40 Pics Of Dads Being Extra Wholesome That Are Bound To Warm Your Heart (New Pics)
Interview With ExpertIn a world where many fathers are absent, growing up with one who enjoys fatherhood is a blessing. Although people often emphasize how many absent fathers there are in the U.S., this time, we're focusing on the ones who stay and enjoy it so much they almost shout it from the rooftops.
Today, we've got you a collection of the most wholesome dad posts from the Daddit subreddit. New dads, veteran dads, girl dads, boy dads, toddler dads and dads to teens – you'll find all kinds of representation of fatherhood here. But with one thing in common: all heart-melting and wholesome.
We've also reached out to parent coach for dads Bryce Mathern, LPC. He kindly agreed to tell Bored Panda more about how fathers are defying societal expectations more and more and how dads can fight misconceptions about fatherhood. Read his expert insights below!
More info: Wholehearted Dads | Facebook
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Son’s Drawing Of “Safe”
Gone are the days when fathers would sit on the sofa with a beer in their hand instead of playing with their kids. Today, dads are communicating with their kids beyond replying with that thumbs-up emoji only. Many want to be better fathers than the ones they had or didn't have at all.
In 2023, 83% percent of American dads told Pew that being a father is either the most important or one of the most important aspects of their identity. In that same survey, the dads said they prioritize honesty, ethics, and hard work as the most important traits to pass on to their children.
Due To Popular Demand, Here's The Painting By My 5yo
I usually prefer process art over product for kids, but this is a seriously good product for a five year old
Load More Replies...Some kids are really skilled in art. They are able to transfer what they see into a paper with surprising accuracy. This kind work needs a vision of the result and ability to layer colors, which are rare for that age, but not impossible. Also the more kid is encouraged to paint, and maybe paint together with parents, the better understanding of techniques they get.
Load More Replies...So how many black turtlenecks does your child own? I’m guessing double digits.
Really talented. Make sure they have all the paint, canvases and brushes they ever need.
Well There Is This…
TBH this sounds very much like a cat too. Follows you around, even races you to get where you are going, you both love each other dearly, you have conversations that no one else understands, and it only obeys when it wants to. Really most of the time you obey them.
We reached out to a parent coach for dads, Bryce Mathern, LPC, who helps men become more present and connected in their parenting efforts. According to him, there aren't many resources for dads who want to become better fathers. "I think that much of the parenting information out there is directed towards women and comes from women," he observes. "This often leaves out a clear understanding of how it is different for men in raising children."
"For many moms, they are with their kids after having nurtured them in their bodies for nine months and have a much deeper cellular connection," Mathern notes. "This is a good thing because moms are often protective of their children. Dads offer more challenges and less safety for their kids' development," the parent coach explains.
For The Dads With A Snow Day
One day I'm going to share my love for Calvin and Hobbes with my granddaughter.
My best friend named his kid Calvin after Calvin and Hobbs
Load More Replies...If you don't like Calvin & Hobbes you can't be my girlfriend, no matter how hot you are!☝🏻
When My First Son Was Born, I Asked My Dad For What He'd Learned -- His Advice: "Bring A Camera". Best Parenting Advice I've Gotten. Here's Four Years Of Dad-Camming The "Unimportant" Days
My dad recently passed away and I am so grateful for all the photos we have :)
Oh god yes.One of my greatest regrets from my son's childhood was watching him struggle and sweat his way up a rope climbing frame made for much bigger children, and his beaming, triumphant face when he made it all the way to the top. "Dad, take a picture!", and I didn't have a camera with me.
Thank God for smart phones these days. You always have a camera handy.
Load More Replies...YES!! I have a friend who is shortly to be a father, and I've already said that the only advice I'm going to give him is to take LOADS of photos because they grow up so fast and change so much in such a short period of time.
