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. When Jude gets home, he finds the trash can is still overflowing. In a fit of anger, he yells at…
Category Relationships
Communicating with Clarity
“We have trust issues.” “We fight all the time.” “We have trouble communicating.” I’ve heard these phrases countless times over the past three decades of working with couples in therapy. They hint at what’s wrong—but they rarely tell the whole…
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 team, Scott Lewis, a former aviation operations specialist and father to a one-year-old daughter. Previously, Scott worked as Product Manager…
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 an improved and updated version of what was previously called Fundamentals of Fatherhood. Using what we’ve learned as leaders in…
Feeling Understood: The Role of Identity in Communication
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…
Communicating Well with Baby on the Way
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…
Valentine’s Day Conversations: What Really Makes Us Feel Loved?
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…
Money Matters: Currency Communication in Healthy Relationships
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,…
Being a Good Dad and a Great Communicator in 2026
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…
Staying Grounded: Helping Kids Navigate Peer Pressure and Self-Esteem
In Episode 5 of Good Dads’ The Intentional Dad podcast, hosts J. Fotsch and Jason Hynson sit down with Dyllan Dale to tackle two of the most persistent challenges facing families today: peer pressure and self-esteem. Through honest reflection 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 website and was not written by Good Dads staff. Reposted with permission. Being a father is one of life’s most…
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 Makes,” hosts Brian and J. Fotsch welcome Rudy Martinez, Director of the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, to explore how dads…
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 collected some of our favorite tips and advice. This Valentine’s Day, remember that healthy relationships is a commitment for 365…
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 as they introduce Brian Mattson, the lead pastor at the Downtown Church in Springfield, MO. Brian is also a musician…
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 well with others, practicing kindness and developing meaningful relationships. But when your toddler just yanked a toy out of her…
Parenting Grown Children: Navigating the Challenges
Craig Groeschel, founder and senior pastor of Life.Church, said, “Raising adult children is harder than raising younger children.” I wholeheartedly agree. Parenting kids aged 17-25 can be particularly challenging for two main reasons: We must shift our roles as parents,…
Confessional (Part 2): What Do Parents Need from their Twentysomethings?
This is the second of a two-part series of anonymous musings on the topic of raising adult children. Last week, we collected confessions from twentysomethings who shared what they crave from their relationships with their fathers. This week, we’re exploring…
Confessional: What do Twentysomethings Need from their Fathers?
As twentysomethings and as daughters of good dads, we are forever interested in our peers’ relationships with their dads. And as the communications team at a father-focused nonprofit, we’re uniquely positioned to gain some valuable insights! This month we asked…
Recognizing and Respecting Your Sons and Daughters as Adults
It feels like just yesterday they were tying their shoelaces for the first time or asking you endless questions about how the world works. Now, they’re navigating the world on their own — driving, paying bills, making big career choices…
Your Child’s Role Models: Who We Look Up to Matters
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,…
Home for the Holidays: 3 Potential Conflicts Between Parents/Guardians and Young Adults and How to Avoid Them
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…
What I Wish Dads Would Say to Their Teens About Love
Many dads fear “the talk” relative to conversations with their kids about love and sex. I can understand this discomfort, but I wish dads would focus more on the characteristics of a healthy relationship than the biology of sex. Even…
What Does it Mean to be a Good Dad? Answers and Insights from Educators and Students
Who better to ask than a classroom full of teenagers, “What does it mean to be a good dad?” At Parkview High School, classrooms are full of a variety of perceptions considering its high diversity rate–both multiculturally and socioeconomically. There…
The Power of Dad Jokes: More than Just Groans
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…
Breaking the Stigma: Supporting Youth Mental Health in Our Community
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…
Guilty by Association: Helping your Preteen Forge Quality Friendships
One of my favorite quotes is: “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” What a true statement! Being in education for 20+ years, I’ve certainly seen this phrase played out. For years I’ve watched in amazement when…
How do we stay connected?
“Hold my hand, daddy. I’m scared.” “Watch this, daddy. Watch me jump in the pool. Did you see the splash I made?” “Did you see me hit that ball, Dad? Were you watching when I hit that homerun?” Why is…
Sex…15% of Relationship When It’s Going Well … More Like 100% When It’s Not
According to Dr. Barry McCarthy, author of numerous books and articles on sexuality and marriage, when a couple’s sexual relationship is going well, it’s about 15% of the marriage. They have fun together; they solve problems effectively; and they talk…
True Tales from the Terrible Twos
The "terrible twos" is marked marked by increased tantrums, crankiness, assertiveness and defiance. This week we curated real stories from dads who have gone through the Terrible Twos. These dads can look back on these tales and laugh now, even if it was far from funny at the time!
