The Message Parenting Educators Still Need to Hear

I participated recently in a panel at a virtual conference for parenting educators. The discussion centered on the challenges today’s parents face and how parenting educators can “meet parents where they are.”

As is typical of panel discussions, the moderator had a few questions for each of us to answer. One of the questions for me was, “What does ‘meeting fathers where they are’ look like in 2026, especially regarding their unique needs and the ever-evolving role of fathers in our society?”

My answer?

In one respect, it's not that different from what it has been for the past 30 years.  You can’t approach parenting education with a gender-blind approach and expect fathers to respond. You must speak to fathers using language, programs, and resources that say, “This is for you, dad!”

The attendees' reaction?

Emojis galore! Smiley faces, clapping hands, and party horns spewing confetti. I saw a few supportive remarks in the chat, such as, “He’s so spot on!”

Unfortunately, a gender-blind approach is the worldwide norm. Studies find that fathers are woefully underrepresented in parenting education programs. I can’t blame parent educators for simply accepting that mothers show up more than fathers. After all, recruiting and retaining fathers in parenting education programs is hard work.

But if you aren’t willing to overcome the status quo’s inertia, you’ll get more of the same. Rooms filled with mothers who, you hope, will share what they learn with their children’s fathers.

The Failure Hiding in the Shadows

Many organizations that employ parenting educators promote their commitment to a “whole-family” approach or model. But if you don’t proactively engage fathers, aren’t you failing to follow through on that commitment? (Answer = Yes!)

Hoping fathers will attend a parenting education program that doesn’t address their needs and wants is wishful thinking. National Fatherhood Initiative^® (NFI) knows from several decades in building organizations’ capacity to engage fathers that when you have the courage to speak to fathers’ and mothers’ distinct needs and wants, your ability to actually serve the whole family increases dramatically.

What do fathers need and want, especially from a parenting education program?

Like any parent, needs and wants are unique to the individual. Fortunately, where parenting education programs are concerned, fathers have some common needs and wants that you can leverage in designing an attractive program that will have fathers beating down the doors to attend. A recent experiment found that fathers want three basic things:

• A free or low-cost program
• A father-friendly program offering face-to-face and alternative delivery formats (e.g., online)
• Flexible, relevant (to fathers) content

Do those seem incredibly obvious? (Answer = Yes!)

The Time is Now

There’s never been a better time than the present to offer parenting education designed for fathers (a.k.a. a fathering program). To show you why, let’s return to the panel moderator’s question because, you might have noticed, I didn’t provide the rest of my answer.

Meeting fathers where they are today is also different than what it was 30 or even 20 years ago. That’s because today’s fathers place more importance on the contribution of fathering to their personal identity. Their success as fathers fuels how they feel about themselves as individuals. As a result, they’re looking for and are more willing to accept help with fathering. You can offer that help.

I’m not saying, “Build it, and they will come.” You must put in the hard work required to build an organizational culture that supports a fathering program and a marketing plan that recruits fathers into that program and keeps them coming back.

NFI can help you create a father-friendly program with relevant content! (The cost piece is yours.) Most importantly, we can help you create a supportive organizational culture and a marketing plan that will knock the ball out of the park. Here are some free resources to get you started.

• Use the Father Friendly Quick Check™ or the more in-depth Father Friendly Check-Up™ to start building a supportive culture.
• Use the Stages of Father Inclusion™ to learn the path to becoming a father-inclusive organization.
• Read the 7 Steps to Creating a Successful Fatherhood Program guide to start reflecting on the program you’ll offer, the types of fathers you’ll offer it to, how you’ll fund it, and more.

When you’re ready to choose a program, check out our evidence-based and evidence-informed lineup. And when you’re ready to market it, enroll in our Recruitment and Retention Certificate™, the most comprehensive training on marketing a fathering program available.

Are you ready to move on from the status quo and embrace father-friendly parenting education?

Are you ready to increase your impact with a true whole-family approach?

Are you ready to partner with NFI or take our partnership to a deeper level?