Behind the idea of dadcraft are six key, shaping beliefs:
First, welcome to the Big Show || It’s time to step up. We have to let go of boyhood, putting to death our selfishness on behalf of our wife and children.
Second, this is your opportunity || Biological dad to your kids or otherwise, you can be a loving, intentional father. Ready or not, your kid(s) are counting on you … and you can step up to the task.
Third, we’re in this together || Fathering can be isolating and that isolation is dangerous. Dads are responsible for the journey of other dads, and dads can benefit from the lessons and experiences of other dads.
Fourth, we will fail often || There are no perfect dads. There are just dads, and we learn as we go. Even so—even with your shortcomings—nobody can replace you.
Fifth, kids are the great equalizer || They can turn every dad, regardless of the station, race, or pay grade, into a man without a map. They also (as noted above) have the potential to link us together in this grand adventure and challenge.
Sixth, there is no one-size-fits-all approach || Each of us will father uniquely, and each child needs a personal, customized approach. To be great dads, we must deeply know and love our children, and we must learn and adapt to them as we do so.
With these core principles in mind, we hope our dadcraft musings, ideas, interviews, and links are a help and an encouragement to you on this incredible adventure we call fatherhood.