“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…
Five years ago, I was faced with what I felt to be an insurmountable task: explain to my two kids that their Mom and I would be splitting up and moving into different houses. I immediately went to the library…
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…
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…
Happy New Year from all of us at Good Dads! We’re so glad you’re ringing in 2025 with us. This year is a big one for Good Dads—our 10th nonprofit anniversary! We have a lot in store to celebrate this…
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…
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…
A Missouri father of three shares his joys and challenges of raising two teenage boys during his recovery journey.
Recently on the Good Dads podcast, we welcomed Tim Lewis to the studio. Tim is a new dad to four-month-old Ophelia, a happy baby who gave Tim and his wife, Chelsea, a big scare late last year when she contracted…
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…
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.…
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…
Which substance is the biggest threat to people in the Ozarks? This used to be a pretty straight forward answer: methamphetamines. Meth is a powerful psychostimulant that impacts the central nervous system. It causes an intense sense of euphoria by…
Addiction is all around us, and the data is distressing. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2023) estimates more than 60 million people age 12 and up used illicit drugs in the US in the last year.…
This week we bring you a blogpost from the Good Dads archives. This article is adapted from content published originally in February 2022 and has been adapted and updated for relevancy. Because alcohol use disorder is the most common form…
I was recently made aware of The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” published earlier this year. Reading this report and looking at many of the statistics throughout made me increasingly concerned about the sociological…
The Men and Mental Health Blog features some curated content from online resources. This post originally appeared on the Fatherhood: Reloaded website and was not written by Good Dads staff. Being a dad to a child who has special needs…
This blogpost contains discussions of suicide. Please use discretion. When Calvin learned that Josh, his best friend in high school, had taken his own life, he was shocked. Calvin remembered Josh as a party waiting to happen, full of life,…
For most of his life, it seems, Josh has been responsible for keeping the peace. It started when he was a child, negotiating conflict between his parents, especially after his dad had too much to drink. It’s not like he…
Shannon is worried about the way Derek drinks. He could always “hold his liquor,” but lately it seems to be more and more important to him. She has tried to talk with him about how his drinking affects their kids,…
Do you tell yourself the truth? Are you truly honest with yourself? Most of us have some difficulty telling ourselves the truth – or knowing the truth about ourselves – at least some of the time. Most of us have some…
I was probably about 15 years old, staying overnight with a new friend, when it happened. We were upstairs in her bedroom when loud voices could be heard emanating from the kitchen below. I looked at my friend and saw…
This blogpost is part 2 of our holiday series. You can read part one here. “My father expects that we’ll bring the kids and spend Christmas Eve with him and his new wife.” “My mother will feel hurt if we…
What is Mediation? Mediation is a practice that allows divorcing couples to meet with a neutral third-party mediator to resolve divorce conflicts. Mediators are specially trained to guide couples through the divorce process while staying respectful of both party’s opinions. …
Dan sat on the couch visibly upset. His body was tense, and it looked like he was ready to start yelling or crying. “My son and I used to be attached at the hip. Anywhere I went he went. Now,…
Dan sat on the couch visibly upset. His body was tense, and it looked like he was ready to start yelling or crying. “My son and I used to be attached at the hip. Anywhere I went he went. Now,…
“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…
I think most of us recognize that dads are important to their kids, but I don’t think most of us imagine just how critical they are. Recently, I read a new book, The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling…
When Matt looked out the window and saw red and yellow leaves piling up around the old swing set in the backyard, he was reminded of the approaching holidays and the sadness he felt. It wasn’t just that COVID would…
Wilma Rudolph was 20th of 22 children born into extreme poverty. Glenn Cunningham was severely burned as an 7-year-old in a fire that took his brother’s life. Jim Abbott was born without a hand. What do these folks have in…
