How to be a good (enough) dad

By Caleb Roose

Photo by Jan Huber

When I found out I was going to be a dad, one of the first things I did was open Google and search, "How to be a good dad." But I didn’t just want to be a “good” dad, I wanted to be a great dad.

I wanted to be a hero in the eyes of my kids.

I wanted to be there when they needed me most.

I wanted to be the perfect dad they could always count on.

Yet reality hit early on that I was far from perfect. When my toddler was having tantrums or meltdowns, I found myself getting agitated rather than comforting her.

When I came home after being stressed at work, I was physically present with my family—but my mind and emotions were far away.

In so many ways, the image of the dad I thought I’d be wasn’t matching the reality of the dad I actually was. And from my conversations with hundreds of dads, I know I’m not alone.

Yet the good news is, our kids don’t need (or even want) perfect dads. They need dads who can learn and grow right along with them.

Good (enough) dads grow

Fatherhood requires something new of us—for at least two reasons. First, there's simply nothing else in the world like being a dad, so learning is required from day one. Parenting is a completely different ballgame from the world of work and relationships with other adults. And second, as soon as we figure out one stage of parenting, our kids usher us into the next. They just don't stay the same for long.

So whether you’re an expectant dad, new dad, toddler dad, or dad with school-aged kids, the one thing that unites us all is that our kids need us to keep learning and growing.

If you’re not sure how to handle the pregnancy phase—keep learning and growing.

If baby care intimidates you—keep learning and growing.

If toddler tantrums stress you out—keep learning and growing.

If you’re unsure how to parent teenagers—_____________________ (exactly!).

As dads, we’ve each signed up for lifelong learning if we truly want to be the dads we’re meant to be.

At Good Enough Dads, my goal is to support you every step of the way—because none of us need navigate fatherhood alone.

So how do you be a good dad?

Keep learning and growing, and you’ll always be good enough.

When you're ready...

Here are 3 ways I can help you:

1. Sign up for a free Discovery Coaching Call to start being the dad you've always wanted to be. As an experienced coach, father, and leader, I can help you unlock your greatest strengths to build deep relationships with your kids, build a career that works for you and your family, and live a balanced life.

2. Subscribe to this blog and newsletter to get posts like these directly to your inbox. In each post, I offer guidance for the deep, practical, and everyday challenges and triumphs of dad life.

3. Join the Good Enough Dads Community to connect with other dads and get access to exclusive content, webinars, and more (it's free!).