected some of our favorite tips and advice. This Valentine’s Day, remember that healthy relationships is a commitment for 365…
The oft-heard adage, “Fake it ’till you make it” isn’t perfectly true, but it does contain an important nugget of truth. You see, no one is born with the built-in ability to do things successfully. A newborn infant knows how…
At the risk of sounding like Captain Obvious, a father’s relationships with his children change as they grow up. While your youngsters once needed help tying their shoes and were wobbling on training wheels, now they’re getting driver’s licenses, dating,…
When Joel and Beth sent their oldest, Kimmy, away to college at the beginning of the fall semester, they assumed they had overcome the worst of the heartache. Like many parents, the couple was anxious about their child leaving the…
Purchasing a personal device for a child may be simple, and teaching them how it functions, easy. In fact, it’s too easy—but something that is not simple or easy is the task of reversing a bad habit or psychological damages…
This month on the Growing Good Dads blog, we’re turning to some of the most important sources of wisdom and experience on teenagers: Educators! We’ve reached out to high schools in the Springfield area and are excited to bring you…
Will looked at his bank statement and wondered again what he and Elise were thinking when they decided to have children. It’s not that he didn’t love their three kids, but raising them wasn’t cheap or easy. Sean (15), regularly…
Mental health is as vital as physical health, yet there remains a significant barrier preventing many from seeking help: stigma. For youth, this stigma can lead to untreated mental health conditions hindering their growth, education and overall well-being. The Local…
Good Dads sat down with two teens who shared their experiences on what it's like being behind the wheel with their dad as the instructor.
A Missouri father of three shares his joys and challenges of raising two teenage boys during his recovery journey.
This month on the Growing Good Dads blog, we’re focusing on being a good dad to kids between 6–9 years old. If you have a child this age, they’re most likely in the middle of their summer break. Because summer…
Gardening is a great way to get your kids outdoors, having fun while learning invaluable life lessons. It’s educational, promotes physical and mental health, it’s a wonderful bonding opportunity, it connects them with nature, and it teaches them important skills like patience, perseverance and dedication. I’ll dive into more detail about each of these benefits.
Congratulations, Dad! You and your partner have made it past pregnancy and now have a new bundle of joy in the family. But the parenting journey has just begun. In the first days of life, some dads find it challenging…
For 10 years, it was just Brian and Jessica. The husband and wife had already experienced the “young couple freedom” and knew they were ready to start something new. The duo had discussed it early in the relationship, and they…
“No thank you. I’ve had an excellent sufficiency. Anymore would be a superfluous animosity. However, your cuisine would please the most fastidious gourmet.” These are the words my father taught us to say when we had had enough to eat.…
Summer time: school’s out, the kids are home. It’s time to travel, take vacation, hit the beach or swimming pool, and see a few ball games. Iced tea and lemonade tastes better when served 1 degree above frozen. The air-conditioned…
At the History Museum on the Square, one of the best things to hear from young visitors are sentences beginning with I. Sentences, declared with confidence and enthusiasm, like: “I go to Phelps Grove Park with my family all the…
History: Who Needs it Anyway? Have you ever thought to yourself, “Why am I learning about this? I’m never going to use this again!”? Me too! I thought that many times when I was younger – whether it was history…
Taking a kid fishing can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, there are a few guidelines that will make the outing a success. First, when you fish with kids, you don’t fish. All your attention should be directed…
“The Power of Play” – that’s the theme for the Downtown Dads Spring Lunch Series. I’m very excited about this series for a number of reasons. Here a just a few: Dads tend to play with their children…
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…
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…
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 . .…
