Center on Fathering

No one comes into parenthood totally prepared for the challenges of being a parent! Fathers especially have not been equipped to understand how important and unique they are in their parenting role to their children. The Center on Fathering Class helps dads understand how to positively parent their child whether their child is newborn or adolescent.

This class will follow the schedule below: 

• Session 1: Introduction – Expectations of class; pretest evaluations; traditional versus contemporary fathering roles; fathering styles.
• Session 2: The Importance of Fathers – Why you matter to your children; “Cat’s in a Cradle” and “Field of Dreams” Videos; roles of fathers; what you remember about your father; what it means to be an involved dad.
• Session 3: Genograms – The family roadmap; why we are who we are; learning how our childhood growing up affects our children as well; a look at the way family dynamics impact our roles as fathers.
• Session 4: Child Development – The impact dads have at the child’s early age; child development and brain research; differences in development at the infant, childhood and adolescent stages; the how-to’s of potty training.
• Session 5: Discipline (part I – The Need for Discipline) – The importance of discipline; the consequences of punitive correction; styles of disciplinarians; how fathers discipline; goals of misbehavior.
• Session 6: Discipline (part II – An Effective Combination) – The issue of spanking; the use of time-outs; changing behavior by changing the child’s environment; the power of positive discipline; other effective discipline techniques.
• Session 7: Bonding, Attachment, and Other Special Issues – How dads' bond with their children; what is required for building a bonded relationship; finding “windows of opportunity”; the emotional side of being a father; blended families; ADD/ADHD.
• Session 8: Fathers and Play – An interactive opportunity for dads and their children; A time for children and their dads to be together.
• Session 9: Mid-term Review – (Review video from Fathers & Play Week); a discussion of play and the setting of limits; ways to enhance play; a review of materials covered to date.
• Session 10: Communication – Key concepts of communication; building communication skills; “I” messages versus “you” messages; the impact of Neurolinguistics Programming (NLP) on communication; how communication differs at various developmental stages; becoming an active listener; long distance communications.
• Session 11: Building Relationships – Review of bonding/attachment materials; dysfunctional relationships; self-defeating behaviors; tools of relationships; aspects of co-dependence; button pushers; appreciating personal differences; the whole family dimension.
• Session 12: Father/Child Relationships – The special things dads give and receive from a relationship with their children; the uniqueness of father/daughter and father/son relationships; how and when to talk with your kids about sex.
• Session 13: Self Esteem/Stress Reduction Techniques – The role of fathers and a child’s healthy self-esteem; how to communicate a sound self-worth; stress reduction for dads.
• Session 14: Dealing with Anger and Conflict – How do you see yourself?; how do you deal with conflict?; how anger affects us; anger awareness; key concepts about conflict; conflict resolution concepts; parent/teen conflict resolution tips.
• Session 15: Conclusion – Post-test evaluations; perceptions of change; uncovered subjects; unanswered questions; continuing the process; ABC News Fatherhood video; Certificates of Completion.