I always take lots of pictures of my family whenever we have family birthdays, days out, Christmas any celebrations. Some family often moan about my taking the pictures "you don't need to take them, we'll remember it" ect. Well my step father died Christmas Eve and suddenly they are all very happy for the photos. My step brother who was the worst for moaning about it, now realises he has no pictures of himself or his father since his 1st wedding 31 years ago ( he was only 19 at the time). So zero pictures of him with the grandkids or himself as a grown adult. My step father & my mother had been together 23 years, married for 16 & I've got hundreds of photos of my step father. Some with him & his son, some with my mum, my sister, the grandkids. My step brother is now hounding me telling me I owe it to him to give him the photos as its HIS father, HIs kids its his right to have them, BTW I hadn't said no but 20+ years of photos takes a while to sort & get printed.
just make sure you're on BOTH sides of the camera--too often the family photographer has very few pics of themselves because they're always the one taking the photos...
My Wife Normally Writes Notes For Our Daughter’s School Lunch. Since My Wife’s Away For Work, My Daughter Has Been Worried That “Dad’s Just Going To Draw A Stick Person.” Jokes On Her: I’m Going To Draw A S**t Tonne Of Stick People!
Mathern clarifies that children need both protection and to be challenged, but says that there's this common misconception that dads are often not protective enough. "I get a sense that dads get represented as irresponsible or inattentive when in reality we often trust the capacity of our children to be safe and make good decisions," he explains.
Indeed, that same Pew survey found that most fathers are more likely to feel judged for their parenting decisions than their spouses or partners.
Like in everything, there needs to be balance in our culture: both in parenting strategies, but in whose opinion, mom's or dad's, matters more, too. "I think this pull by moms and dads is healthy, but if the culture overemphasizes what moms feel it leads to a coddled child that is not able to spread their wings and take risks," Mathern explains.
Annual Photo Follow Up
How lovely. Last pic Reminds me of the phrase.. one day your parent picked you up and put you back down for the last time….
and now it is /I/ who pick up my parent! oh how the tables have turned!!!
Load More Replies...Ok To Gift This To My Brother?
One Of My Favorite Gifts From My Daughter Haven't Taken It Off For 3 Years Now
Mathern thinks that the role of a good father is to challenge his children and help them gain independence. "I think we see this in children, adolescents and young adults today. I believe kids need more challenges to feel their ability to land on their feet so to speak and build the confidence [so] that they can do things well. This is what good fathers do for their children."
My 5yo Daughter Was A Costco Sample Lady For Halloween
What Can My Fellow Papas Add?
Santa, tooth fairy, easter bunny etc. My oldest is 9 and still believes and I'm dreading the day she finds out the truth. I know it won't be much longer 😭 But she's got a baby sister we can keep the magic alive for together 🥰
How can she not believe in Santa? Doesn't she wonder where all gifts come from? Why would you lie and say that he doesn't exist? And don't get me started on the tooth fairy. Sneaky little critter. I tried catching it during my childhood, started again when my son lost his first tooth. What I can't figure out if how she gets in, I lock all windows and doors at night. Scary s**t. The Easter bunny never comes to my country, so that's never been any problem
Load More Replies...When they figured out I wasn't using my mind to make the car radio go up and down, but my finger on the control on the steering wheel. I had them going for YEARS.
I loved the person who told their kids it was a music truck that drove around to play music for everyone to enjoy! 🤣
Load More Replies...That the ice cream van doesn't really play the music only once the ice cream has run out....
Psa: Newborn Wraps
How the hell did he figure that out? Those things are super intimidating 15 feet of fabric. Tried it once and baby promptly fell out. Bravo to dad
Although cultural attitudes about what a good father is have shifted dramatically in the past decades, there's still a long way to go. Mathern says that the engaged father 'movement' is currently 'under the radar.' "There is still a lot of intolerance against men who want to be better dads," he observes. "The societal pushback says men who nurture and care for their children are effeminate or lacking in real masculinity."
My 2 Year Old's Insurance Won't Be Happy About This
Looks like that the play house took the fallen tree better than most actual houses would.
Saw Some Vandalism On A Parking Sign Today
Exactly. We need to empower our men to do more in the parenting world, make them feel special too and they'll do more to help mom (who is likely exhausted).
This. Acting like mothers are the only parents hurts everyone.
Load More Replies...But Mathern sees more and more dads who want to push back against these societal constraints. They do it because they want to do right by their children. "There is a lot of information out there about parenting but the main gist of it is that being kind, nurturing and empathetic towards our kids actually makes them turn out to be the kind of adults most parents want to foster," the parent coach tells Bored Panda. Those who want to be 'good' dads, then, have to learn these skills themselves.
