It seems as if less children are reading nowadays than ever. It is an unusual thing to see a kid with a book these days rather than an ereader or a computer game in hand, and much more common for kids to do the bulk of their reading via computer…or not at all. The American National Center for Education Statistics says that students who read at home are better readers, and that they even have better math scores. With technology shortening attention spans, what is a dad to do to encourage early reading and emphasize the importance of literacy? Read more

Any father knows that, unfortunately, discipline is something that you have to do.  All of us have been out in public or dealt in private with others’ kids that were acting like total hellions, and it was obvious that their parents had just given up on disciplining them. Discipline shouldn’t be confused with punishment: punishment is punitive and reactionary, whereas discipline is a system by which you teach and enforce certain behavioral rules, with established consequences for violating these rules. It’s the difference between smacking your kid when they say a bad word and constructing a system by which good manners and language is encouraged (such as the “Swear Word Jar” in our household.) What do you have to do to keep discipline fair and effective? Read more

According to the latest studies, more Canadian dads are choosing to be stay-at-home dads (SAHDs), and modern fathers are spending substantially more time with their kids, becoming more involved in their activities and development–stuff that a decade ago was more “Mom stuff”. Being a dad is a big responsibility with huge rewards, and just like any other big responsibility, the more support and help we have, the easier it becomes. In this age of social networks and online friendships, Canadian dads have more options and resources than ever. Here are some unique and helpful virtual resources for dads in Canada. Read more

I have 3 sons and one daughter, and I know that building their self-confidence and helping them become strong and caring adults is one of my main tasks as a father. I confess, I worry a bit more about my daughter, because I know how crucial self-esteem and such is for a young girl; however, I have more recently realized that my sons need just as much attention, perhaps even more, at least in deliberate efforts on my part to impart much-needed positive male role modeling. What do we, as fathers of sons, need to do make sure they become the good men they should be? Read more

The father-son relationship is a much-stories one, one which is a huge factor in the growth and development of a boy on his way to becoming a man; a boy’s relationship with his father has a large part to play in the kind of man he ultimately becomes, and the kind of father he is to his own children. Unfortunately, the father-son relationship is often fraught with difficulties. Many men have trouble expressing their emotions appropriately, and there are many reasons that make father-son bonding harder than it should be. Read more