DadTalk Blog

Through program practitioners’ day-to-day work with fathers, they are given a unique window into the ways fathers shape their children’s development. However, it is also important to step back and dig into the research from time to time in order to keep up with any new findings around how and why dads are so vital to children’s lives. There is always something new to learn in the field of father involvement and children’s development—as...

Research on fatherhood has come a long way over the last 30 years. Fathers today are recognized more and more as caregivers, playmates, and nurturers–not just economic providers . Aforthcoming NRFC research scan summarizes what fatherhood looks like today, as well as what fatherhood means for fathers’ and children’s well-being. Here’s a quick overview of some of the key points.

Characteristics of U.S. Fathers

About 75 million...

Non-residential fathers are diverse, and they face diverse circumstances. Young fathers, divorced fathers, and fathers who may not have a formal relationship with a child’s mother all experience complex situations that require understanding and attention to specific challenges they face. These challenges are often compounded by other circumstances, and fatherhood programs should be aware of and prepared to help fathers navigate these...

As technological innovations grow and expand into so many facets of our lives, it often seems that students are reading books less and less. Parents can easily hand their child a tablet with a game or some other app to keep them occupied, whether at the store, waiting for a doctor appointment, or at home. Although it can be beneficial for so many reasons, technology is only one aspect of learning - reading books is another, and something for...

The way that children begin to understand themselves and the world around them is mediated through play. The value of play is in the way that children learn to navigate their world. The benefits are far reaching. For example, self-regulation learned through play helps with social relationships, academics, and at work.

Despite the benefits, busy routines mean that time for play is at risk. Academic pressures in school contribute to...

What comes to mind when you hear the term “new parent?” Maybe it conjures the image of a frazzled and sleep-deprived adult. Parents both new and old are often seen as chronically tired, which has well-documented ramifications on their health and well-being. What about children, though? Although kids seemingly have boundless energy, their sleep needs and cycles are profound and ever-changing. Quality sleep at all stages of childhood is even...

Funded by the ACF Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, the Fatherhood Research & Practice Network (FRPN) promotes rigorous evaluation of fatherhood programs that serve low-income fathers and works to expand the number of researchers and practitioners collaborating to evaluate fatherhood programs. The FRPN has funded 19 grant awards of $1 million since 2014.

On a regular basis, the FRPN leads webinars on topics of interest...

Fatherhood Research and Practice Network (FRPN) recently reviewed 21 studies of fatherhood programs to identify program policies associated with high rates of attendance, and how program outcomes differed for fathers with varying rates of attendance. We found that while attendance is a problem for most fatherhood programs, with fathers attending half or fewer sessions, the following program formats appear to help:

Like many parents, my time is split among work, household duties, errands, managing finances and appointments, spending time with the kids and being a supportive partner to my wife. I also have ADHD and struggle with attention, focus, time management and memory. All of which are things that I’m trying to teach my kids to manage. And they have learning and attention issues, too. Sounds like a mess, right?

In the past it has been. But...

Having a parent in jail or prison can harm children’s emotional and physical wellbeing, so it is important to support the more than five million U.S. children who will have an incarcerated parent (most often a father) at some point in their childhood. 

One way to support these children is to help improve their relationships with their incarcerated parent and non-incarcerated parent or caregiver. A 2017 study looked at young children’s...