How It Be
It's the parents sending kids to childcare when sick that are the problem there. Staff get sick almost as often for the same reason.
Same happens when people go to work sick because of no sick leave.
Load More Replies...True, we get calls every day because of kids in daycare or school that are sick and need to be seen.
My M8 was permanently snotty once his kid started nursery school. He blamed the office, but no one else was sick. Well not until he spread it about, anyway.
I Don't Need Maury To Tell Me Who The Father Is. No Denying He's My Son
Yep. My oldest son looks like me and my other son looks like my husband.
Sooo Many Questions
I can relate to this. My son is 17 and he still barrages me with questions. Not just one question, but he thinks I want to play "Twenty Questions" ALL the time. I'll always answer the best I can, but some are just plain weird. Yes, he's mine, but good grief, I tell him I don't know everything, nor do I claim to. His response is usually "Big, you DO know everything.....I wish, because then I'd know how to answer ALL twenty with the end all of all answers. Sigh. Either way, he's definitely mine (my wife has made that abundantly clear), so I can't complain. He is a GREAT kid!!
When clients come to Mathern, for many of them, parenting itself isn't really the challenge. It's more often their own limitations in how they show up in relationships. "Our culture often limits boys and men in their relational development," he explains.
"This is the real problem for most of the men I work with. The exciting shift towards being an engaged father is that men are forced to develop the skills they didn't know before they became fathers. This is a cultural revolution because it is these cultural constraints that have maintained many of the challenges for women and children being marginalized in our society."
How Is She 6 Months And This Cool Already
I love that this is a Lao household. Sticky rice baskets as ornaments!!
Toddler Dads, Put A Slide In Your Living Room In The Winter Time. Trust Me. It Allows Them To Climb And Burn Energy Without Going Outside In The Cold, And They Love It
During the lockdowns we put one in our apartment. And still we regularly put furniture aside so they can skate inside.
I wish that would've worked for my youngest grandchild (2y.o. ). Nope, he prefers to climb up on the coffee table and dive bomb onto the couch, reason for many booboo and bandaids.
My 2 Year Old Daughter Is Obsessed With Blippi, So I Dressed Up As Him For Her Birthday Party! She Cried Happy Tears!
Today, millennial dads spend three times more time with their kids than their own fathers did. In Mathern's view, every new generation of dads shows up for their kids more and more. "Being in the protector/provider role is not just about making sure there is food on the table. For many dads (and this cuts across political lines), they want to be good fathers."
My Son Kept Saying “Elmo” In When He Was In The Bathroom…
Me, A First Time Dad Watching My Newborn Sleep And Can't Tell If He's Alive
Paging Dr. Freud. This man's self portrait resembles a sad p***s. W***y.
I Built A 65' Boat In My Backyard For My 4 Boys
Where I grew up (small town in Germany, late 80'-early 90') we had a park real close that had a ship like this; various ways to get in/climb, ropes to climb, a helm that rotated :) so many memories were made there :)
We have group of statues in my hometown park, some sort of mythical creatures. My mum used to play there, I spent my summers climbing it and now the family kids play there. Not sure if it was intended to be climbable but no city officials ever seem to mind that it’s been constantly occupied by kids for the last 70 years.
Load More Replies...Check out the rest of the pictures by clinking the link at the bottom left above
I wish the photo was taken in better lighting but all the kids whether big or small will get such enjoyment out this ship. 🚢
The reality is that many men who are fathers today weren't given the necessary skills to be good dads by their own fathers. "I think of my dad as a good father but he was limited by his own upbringing," Mathern gives an example. "I took his efforts and I'm trying to improve on how I show up for my two boys."
It's 1am Christmas Morning, My Wife And I Just Finished Assembling This Bohemeth
Ah, Christmas Eve, when the two most dreaded sentences in the English language are: Some Assembly Required and Batteries Not Included. Well done, BTW.
