Please note: This article uses the term fathers since most fathering research is conducted in parenting situations where there is a mother and a father. However, we recognize that fathers may be parenting in a range of situations such as single parents, separated parents, or with a partner who is male or female. Additionally, we recognize that the term father includes those men in the lives of children who may not be the biological father; including but not limited to, adoptive fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles etc.

A recent study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) indicates dads are more engaged in care taking than ever before. Dads are taking up the challenge to be more engaged with their children. They are standing in lines at supermarkets, sitting in the waiting rooms at doctor's offices, patiently and attentively watching dance classes, coming to and coaching hockey or T-Ball games, volunteering in classrooms, and leaning over change tables while wrestling with dirty diapers.

These are the dads of today. 

Learning to be a father takes time and experience. Many men enter fatherhood without previous experience with pregnancy and children (Hoffman, 2011). They need opportunities to bond with their children, develop new skills, and build their confidence in nurturing their children.

At the same time, there is an increasing interest in engaging fathers in family support programs. The rapid growth in fatherhood research, resources, and programs in recent years indicates an increased acceptance and understanding that responsible fathers play a vital role in their children's development. Fathers are more than a supportive add-on to the family system mostly managed by mothers. Fathers matter.

According to a report in Fathers and Their Impact on Children's Well-Being, "Even from birth, children who have an involved father are more likely to be emotionally secure, be confident to explore their surroundings, and, as they grow older, have better social connections."

The way fathers play with their children also has an important impact on a child's emotional and social development. Fathers spend a higher percentage of their one-to-one interactions with infants and preschoolers in stimulating, playful activity than do mothers. From these interactions, children learn how to regulate their feelings and behavior.

Children with involved, caring fathers have better educational outcomes. The influence of a father's involvement extends into adolescence and young adulthood. Numerous studies find an active and nurturing style of fathering is associated with better verbal skills, intellectual functioning, and academic achievement among adolescents.

If dads don't believe they can have an influence over their child's education and how well they perform, they're unlikely to get involved. This is especially true if they're not confident with their own skills. Try these ideas when working with families to show how easy it can be for dads to offer support to children and how much of a difference they can make.

Holding a one time event to grab attention can work well, but you need to have a retention strategy in place, or numbers of those engaged will fall dramatically. Use the event to give dads the opportunity to spend some time with their children, have some fun and feel useful, and to show them they can get more involved. Have an informal chat as part of the session to find out what they would like to do in the future.

Turn one of your events into a longer course, giving dads a clear purpose. Offer them the chance to walk away with something of value.

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities in Dauphin County has a new program in partnership with Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance called "Dad & Me" which offers activities for the targeted residents to attend with their children. The new program provides up to four monthly activities for up to 15 fathers and their children. (The activities are for specific ages of children and are determined based on participant needs). Each activity includes time for fathers and children to connect informally. This is an organized program that stresses interaction with children and includes a debriefing meeting with staff. The activities are free or low-cost activities and available within bike or bus distance, as many residents do not have transportation.

• National Fatherhood Initiative. National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) is the nation's leading non-profit organization working to end father absence. Underlying many of society's most pressing challenges is a lack of father involvement in their children's lives.
• National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. Across every state there are efforts to help support the positive and engaged involvement of fathers in the lives of their children and families. This section of Fatherhood.gov is not inclusive of all these efforts, but serves as a starting point to help connect fathers with programs and with each other.
• Engaging Fathers. View examples from one Head Start/Early Head Start program of ways to engage fathers in their children's learning and healthy development. In the video, dedicated fathers learn from one another and make connections. Father figures build a community that helps them fulfill their role as one of the most important people in their children's lives.
• Father Involvement in Early Childhood Programs: A Key Topic Resource List. Research Connections conducted a comprehensive search of its collection for resources focused on father involvement in early childhood programs. This Key Topic Resource List includes an overview of the topic and listing of selected resources
• Step by Step: Engaging Fathers in Programs for Families. This manual is designed to give you a step-by-step guide for planning and implementing your strategy for engaging fathers. Each section provides ideas from fathers and practitioners, some with over a decade of experience. There are Reflections after each section to guide your work. Program Perspectives are also provided for a glimpse at effective programs.