Life’s Challenges Won’t Stop Me from Cherishing Every Moment with My Kids: A Success Story from a Dad in Recovery
Michael Gray, an Ozarks native and Good Dad, missed out on a big chunk of his kids’ childhoods. The father of three (plus one stepson) was incarcerated for most of his 20s and wasn’t around for crucial childhood years for…
Manage Conflict with Your Partner Using the Speaker-Listener Technique: Lessons Learned from “Becoming Parents”
Learning how to get along with your partner is so important—not just for each of you, but also for your children. This week on the Growing Good Dads blog, we’ll detail some strategies for getting along with your partner, specifically…
Busting the Myths of Fatherhood
The Growing Good Dads Blog features some curated content from online resources. This post originally appeared on the Happy Families website and was not written by Good Dads staff. I was a mistake. Unplanned… unintended… not actually supposed to…
Pregnancy Cravings, Blood Clots and Cookie Monster: Stories from a Veteran Dad
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…
“Suddenly you’re no longer the most important person in your own world”: Advice for dads-to-be from father of three Benjy Lampert
When Benjy Lampert and his wife, Lori, discovered they were going to have a baby, the couple was elated … and more than a little surprised. They’d been trying to get pregnant for less than a month. “We thought, ‘that…
Managing Challenging Relationships: Advice from Good Dads Facilitators (Part II)
Good Dads turned to two of its most skilled facilitators of the New Pathways program for our month-long coverage on the topic of managing challenging relationships. They gave advice for succeeding in one’s relationships in spite of the challenges that…
The Annual Holiday Argument and Managing Challenging Relationships
This week we bring you an updated blogpost from the Good Dads archives. This article was originally published in 2021, but we think you’ll find that the topics we cover here are relevant every holiday season! Let’s face it.…
How to Make Friends as a Busy Dad
I get it – you want friends. But as a grown man and a father, that can be a weird thing to admit out loud. But the truth is, you don’t just want friends, you need friends. And you can’t…
Fatherhood through Divorce: Challenges for Good Dads
“She would have to have a needle in her arm for me to get primary custody of my children.” Those were the bitter remarks of a dad I was seeing in therapy 20 some years ago. He was a good…
Conflict and Communication: Ending a Fight on the Phone Without Hanging Up
Avoiding the Big Hang-Up “We were talking on the phone and she just kept yelling at me, so I hung up on her.” “I was so mad. I couldn’t believe what he said, so I said, ‘Are you done—because I…
Handling Sibling Conflict
My younger son walked in from the shed and plopped on the couch exasperated. I recognized the familiar pouty look right away. Something had happened and he was not happy with his older brother. A flash of frustration washed over…
Good Moms Helping Good Dads
Moms and dads both participate in the development of their children, but in unique ways. Both offer love, acceptance and teach life skills, but each accomplishes these in different ways. It’s helpful if moms and dads are aware of these…
Trucking Runs in the Family: With Tony Capraro, Steelman Driver and Father of Two
When Tony Capraro says driving a big rig runs in the family, he’s serious. Both his mother and father, his grandfather, his sisters and younger brother all drove an 18-wheeler at some point in their lives. “It’s in my…
The Big Move
Some families go somewhere on vacation in the summer. Some prefer a “stay-cation.” And some use the precious months of June, July and August to pack up everything they own and move half-way across the country. In last week’s Good…
She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy: A Love Story About Good Dads Board Member Robert Hawkins
Robert Hawkins has been a cattleman for as long as he can remember–his entire life actually. He grew up on a farm and when his father died suddenly while Robert was still a teenager, he carried on the operation with…
Keeping the Spark Alive: 3 Little Things You Can Do Starting Today
You’re on the website and reading this article because you want to be a good dad. Congratulations for making this a priority in your life. Our society needs more guys like you who aren’t satisfied with their current dad skills,…
Influencing Unlikely Friendships
As parents our focus is often on ensuring our children have the right kind of friends. We arrange “play dates.” We sign them up for teams and activities where they can interact with other children we deem suitable playmates. We…
Helping your Child Make Friends
As a parent, for the most part, we have the ability to help and protect our children as they grow. We can make sure they don’t go running in the streets, stick things in the outlets or consume toxic items.…
Showing Love Begins at Home
What does it mean to “show love?” Hugs, kisses, kind words, not pestering someone incessantly with questions, or telling someone, “I love you”? As a Dad of three young children (ages 9, 9 and 5), I’m constantly learning more from…
What I Wish Dads Would Say to their Teens About Love
Many dads fear “the talk” relative to conversations with their kids about love and sex. I can understand this discomfort, but I wish dads would focus more on the characteristics of a healthy relationship than the biology of sex. Even…
You Make me Sick: Part 1
“My stomach is in knots. I just shut down when she gets like that. Is there something wrong with me? She says I need to learn to communicate better, but I just can’t. Am I weird?” Lots of men tell…
Are We Fooling Ourselves?
She didn’t exactly whack the back of my head when she lifted the lid on the overhead compartment in the plane, but she did hit it. “Watch your head,” she said matter-of-factly, after she hit me. Since I was removing…
Are Truck Drivers Romantic? Wisdom from Prime Good Dads and Thomas Miller
Are truck drivers romantic? That is what we asked Thomas Miller when we talked with him a few days before Valentine’s Day. He assured us, “I am a romantic truck driver,” but gave much of the credit to his wife,…
I’m Thinking of Moving Out
“I don’t think I can stand this much longer. I’m thinking of moving out.” “This is just not working for me. I want a divorce.” There’s no question that the global pandemic has created a great deal of stress…
I wanted to go for counseling, but (s)he wouldn’t agree
“My wife suggested we go for counseling a couple of years ago, but I didn’t think it was necessary. I mean, I figured we could solve our problems ourselves. I didn’t see the point of getting someone else involved in…
You Might as Well Record your Arguments
“You might as well record your arguments, leave them playing in the living room and go off and have fun together,” I said to the couple sitting in my office. “I bet you already know what you can say to…
Just say, “Yes Dear!”
“Many things have been said about how to save your marriage. Some of them are even true!” A few years ago, for instance, John Gottman, an expert in couple therapy, suggested husbands needed to say, “Yes, dear” to their wives…