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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

Support The Intentional Father by visiting our Store!

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

Don't let all of your phone photos sit without being able to easily enjoy them. Easily upload them to the Groovebook app and get up to 100 printed photos a month!

Groovebook - Monthly Photo Books

Prompted, personal letters specific for a parent to their Daughter. A unique way to encourage, love, and share during any stage of life! Date each letter when written and when it should be opened.

Letters to My Daughter

With a Mason Jar and notepad, document proud moments in your kids life. Fill the jar up throughout the year and read through them together on New Year's Day!

Mason Jar Moments

Take scrapbooking to the next level with a digital photo book. Capture your family memories and spend quality time together looking through the pictures.

Custom Photo Books

When traveling, make it a habit to send a postcard home to your children. A simple note saying, "I love you, from . . . " can make a large impact!

Mail Postcards

Be intentional with your conversations. Utilize thought provoking conversation starters that are great for Father/Child relationship building!

Conversation Starters

Write personal, prompted letters to your son. Can be for any age or stage of life. Share favorite memories, personal hopes, or best wishes! Date when sealed and when it should be opened.

Letters to My Son

Make it a priority to eat dinner together as a family. No phones, no television, no distractions. Intentional quality time.

Eat as a Family

Instead of surface level talk, have meaningful conversations with your child! Table Topics is the #1 best-selling conversation starter.

Table Topics

Intentional Activities

Before or after dinner, to help release the ever present kid wiggles, set up a family dance party. Get a speaker and some favorite family tunes going. Let your child make up a dance move and let everyone else copy it for a bit. This allows them to "own" their own rhythm, and it is very fun to see what they come up with!

Family Dance Party

Create a game that involves you wrestling your children. Make a pillow pile for safe landings. Be a monster, be an animal, be something that can be wild and encourage your child to let loose and release all that energy they have. Many studies show the neurological firing; dopamine and serotonin increase, let alone pure simplistic happiness, occurs during positive physical contact and hands on playing with children.

Wrassling

Discover, Explore, Create, and Do Great Things! - The Highlights Book of Things to Do is the essential book of pure creativity and inspiration. Hundreds of ways to build, play, experiment, craft, cook, dream, think, and become outstanding citizens of the world.

Book of Things to Do

Bring your child's drawings to life! Using an online tool, simply upload you and your children's drawings to make them walk, dance, skip, jump, and more!

Animate Drawings

Tinker Crate provides seriously fun projects and activities for you and your child to explore topics in engineering, science, and more! These hands-on experiences are designed to spark a lifelong love for these topics and to lead to future exploration of STEM disciplines.

KiwiCo - Tinker Crate

Pick a night, the entire family gets dressed in their nicest clothes...then you all meet in the kitchen with as fancy of decorations desired. Take pictures, light candles, play music, and have a fancy meal together in your home.

Fancy Dinner

The ultimate collection of DIY activities to do with your kids to teach STEM basics and beyond! Spend time having fun while learning along with your child.

Home Science Projects

Send your child on a scavenger hunt to find a treasure! This can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Lead them to a birthday gift or to an event/activity they would enjoy. Either way, be right along side, just as excited to solve each clue.

Scavenger Hunt

Experience the joy of preparing and sharing a meal all while taking a bite our of big scientific ideas like biology and chemistry in the kitchen. It's the perfect ingredients for family bonding time!

KiwiCo - Yummy
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