These Dads Are Doing It Right – Part 3 – Dad Groups Assemble

This is the third week in the These Dads Are Doing It Right series. I am putting the spotlight on some fantastic dad groups.This week focuses on great organizations that will be there for you when you need them. From virtual meet-ups to creating groups all around the country these organizations look to build up dads from every background. If you are looking for a place to share your thoughts on fatherhood make sure you check out these groups. 

City Dads Group – Check Your Local Listings

One of the original groups in this dad space is the City Dads Group. The group was founded by Lance Somerfeld and Matt Schneider, friends and former teaching colleagues at a New York City public school. They became the primary caregivers in their families out of a desire to play an active role in the raising of their kids. As they started to look outside the home for playdates and meet-ups they often found themselves being the only dads there. They felt alone. They wanted to find dad groups. I know this feeling. It was how I felt when I became the stay at home dad. 

To create a fun space for dads they started up the NYC Dads group. With the success of that group they wanted to expand the groups in other cities. They used the same concept for the NYC Dads Group for other cities across North America. They reached out to other dads in other places around the country where many other City Dads Groups started popping up. For more info on these groups go to citydadsgroup.com.

Life of Dad – Celebrating The Journey Of Fatherhood 

I am a bit biased on this one. Life of Dad was created by Tommy Riles and has a total of six founders. One of those founders is me. Patrick Quinn, David Guest, Ryan Hamilton and Dan Lazarz are the other members. I refer to the six of us as the fatherhood version of Voltron. We all come from different backgrounds and shared our voice in this dad space. Now with some fun and engaging online communities dads from all over the world share their views and experiences in their fatherhood journey. For more on Life of Dad go to lifeofdad.com. 

Black Fathers Foundation – A Much Needed Voice 

Matt Prestbury looked around at the media landscape around him and saw very few positive images of black men within it. Matt wanted to change that. He started up a Facebook group called Black Fathers to showcase the many stories of black men who are wonderful fathers. The group presented black men with an opportunity to tell their own stories of fatherhood as well as to seek advice and encouragement from others. 

In 2018, Matt, and his wife, Kelly, decided to create The Black Fathers Foundation, which would serve to create a physical entity that would carry on much of the work that took place within the online group, Black Fathers. In May of 2019, The Black Fathers Foundation was born. For more on the Black Fathers Foundation go to blackfathersfoundation.org.

Dad 2.0 Summit – Dads Reaching The Peak Of Fatherhood Excellence

Doug French and John Pacini founded the Dad 2.0 Summit. It is an annual conference where marketers, social media leaders, and blogging parents connect to discuss the changing voice and perception of modern fatherhood. More men are defying stereotypes by taking active roles in their children’s lives, making day-to-day household purchasing decisions regarding products and services, and chronicling these experiences online. This summit is legit. I have become friends with a ton of dads since meeting them at this conference. You will cherish your time at this conference. Even though 2020 has cancelled conventions the Dad 2.0 Summit is hosting a virtual event this year. If you can make it I highly encourage you all to check it out. It is a great way of checking out the conference from the comforts of your own home. For more information on the conference and what you can learn go to dad2.com. 

National At Home Dad Network – Dads Groups Getting It Done 

I really appreciate what the good folks over at the National At-Home Dad Network are doing. When I left my career in radio and became a stay at home dad I felt isolated. Most of the time I was trying to find things to do with my kids outside the home. I felt as though I was the only at home dad. That was until I met up with some of the dads behind this organization. 

Their purpose is to empower dads and champion a culture that recognizes them as capable and competent parents. They provide advocacy, community, education and support for families where fathers are the primary caregivers of their children. One way they do this is through HomeDadCon, their annual At-Home Dad Convention, which is part professional development for fathers, and part networking opportunity for at-home dads. To learn more about the National At-Home Dad Network go to athomedad.org.