4 Ways Divorced Fathers Can Up Their ‘Dad Game’

parenting tips

At DadsDivorce, we’re committed to providing divorced fathers the resources and support they need to be the best dad possible even though they are divorced.

Even though gender stereotypes in the family court system have a way of making fathers feel like secondary parents, we strongly believe that although you are a divorced dad, you are still a dad.

In fact, your kids need you now more than ever. We know that children of divorce face many challenges, and it is your job to do whatever you can to look out for their best interests. That means providing unwavering fatherly support.

With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you take your “dad game” to the next level.

Be present

Han-Son Lee, of DaddiLife, says a simple thing dads can do to become more engaged fathers is really focus on the idea of being present when spending time with your children.

What he means by that is getting the most out of the time you spend with them. Don’t allow yourself to get distracted by phone calls or text messages. Give them your full time and attention.

Time is precious in this day and age and there is always the temptation to try to multi-task. As a divorced father, you might feel additional pressure because the amount of parenting time you have with your children could be limited.

But Lee says taking just a little time every day to devote yourself fully to your kids can make an enormous difference.

“Sometimes just five or 10 minutes of quality time can actually be as powerful or more powerful as two to three hours of mediocre time,” Lee said. “I think it’s really about how dads can overcome and have that sense of self-awareness and that sense of fulfillment and happiness that we find a lot more dads have by really being present with their children.”

Get involved at school

When you were married, maybe your wife handled most of the parenting duties related to your kids’ school activities such as PTA meetings, helping with homework, attending parent-teacher conferences, etc.

Well now it’s time for you to get very involved in what’s going on at your kids’ school. Make sure you know what they’re learning each day and what subjects are difficult for them. Find out if you can help in any way. Encourage them to get involved in extra-curricular activities.

And while you do not need to disclose all the details of your divorce, it is a good idea to let your kids’ teachers know that you’ve gone through a divorce recently and your child is dealing with a different living arrangement. That way they know to be on the lookout for potential behavioral issues they can head off before they become a larger problem.

Keep the peace

Divorce naturally tends to breed conflict. It is a stressful and emotional process and a lot of people end up with bitter feelings by the time the final decree is issued.

It is very important for you to do whatever you can to carry a mature and positive attitude through this process. That means letting bygones be bygones and putting old arguments with your ex behind you.

Research has shown that it’s not necessarily divorce that harms children when their parents split but rather the amount of conflict they are exposed to. Therapist Terry Gaspard notes that it is far too common for bickering parents to pull their children into their disagreements and that can have disastrous consequences.

“Truth be told, parents forget that children are vulnerable to feeling in the middle between their parents’ arguments,” Gaspard said. “High parental conflict can send them into high alert. As a result, (children) may have difficulty sleeping, concentrating on school or social activities, or be plagued with fear and anxiety about their future.”

No matter how much you dislike your ex, your kids will be much better off if you can find a way to effectively co-parent. If your ex insists on starting pointless fights, you might consider enlisting the help of a co-parenting counselor or trying a parallel parenting model.

Utilize parenting resources

There are a lot of great articles and videos with parenting tips on DadsDivorce and you can also connect with other divorced fathers through the Men’s Divorce forums.

There is also an entire network of dad blogs on the internet that you can use to help you improve your fathering skills.

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4 comments on “4 Ways Divorced Fathers Can Up Their ‘Dad Game’

    I am a recently separated about to be divorced dad and because of this I am now homeless. So seeing my son is never the same as it was. My son is glued to my hip and I just don’t want him to hurt from this it kills me inside because he starting to say tho vs like when are you gonna come back to sky house again and I hate having to answer the question over and over it eats me alive. I miss his mother and still live love her and want to be a family again but she doesn’t and it’s hard to get over that for me after 20yrs of being with you high school sweeheart it’s not easy.. does anyone know of any places that help me. Like us find jobs,housing,and any other need that may be so I can finally get my son to be able to spend a weekend at a time with me …. thank you all who read this and answer And God bless you always….

    These may seem useful but I feel you should post specific tips on basic skills.
    Such as conflict management, parental alienation strategies and links to groups who can provide some real help. These 4 tips seem far too “soft” for a divorced dad.

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