"​Most dads I know have joked about cleaning their guns when their daughters bring home their first boyfriends. It’s a trope in country songs. But here’s the thing—no one I’ve ever spoken to literally does this. It’s a hyperbolic way of talking about our desire to protect our daughters.
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But I’ve noticed something in myself, as the father of three girls, and in other dads of daughters. When teaching our daughters about guys, we don’t have a high view of young men. In fact, there are several lessons we’re teaching our daughters about guys that are subtle but destructive. Here are 3 of them (as well as some ideas for alternatives)." READ MORE

 "When our children are young, they believe Dad knows everything. As they get older and more independent, they may say that Dad is outdated and doesn’t know what he’s saying. Yet, when they become adults and start living their lives, they probably would say Dad was right about everything. 
I have been a dad for seven years, and I honestly feel like a different person than when my oldest daughter was born. I started reminiscing on the different experiences I’ve had as a father and the ones I am anticipating will come. Here are 6 phases of fatherhood to prepare you for the joys, sorrows, and love on the horizon." READ MORE

"I met my wife on the set of a short film I wrote the summer after high school graduation. I had a crush on her but tried keeping it to myself. While we worked together, she received a phone call and learned that her next-door neighbor, a sweet woman named Kay, who was sick, was about to pass away. Seeing her heart breaking, I did everything I could to get her to her beloved neighbor just in time to say goodbye. I learned later that my wife found my genuine care for her and her neighbor at this moment to be noble, a trait she said I had in common with her father. Do women date men like their dads? Yes, they do.
And now that I am a father of two girls, I wonder what kind of men they will date. All dads should reflect on this question: Do I want my daughter to end up with a guy like me, or should she aim higher? If she should aim higher, then it’s time to step up as her father. Daughters are naturally comfortable around men like their dads because of their exposure to their dads’ traits growing up—but with what qualities exactly is your daughter comfortable? Here are 4 things to focus on because your daughter is watching." READ MORE

"It can seem impossible to forgive your ex-wife, but it can be done and it will help you stay connected to your kids. One Play of the Day subscriber writes, “I forgave her, but it took me a whole year and I had to forgive her in small sums over the 12 months. I paid those sums whenever I spoke to her and kept myself from rehashing the past. I paid them whenever I saw her with another man and refused self-pity. I paid them whenever I praised her to others when I really wanted to slice away her reputation. Those were the payments—but she never knew about them. However, I never knew her payments, but I know she made them. I can tell.”

Bitterness always eats its possessor. Resolve to make small payments of mercy. You and your children will be better for it. Though you are no longer married to your ex, you are always your children’s father. Here are 10 ways to stay connected to your kids after divorce." READ MORE

Do you believe that abundance is your birthright? I didn’t. I grew up with a hoarder. My mom saved everything from grocery receipts to her childhood clothes. If you visit her house you will find a collection of 80+ years on this planet. It is a museum of her life buried under pile after pile. It is a sad mental disorder, but what about modern society’s mentality about abundance? READ MORE

“One of the desires of every daughter’s heart is to have adventures with her dad.”

​"I spent part of last summer teaching my son how to fish. As we navigated our way through picking the right gear and finding the right spot, my daughters heard what we were up to, and they wanted to be a part of things. We brought my daughters along and then something extraordinary happened. My son showed his sister what he was learning about how to hold, cast, and reel.

The whole day reminded me of something every dad to daughters ought to know: One of the desires of every daughter’s heart is to have adventures with her dad. If you need help figuring out how to have an adventure with your daughter, here are 7 simple ways to do just that." READ MORE

"If a single dad I know named Jon didn’t have a single father support group, “I wouldn’t have a place to go,” he said. In 1960, approximately 300,000 single fathers lived in the United States. Today, there are more than 2.6 million. Personally, I consider a single father to be any man who has full or primary custody of his children, is a non-custodial parent, or has children but is currently unable to see them. With this many families in need of community, it is vital to keep establishing single father support groups across the nation.
I became a single dad in 2006 and quickly realized just how few resources were out there for guys like me. So in 2008, I formed a small group out of my living room. Eventually, it grew into a national organization. What I know about single father groups is based on a decade’s worth of my personal experiences leading one. Here’s why you need to be part of a single father group." READ MORE

"I recently watched a film about two teenage girls trying to find how they fit into society before heading to college. They encountered stalkers, porn, rage, depression, and promiscuity on their journey. When the movie ended, I said, “Thank God I’m not a teenage girl.” And then I realized that my two daughters might deal with all these issues—which means I might wind up with difficult teenagers. What’s it like dealing with a difficult teenage daughter?
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“As frustrated as a teen girl’s bad behavior can make us, we need to be prepared to help. ”Teen girls are navigating their worlds while battling a changing brain, shifting moods, and bad influences. Odds are, this may get them into some trouble, just like the girls in the movie. As frustrated as a teen girl’s bad behavior can make us, we need to be prepared to help. Here are 5 bad behaviors teen girls might get into—and how to handle it if they do." READ MORE

In the movie Shadowlands, about the true love story of beloved author and Oxford professor C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman, Lewis says to one of his pupils, “We read to know we’re not alone.” I hope this provides that same sense of connectedness because the problems men face aren’t unique.

We’re all facing the same challenges, some obvious and some fought secretly on the inside. When we as men persevere through our struggles, especially together, we build character and find hope. In that spirit, let’s share how we’re not alone by exposing 5 struggles every man faces. READ MORE

"This past week I drove 1,425 miles to attend the memorial service for a dear friend. I would have driven 4,000 if I’d had to—it was that important. During the service, everyone who stood up to speak talked about love, service, generosity, faithfulness, and—most importantly—how those qualities became transformationally evident in the lives my friend had influenced. Family, friends, colleagues, members of the faith community all proved it: Our friend was leaving a legacy.

Later, during the reception, a man sidled up to me and said, “That was so powerful! When I die, I want the same service; the same scripture readings, the same words, the same message.” I turned to him and said, “If you want a great memorial service, first you have to live a great life.” Rather than stumbling through life one bump at a time, think about leaving a legacy today. Here are 5 reasons you need to think ahead." READ MORE