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African American father and his little g

MISSION

To Encourage and Equip fathers to be present and intentional in their child's life through purposeful thoughts, planned activities, and intentional moments.

For all fathers to find the encouragement and support they need to be present and intentional daily.

From our Intentional Activities and Intentional Moments lists to our Additional Resources of both recommended organizations and articles, we hope you find the support you need.

Man Using a Tablet

Resources for Men to improve their own body, mind, and actions with the intent to then be able to better Father their children.

 

From our Recommended Reading list to better understanding your financial situation, Men's Resources provides outlets to help.

The Encouragement Articles are intended simply for that, Fatherhood Encouragement. Thoughts, triumphs, advice, and struggles written to encourage fathers. Sometimes, just knowing others struggle the same way, in the same things, is encouraging. Other times, reading about Father / Son or Daughter victories is the smile needed for the day.  

Image by Tyler Nix

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All proceeds go straight towards furthering our mission by developing resources and reaching fathers to encourage and equip them to be present and intentional with their children. 

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Encouragement Articles

Fatherhood Thoughts

March 14, 2024

Children are constant.

The minuscule time void of active requests is spent following the trail of crumbs, clothes, sticky surfaces, and scattered toys.

When those children are a speed walking one year old baby in diapers, an ever hungry but only eats two bites of anything you give him in-process potty-training two year old, and a six year old with the energy of a thousand monkeys, it's constant chaos.

As a parent, it is all too easy to get lost in the head above water, day to day tasks, chores, needs of others, you name it.

At the end of the day all you want to do is sink into the couch and scroll mindlessly only to wake from the senseless trance even more drained.

After days, weeks, months of constant, it builds up.
No matter how much patience you have you become quick to anger.
No matter if you are sleeping through the night you feel sluggish.
No matter the size of your servants heart, your selfishness breaks through.
No matter if you desire to be present and intentional with your children, your actions prove otherwise.

On your phone for 30 minutes while you sit on the toilet isn't doing any good.
TikTok or Netflix before bed won't cut it either.

What's needed is Intentional Restoration.

- Chad Vrla
Founder of TheIntentionalFather.com

Read Full Article at:
https://www.theintentionalfather.com/post/how-do-you-restore

#bepresent #BeIntentional #theintentionalfather

#parentlife #parenting #parentinglife #parentingtips #parenthood #father #fatherhood #parents #dads #dadblog #parentingadvice #firsttimeparent #positiveparenting #fathertobe #parenttobe

February 20, 2024

In a matter of two and a half weeks we have all of our three children’s birthdays.

That is a lot for our family to wrangle.

We have created a lot of fun traditions. We have made this unique situation our own as best we can.
It has been a wild run, I say a circus for comedic effect. But I stand by that as there are animals, poop, entertainment, laughing then crying children, peanuts, and intermittent guest appearances by clowns. I wouldn’t change it for the world though.

We are blessed.

Read Full Article:
https://www.theintentionalfather.com/post/birthday-journey-and-buddies

- Jerod Post
Contributor at TheIntentionalFather.com

#bepresent #BeIntentional #theintentionalfather

#positiveparenting #firsttimeparent #dadadvice #dadvice #parentingadvice #dadblog #fatherhoodunplugged #dads #fatherhood #parenthood #fatherhoodmatters #parenting

January 30, 2024

This is a different type of encouragement.

This is not light material.

I do not write with advice or personal experience in this situation and will not be long winded.

I write to explain the situation as I can, the feelings about it, and the inspiration of the family that is going through it.

I speak about a friend and colleague that has recently had to bear the hellish occurrence of losing her child. I wanted to speak about this to challenge myself and all to be more present and intentional with our children.

We truly never know what tomorrow will bring.

Continue Reading - https://www.theintentionalfather.com/post/life-is-precious

On the toughest days hold them to you. Tell them you love them. Be thankful for the gift of family.

Make the best of the gifts we are given.

- Jerod Post
Contributor at TheIntentionalFather.com

#bepresent #BeIntentional #theintentionalfather

#parenting #parenthood #father #fatherhood #parents #motherhood #motherslove #fatherslove

January 9, 2024

Gratitude is something I believe in deeply. We have been given a gift to live in this time, place, and country. I am a firm believer in the perspective of gratitude. For just fifty years prior, it was not like this. Right now in many other countries, it is not like this for millions of people.

To me it is a battle between providing the best I can for my children, but I remain guarded at creating spoiled kids that just expect the finer things as that is what comes to their doorstep often.

Take the time to be thankful for yourselves gents. Take the time to be thankful for your spouse. Give thanks for your trike motors, ankle biters, curtain climbers of your homes. As they grow, teach them to be grateful for what they receive and what is around them. Growing with a perspective of gratitude in all things will improve their interaction with the world around them.

Happy new year gentleman. I hope it finds you and yours very well.

- Jerod Post
Contributor at TheIntentionalFather.com

Read Full Article:
https://www.theintentionalfather.com/post/the-struggling-with-teaching-gratitude

#bepresent #BeIntentional #theintentionalfather

#gratitude #gratitudechallenge #gratitudeattitude #parenting #parentlife #parenthood #father #fatherhood #parentingadvice #positiveparenting

December 21, 2023

Time and again, my children have proven to me they are more capable than I thought.

