Happy Father’s Day, Dad! This whole parenting thing? It’s a lot. And it’s easy to feel like most of the support groups, books, classes, and communities are focused on moms and babies. But in the last couple of decades, the parenting industry has finally started to recognize and respond to dads not as babysitters, but as primary parents, full-time caregivers, and an essential part of baby’s day-to-day routine.
So for Father’s Day, we wanted to make sure that all the expecting, new, and seasoned dads in our community knew about some of our favorite available resources that are specifically built for dad!
Communities and websites:
Fatherly is like a library of dad info and ideas. Here, you’ll find posts on everything from how to keep your relationship healthy to which snacks to pack for a quick trip with a toddler, and everything in between. If you want a choose-your-own adventure approach to community, Fatherly is a great resource. The posts here will help you feel less alone, without any expectation of a response.
If you live near a big city, you might have a local dads group. City Dads Group host in person and online communities for dads and their kids, from trips to local attractions to simple park meetups. If you need to add a few dad friends to your life, City Dads might be the best place to find them!
For outdoorsy dads who love to adventure, nothing beats this dad blog full of hikes, bikes, and mountain tops. It’s full of advice for traveling with your little ones, getting outside, and exploring all the beauty and thrills nature has to offer - along with some solid father-to-father advice on everything from building strong connections to bandaging those adventure boo-boos.
Gear and books
On the Fathercraft website, you’ll find dad-to-dad reviews of all the latest gear, resources, and even classes marketed to new dads. It’s easy to navigate, with reviews sorted into categories that range from Baby Carriers to Clean & Diaper. Their handy, age-specific essentials lists are a great way to make your initial baby-must-haves list!
The Expectant Father by Armin A. Brott
Though it’s been on the shelves for ages, this book still tops almost every expectant father must-read list we can find. It’s a classic for a reason - full of helpful information on every stage of pregnancy and infancy, with a good dose of humor and a whole lot of humility thrown in. If you have questions, this book has answers. And you’ve probably got a friend who has it on his bookshelf!
The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads
Where most newborn parenting books have entire chapters that only relate to mothers, like how to breastfeed and deal with postpartum recovery, this Ultimate Guide replaces them with essential gay dad topics that are missing from heteronormative books. It’s practical, personal, and well-organized - a must have for any soon-to-be-dads pair!
Do you have a favorite father-centered website, book, baby item, or local community? We’d love to hear about and feature them! Tag @dadadababyusa on your favorite post on their IG, and while you’re at it, share a photo of you and your little one with us using #dadadadlove
Wishing all our dadaDads a very happy Father’s Day!