Tips for Parents
Taking time to spend with your children always pays off. Get involved in even the smallest ways. Each section of the NRFC Dads site has tips and resources – from tips on dealing with cuts and scrapes, ways to handle how much time your teen spends online, to ways to get involved in your local community. This section highlights some small ways that you can Take Time to Be a Dad Today. Our Green Dads tips give you some easy ways to spend time with your children while doing something good for the environment.
On This Page
Take Time to Be a Dad Today Tips
Experience the joy of reading without the cost of buying books. Visit your community library and get a card for each member of your family. Help your children select a variety of age-appropriate books you can borrow and read together.
Watch a game on television with your children. Cheer for your favorite team and chat about the plays. Mute the commercials and use those minutes to talk about what’s going on in your lives.
Take a virtual vacation with your children. Decide on a “destination” then borrow a library book that features facts and photos of your dream locale. Prepare a meal based on the native cuisine and enjoy it together while you watch a documentary about the country or a movie that takes place there. Let these fantasy voyages be your passport to lasting family memories.
Spring cleaning will be off to a great start if you first tackle that list of home improvement chores with your children. Little ones can find the hammer, wrench, or pliers in a toolbox while older kids can learn how to repair household items.
Cook with and for your family. Make meals for your kids and teach them about your favorite foods and how to prepare them.
Schedule a Dads Day Out on Father’s Day with a group of dads and their kids. Play games, share stories, and just appreciate the fun and joys that come with being a dad.
Release your inner DJ while you listen to music with your children. Compile a playlist that includes your favorite songs as well as some your kids select. Explain to each other what makes the songs special. Go ahead and sing along or dance, because you don’t need a great voice or expert dance moves to let music strengthen your relationship with your kids.
Catch a summer blockbuster at the cinema or watch a classic movie on TV. Make sure the film is age-appropriate for your children. Remember your favorite scenes and talk about them when the movie ends.
Now that your children are back to school, schedule a family reading night or family math night to build on what they are covering in the classroom. Make it fun and relaxed, and help your children understand that adults can always learn something new too.
Plan ahead so you and your little trick-or-treaters are safe on Halloween. Carry a flashlight to help you see and be seen. Walk only on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic. Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before allowing your kids to eat them.
Make Thanksgiving a true family affair when you involve your children in planning the menu and preparing the food. Older kids can cook their favorite dish, while younger ones can set the table or construct a centerpiece. Talk about what you are thankful for and what you respect most about each family member.
Bake a cake, cupcakes, or cookies with your children. Following directions and measuring ingredients help improve children’s reading and math skills. What a sweet way for children to learn while spending time with you.
Back to Top
Green Dads Tips
Gather your already read books and donate them to a local library, school, or shelter. The books will be enjoyed again, you will reinforce to your children the value of reading, and they will gain a better understanding of the importance of giving to others.
Turn off the water while you brush your teeth in the morning and before bedtime. You can save up to eight gallons of water a day.
Many electronic devices and appliances use power even when they're switched off or not in use. You can save money and energy by unplugging items when they aren’t being used.
Earth-friendly cleaning products are widely available and are kinder to our air and water. Or you can make your own cleaning supplies with white vinegar, lemons, baking soda, and other basics you probably have in your kitchen already. Check online or at your local library for the step-by-step of cleaning green.
Bike or walk to a park, trail, or other outdoor spot. Leaving the car at home will reduce carbon emissions and you will add exercise to your day without even trying.
For Father’s Day, let your family know you would like to share a family activity rather than receive gifts. Instead of collecting another tie, take photos of yourself and your children enjoying your time together. Eliminating wrapping paper and taking digital photos generate less waste on dad’s special day.
Take a break from the summer heat with a craft project you and your children can work on together indoors or in the shade. Gather magazines, newspapers, fabrics, and other materials that are scheduled to be thrown away and turn them into attractive and useful items such as greeting cards you can send to family and friends.
Visit a farmers market or farm where you can pick your own produce. Locally grown fruits and vegetables do not need to be shipped, which contributes to reducing carbon emissions. Before your trip, go online with your children to find out what is in season in your area and how you can use those items in putting together a fresh, healthy dinner menu.
Bring your own bag to the grocery store. You probably can pack more items per bag and many stores offer a discount for using your own bag. Repurpose old backpacks, handbags, and tote bags you already have at home.
Instead of buying Halloween costumes, help your children create them using items you already have at home. Or ask a group of friends to join you in swapping (recycling!) costumes the kids wore for previous Halloweens.
Buy compact florescent light (CFL) bulbs, which last about 5 years and use less energy. Switching just one standard bulb to a CFL can help you reduce your electricity bill by as much as 75 cents per month.
In 2008, Americans spent nearly $11 billion on more than 8 billion gallons of bottled water, and then tossed more than 22 billion empty plastic bottles in the trash. Instead of buying bottled water, use a water filter on your tap and keep a pitcher of filtered water in your refrigerator to fill a reusable bottle.
Back to Top
NRFC Resources
Spotlight on Dads - Spotlight on Dads resources are designed specifically for dads, and for programs to be able to share with fathers. Spotlight on Dads help dads think about the ways their involvement affects the lives of their children. Each contains suggestions on books or movies that dads can use to learn more, and a page of discussion and thought provoking questions to further think about each issue.
Take Time Tips - These tips and our Tips for Green Dads are designed for dads to give quick and easy suggestions on ways you can get involved ever day.
In response to President Obama’s call for a national conversation on responsible fatherhood and healthy families, learn how you can join the President's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative.
Información en Español
En respuesta al llamado del presidente Obama para una conversación nacional sobre la paternidad responsable y las familias saludables, aprender cómo usted puede unirse a la Iniciativa Presidencial de Padres y Mentores.
