The 12th Month of Fatherhood
All kinds of dads. Fathers' Forum welcomes gay fathers, husbands parenting together, single dads, adoptive and foster dads, and every family where men are raising children. Bruce's original book often described heterosexual couples; these pages are updated for today's families — including how gender, masculinity, and parenting roles are changing. Swap in your own names and situation wherever the text mentions a partner's pregnancy or birth.
Congratulations — you have been a father for one year!
The first birthday celebrates your whole family.
The first year is among the deepest changes many men experience.
There is no single blueprint: stay-at-home dad, two working parents, two dads at home, co-parenting husbands.
Tolerance for uncertainty carries you into year two.
For your baby
- Keep talking and singing. First steps may be near!
For your partner
- Keep parenting talks going.
- Ask your pediatrician about counseling if you're stuck.
For yourself
- Community with other fathers.
- Stay healthy and keep male friendships.
- Congratulate yourself — one year as a dad.
From Becoming a Dad: How Fatherhood Changes Men by Bruce Linton, Ph.D., MFT — practical tips from dads in Fathers' Forum groups.