Have we been listening all wrong? This is a question Good Dads Founder and Executive Director Dr. Jennifer L. Baker has been pondering with her clients for quite some time. Dr. Baker, who is also a licensed clinical psychologist and…
“I’m fine.” “I’ll walk it off.” “It’s too much of a hassle.” “Doc’s not going to tell me something I don’t already know.” Does this sound like anyone you know? Or maybe this sounds like something you’ve said yourself? Taking…
This year on the Good Dads blog, we’ve examined many ways dads can be good communicators to their partners and children. But as we all know, the world is much larger than just our immediate families, and fathers need to…
“When clear communication is taking place, we feel informed, engaged, involved and aware.” That’s what Brian Mattson, father of two and lead pastor at the Downtown Church in Springfield, had to say about the importance of communication in relationships. He’s…
Jude asks his son Kyle (15) to take out the trash by the time he gets back from the store. When Jude gets home, he finds the trash can is still overflowing. In a fit of anger, he yells at…
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…
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,…
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…
This month on the Good Dads Podcast, our lineup explored vital areas of fatherhood: from raising financially responsible kids to building father-focused programs in rural communities. Each conversation offers a powerful reminder that intentional parenting and consistent presence can shape futures!
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…
When my son whispered that he had said “the s-word” at school, I braced myself. But what came out of his mouth wasn’t what I expected. That moment might seem small, but it launched one of the best parenting tools…
Did you catch our four engaging podcast episodes in April? We explored fatherhood in various ways, from handling screen time to fostering workplace culture. Each discussion offered insightful views on being a purposeful and involved dad in the twenty-first century.…
In Episode 3 of Hot Topics, Good Dads hosts Will Cox and Dr. Jennifer L. Baker tackle a powerful and relatable subject for every parent: the value of letting children fail. The latest episode, “Letting Your Children Fail – Using…
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…
Remember the first time you saw your little one take their first wobbly steps? You felt a mix of pride and terror. As your child transitions from teenagehood to young adulthood, you’re about to experience a similar emotional roller coaster…
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a common question asked of young children. And as a child grows, aspirations evolve and change. In Good Dads’ web series “What I Want to Be,” Executive Director Dr.…
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…
The Growing Good Dads Blog features some curated content from online resources. This post originally appeared on the Growing Leaders website and was not written by Good Dads staff. Most teenagers today are aware of the negative impact of smartphones. By this…
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…
This week we’re reaching back into the Good Dads archives to bring you a blogpost from Deron Smith, a professor, pastor and father. While Deron originally wrote this back in 2015, we think the topics he covers are just as…
Logan, now a high school athlete, first experienced the transformative power of sports at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield. He vividly recalls stepping onto the basketball court at six or seven years old. What began as a simple…
If your child is entering the public education system (maybe for the first time), you’re probably wondering how to make sure it’s a success. I understand, and I am in the same boat as a dad of a preschooler. I’ve…
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…
Goal Setting for Parents I strongly believe in the idea of setting goals. If you aim for nothing, you’ll get nothing every time. This concept is typically used to set personal goals, but I’m here to talk about goal setting…
It sneaks up on you: One morning, you're forced to accept the reality that your baby doesn’t need you to get her dressed anymore. When she had the freedom to choose what she would wear, she gained confidence in her ability to make good decisions for herself.
The Men and Mental Health Blog features some curated content from online resources. This post originally appeared on the Tim Elmore website and was not written by Good Dads staff. Entering a new year is a natural time to…
Marcus hopes he would get a deer this hunting season. Travis hopes he would get the promotion he’s been working to get. Damien hopes the holidays would go better this year than they have in the past. All three…
Habits give us a sense of control in our lives. They may give us confidence and help us feel normal. In many cases, we don’t even realize how ingrained our habits have become. Take, for example, the stories of three…
“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…
School. Soccer practice. Homework. Dinner. Piano Recital. Bed. Repeat. Does some variation of this sound all too familiar? Intentionally or unintentionally, our Generation Z kids are enduring heavy schedules filled with highly scripted activities. This leaves little (if any) downtime…
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…
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…
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…
I think we have all been there, cruising along at a speed that is probably not recommended by the Highway Patrol, when another car comes out of nowhere causing us to slam on our brakes and utter some words that…