As parents, we don’t want to exude more energy.
Normally, it's us holding them back.

So we do the task ourselves while they stand aside.
We cook while they watch TV.
We interfere when they are climbing.
We make excuses instead of playing one more game of tag.

All the while not allowing them the experience to do and learn.

Slow down.
Allow your child to do.
Allow them to spill and help clean up.
Allow them to fall, realizing it didn't hurt as bad as expected, then try again.
Allow them to fail, providing guidance the next go around.

Challenge yourself to get uncomfortable by allowing them the opportunity of experience.

Children are more capable than we allow, let's stop holding them back.

- Chad Vrla
Founder of TheIntentionalFather.com

Read Full Encouragement Article here:
https://www.theintentionalfather.com/post/children-are-more-capable-than-we-allow

#bepresent #BeIntentional #theintentionalfather

#parenting #fatherhoodmatters #parentingtips #parenthood #father #fatherhood #parents #dadblog #parentingadvice #positiveparenting

November 29, 2023

Thank you to ShoutoutDFW for the interview and opportunity to be featured on your site!

For those in or near the Dallas / Fort Worth area in Texas, ShoutoutDFW highlights and features local small business owners. There are many wonderful entrepreneurs that have been featured, and I am honored to be considered among them.

Thank you.

- Chad Vrla
Founder of TheIntentionalFather.com

Full Interview Here:
https://shoutoutdfw.com/meet-chad-vrla-founder-of-theintentionalfather-com/

#shoutoutdfw

Intentional Moments

Write a letter to your child on their birthday. Be personal, specific, and uplifting. Write of what made you proud the past year of their life or what moments you fondly remember most. Start young and make it a tradition!

Birthday Letter

Create a calm, nightly calm down process to allow their energy to release and give them time to wind themselves down. Closer to bed, reduce screen time to decrease neurological stimulation. Read to them, tell them a story, cuddle with them. Allow slow but structured wind downs into; lights off, music and night light on.

Pre-Bed Routine

Learn your child's Love Language! Everyone, even your children, receive and feel love in different ways. Ensure you are pouring into them in a way they truly feel loved!

5 Love Languages

Create a chain out of scraps of paper, write notes, thoughts, what you are thankful for, personal encouragement, what you love about your children, what you want to improve on as a father. Each day, make it part of your routine, sit down with your child, tear off the next chain in the link, and talk about what is written!

Daily Encouragement Chain

It is a fun way to gain a picture of your child in as many ways as you want. Ask questions of their favorite movie, book, song, color, animal, clothes, games etcetera. It is interesting to compare answers over time-age as they grow and experience more of life. There are specific templates to log these answers if you want to come back to their answers over time.

What's Your Favorite Game

On a daily or weekly basis, send little reminders to your child that you are thinking about them, care about them, and love them! Slip notes, drawings, inside jokes into their lunches for a smile during the day.

Lunchbox Letters

It is the end of the day, just before they are getting ready to power down for a much needed 10-12 hours of hard earned sleep. There are times in the day getting your child to complete a full sentence will not happen. Use this quiet calm time to gain insight into your child's day.

Nite Time Talk

Weekly and/or more by choice, actively ask your children to state positive things about themselves and areas they feel they can get better at. Allowing build of confidence in their positive attributes. It can also circle back to daily-weekly lessons learned from events that occurred.

Positive Thoughts

Be intentional in learning who your child is through an online personality test. Take the same one and be open about who you are while better understanding them!

Take Personality Tests Together

Intentional Activities

With school back in session, sit down as a family and go through the fun things you did together!

Summer Review

Find a movie that was based on a book (or a book that was made into a movie) that you and your child will both enjoy. Read the book together followed by watching the movie. Then, discuss!

Book vs. Movie

Pick a Saturday, give your kids a small amount of money, and go yard sale hopping together!

Yard Sale Saturday

7 exciting father/child balloon activity ideas, ensuring fun and quality bonding. With something as simple as a balloon, create memories that will leave both you and your child grinning from ear to ear!

Balloon Bonding

It is important as parents to assist in growing our children's respect of their surroundings. You can initiate and support that mindset by gathering your family, getting out and showing care for your town, city, country.

Clean Up

Turn off the digital and break out the physical! Uno is a quick and easy game to incorporate into any game night or to fill a few extra minutes with fun, quality time.

UNO

Set a timer, have your child pick the activity they want to do, spend good ole quality time with them on their terms.

Timers With Kids

Pick a chore or task, then have your child write out detailed instructions on how to complete the task. The trick is, you must follow the instructions word-for-word! If the task fails, have them modify the instructions and try again.

Exact Instructions Challenge

Take time out of the day to give back with your child. Sit down together and write notes, draw pictures, or make crafts for the men and women serving in the military or as first responders. Not only will this activity provide quality time together, it can also teach humility and kindness.

Letters to Service Personnel
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