Bobby Mitchell

The role fathers play in the lives of their children looks different for everyone, but according to New Pathways for Good Dads graduate and father of five Bobby Mitchell, things have changed since he was a kid.

“When I was raised, fathers took care of everything,” he said. “They’re the ‘fix-its.’”

Bobby says this role puts a lot of pressure on fathers. Some might feel shameful or weak if they seek help with their problems. When his children were growing up, he saw himself as a doing a good job as a dad, helping his family and even coaching baseball. As his kids got older, he turned to drinking, leading to an addiction.

For three years, Bobby struggled with addiction and homelessness. This led him to Victory Mission, a men’s recovery home and ministry and a longtime host of Good Dads classes. For him, Good Dads was a “gamechanger.”

“I was a great father,” he said. “It was hard for me to accept that I had a problem. At that moment, I wasn’t there for my kids.”

Bobby knew he was a good dad, but that he still had a lot to learn.

“Good Dads opened my eyes to a lot of things,” he said. “They taught me how to have a relationship and be intentional with my kids. (Good Dads) is there to help you be better fathers and give you the tools to break generational curses.”

One of Bobby’s favorite lessons in Good Dads 2.0 was an exercise on how well you know your children. Some examples of questions asked include your child’s favorite food and the name of their best friend. Bobby realized he didn’t know the answer to a lot of these questions.

That night, he called his daughter, who was still living at home at the time. She knew he was taking Good Dads classes and was one of his biggest supporters. He started asking her the provided questions from class, learning more about her. They even shared a laugh when he asked her when she’d had her first kiss, a question that wasn’t on the sheet. He says he and his daughter still look back on that moment and laugh.

“Good Dads taught me how to be present and how to have a relationship with my kids; it was priceless.”

Bobby says that for fathers beginning the Good Dads program, it’s important to set aside your pride and know that you aren’t alone on your journey.

“Realize you do need help,” he said. “I was in the class with 15 other guys in the same place I was in. Everyone had different stories, but we were there for the same reason: We wanted to be better fathers.”

Bobby owes a lot of his success to his faith in God. He’s currently going to school for ministry and serves as a shelter chaplain for Victory Mission and a leader in his community. He also uses his faith as an inspiration for being a good dad.

“(Fatherhood) means being a role model,” he said, “being a present, godly, loving father, like Jesus is to us. It’s about being intentional, being loving. The grace that God showed me, you’ve gotta show that to your kids.”

Bobby graduated from the New Pathways for Good Dads program in 2020. His involvement in Good Dads continues to this day.

Good Dads’ director of training and education Rhonda Andersen, and director of programs for at-risk fathers Lisa Strader, are part of Bobby’s support system. Through their encouragement and a calling from his faith, Bobby recently took the extra step to facilitate Good Dads 2.0 classes.

“God called me to give back to someone,” he said. “If God tells you to give back—listen!”

Bobby continues to utilize tools and teachings from the Good Dads program. With two grandchildren and another on the way, Bobby looks forward to what’s in store for him and his family in the future. Being a godly leader and an intentional father and grandfather for his children and grandchildren are two of his strongest priorities.

“You’ve gotta love your kids with no judgement,” Bobby said. “(Kids) need a listener! Learning to listen and how we respond to (problems) is going to make a big difference.

“Jesus loves us unconditionally and we love our kids that way,” he said. “Children are a true blessing from God.”

 

About the Author

Dora Gilreath is the communications assistant at Good Dads. She joined the team in 2024 and has a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in creative writing at Missouri State University. She loves reading, writing and anything related to theater.