DadTalk Blog

The DadTalk blog features insights from dads and Responsible Fatherhood practitioners from around the country. Its goal is to start conversations about important issues surrounding fatherhood and programs for fathers today.

Oct 25, 2016

Improving Workforce Development Programs: Lessons Learned from Listening to Dads

For many responsible fatherhood programs, workforce development and financial empowerment are seen as key components. For many workforce development programs, however, responsible fatherhood and parenting skill building is not as often seen as a…

Reset

Featured Authors

Kenneth Braswell

Executive Director; Project Director

Fathers Incorporated; National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

Rick Johnson

Founder and Director

Better Dads

Patricia Littlejohn

President

South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families

Results 1 - 10 of 35

Dec 7, 2021

Our Constant: The Unwavering Love of a Father

Divorce doesn’t have to be the end of a father’s relationship with his children. A father can be a constant parental figure, even if he doesn’t reside in the same household. No matter the circumstance of a separation or divorce, successful coparenting can give children a sense of normalcy. Children need both of their parents, and research shows that a loving and nurturing father improves outcomes for…

Jul 14, 2020

Finding My Father: How I Found My Father Using Online DNA Matching

When I was a child, I resented the fact that I didn’t know who my father was and that he wasn’t in my life. My mother and father had gone their separate ways before I was even born. What made things even harder as a child was that my mother could only share limited details about who my father was with me. In fact, the only information I ever knew was that his last name was Graham, that he was African American, a veteran, and very tall.

In my 20’s, I began to realize that not knowing about my father was taking a toll on me, and I felt a strong sense that it was time to look for…

Jun 18, 2020

The Profound Magic of Father Involvement

My daughters, ages 6 and 3, love Frozen. No, seriously, they love, emulate, and want nothing more than to be the sisters Elsa and Anna from the Disney Frozen franchise.

I had no idea how alluring the magic of Frozen was. The first movie arrived in theaters in 2013, 6 months prior to my first daughter’s arrival. Suffice it to say, I didn’t see it--I thought I was an adult and had put away childish things. I remember hearing that Queen Elsa was the top kids costume for Halloween in 2014, 2015, and 2016, and I thought, What’s the big deal? It’s just a princess with the power to…

Apr 22, 2020

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A Tribute to Those Who Selflessly Help Raise Future Generations

Growing up in the 80’s, I recall watching my Uncle Shorty, a retired, decorated WWII pilot, raise his two young grandchildren. My cousin had become a victim of the opioid crisis long before it ever made national news. One night, while trying to rescue my cousin from another drug induced stupor, my aunt was hit and killed crossing a busy highway chasing my cousin. In an instant my uncle became a single parent to two very young children in his 60’s. He did his very best to provide his grandkids a stable life. They were his life. He attended every school event, signed them up for…

Feb 11, 2020

Happy New Year! Making the New Year meaningful with your Children.

Welcome to 2020, a new year and a new decade! The new year is a great time to teach children about making meaningful resolutions, starting new habits, and planning meaningful activities. Think about creating some traditions that they can pass on to their children! Here are some ideas to help you make this new year extra special.

Give back to others. This is a great time of year to teach kids the importance of being kind and helping others. The Points of Light, whose mission is to inspire, equip, and…

Nov 13, 2019

Family Formation: Men’s Attitudes, Values, and Expectations

The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse recently published a new Data Snapshot revealing how men’s behaviors, attitudes, and values on family formation have changed in recent decades. The data show that men are delaying marriage and increasingly living with partners prior to getting married. Additionally, they are becoming fathers at increasingly older ages. These changes in behavior are mirrored by men’s attitudes towards children, family life, marriage, and cohabitation.…

Oct 2, 2019

Using Family Dinner to Develop Grit

Check out this blog entry from The Family Dinner Project about helping your children develop “grit” – the qualities of perseverance, resilience, and having the attitude that failures and setbacks are all part of a longer process of learning. The Family Dinner Project, a nonprofit initiative that champions family dinner as an opportunity for family members to connect with each other through food, fun and conversation about things that matter. The…

Dec 14, 2016

4 Festive Ways to Build Your Child’s Resilience Through Family History this Holiday Season

Ed. Note: This post first appeared on the CASA FamilyDay blog. Read the original post here.

Learn more tips on how fathers can share stories about their family history with their children to help them to value both their heritage and who they are as individuals. With our NRFC Spotlight on Dads Forever Family: Ancestors Who Shaped Our Lives, available in…

Nov 21, 2016

5 Ways to Make the Most of Thanksgiving with Your Children

The Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for in our lives, spend quality time with family, take a break from work and school, and of course, eat some pie! Whether you travel to visit others or stay at home this year, here are some ideas for getting the most out of this Thanksgiving holiday with your kids.

Volunteer together. Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to give back to the community and help those who may be less fortunate. Volunteer experiences also help give kids perspective on just how much they have to be thankful for every day…

Jul 25, 2016

Another Father’s Day in the Books, But Many More Memories to be Made

Another Father’s Day full of special and memorable moments has come and gone, but the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse has kept the momentum going through the #makeamoment campaign. This year, we have been reminding dads that it only takes a moment to make a memory that will last children a lifetime!

As an integral part of our Father’s Day festivities, the NRFC, in partnership with the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, released brand new public service announcements (PSAs). The PSAs are an exciting continuation of the Ad Council’s…

Featured Authors

Kenneth Braswell

Executive Director; Project Director

Fathers Incorporated; National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

Rick Johnson

Founder and Director

Better Dads

Patricia Littlejohn

President

South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families

DadTalk Blog

Topic

Featured Authors

Featured Authors

About Us

En Español