Kiddo's First Time Trick Or Treating
My Wife’s Car Died In A Parking Lot; She Ubered Home And I Went To Get It Started And I Get This Text
With masculinity becoming a more divisive topic in our culture, Mathern also worries that new lines of critique toward masculinity might get in the way of fathers connecting to their children. But he remains optimistic: "I'm still of the belief that fathers who feel a deep connection to their children are not going to shift out of that to be more stoic and detached. The Genie is out of the bottle, so to speak."
"I realize I have a limited view because the fathers that come to me are not the ones with more traditional parenting values," Mathern adds. "Still, I am quite positive about where fathering in our culture is currently going."
Psa: Party City Announced It’s Closing And This Huge Inflatable Igloo Is 50 Percent Off. Do With This Info With Whatever You Need
I'd buy that even if we DIDN'T have kids. That's awesome. Better than a couch fort! Not to mention having my wife tell me to put the cushions back AND fold the blankets before I put them away. She's such a MEANIE!! Yes, I'm 53 and STILL build couch forts on occasion....for ME!! Once in a while she'll climb in and we'll watch a movie on her laptop. Fun times, but "I" STILL have to put the cushions back!!! My 17 yo son thinks we're "weird". Why yes, son, we ARE!!!
Some Last Minute Christmas Eve Document Forgery…
One year, Santa sent us a typewritten letter with instructions to find a trampoline. Coincidentally the same sort of typewriter my grandad had.
I would expect this level of forgery for when a child is a bit older, like 8-10ish range. A 3 year old likely can't decipher ones handwriting from the next. This was written quite beautifully, though.
I used to write letters from the tooth fairy to the kids, showing what TF planned to do with the teeth. The letters also mentioned that teeth with fillings only pay out half...
As a daughter of an awesome and supportive dad, I can attest – having a present, emotionally mature father can be pretty dope. If you're a Panda dad, don't hesitate to share a snippet of life with your little cub(s) with us in the comments! And if you want to see more tear-jerkingly wholesome dads, check out our previous post about the Daddit subreddit right here!
Winter Break Is Here
Some second grade teachers all had a tee shirt on the last day of school, "Tag parents, you're it!
Ahm, yeah. My Educator Wife & I (also Educator) would remind parents that School calendars (at least here in Texas) are approved & published six months in advance of the coming school year. You cannot claim that you were not warned about the coming break from school.
My Son Has Been Begging For A Playstation Despite Behavior That Warrants Coal. Now I Have The Opportunity To The Funniest, Meanest Thing Ever
A couple years ago all three of my kids were absolute twats from about October through Christmas. Santa brought them school supplies and socks.
As a teen, do it, if he's not a spoiled brat he'll be disappointed sure but later he'll see the funny side to it and you'll bond over a simple joke, he'll be telling his future kids about this
I Know You’ll Do Your Duty, Gentleman 🫡
What??? This is the dad’s job? Sorry, every generation of women in my family have done that job. And somehow i became the extract the toy from the package parent (the dad gets too frustrated). Although the dads in my family are on battery duty
In my house it has always been the kids' duty. I (dad) hold the pocket knife for tape cutting (boxes only, never wrapping that's illegal), plate cinnamon rolls, and refill coffee/cocoa PRN. Kids hand out presents and sort paper/bows. Mom and grandma eat, drink, and be merry (and take pics). Every house if different amirite
Load More Replies...Sorry, no. That is Mema's job. She collects all the wrapping paper, bows, and boxes, in her giant black trash bags. She then takes it home, sorts it out, and recycles what she can.
My Baby Like To Sleep With His Leg In The Air For Some Reason
He's poised and ready in case you need to answer the foot phone when it rings.
My youngest brother liked to lie with both legs next to his ears when he was a baby. He also slept with his eyes half open often.
"Papa, I Want Rainbow Pancakes"
My mum used to make our initials as pancakes, including for our friends after sleepovers. My oldest friend and I still reminisce about this. She held a sleepover for her 9 year old last year and knew she wasn't up to that level of skill so just did regular pancakes instead.
My mom used to make bunny rabbit pancakes - ears and tail on a round pancake.
When You’re Playing With Your Kids, And They Tell You That You Have To Go To Sleep
We Became The Meme Last Night
He looks like he's about to spidey kick the other two.
Load More Replies...Happy "Wrapping Speakers In Cotton Eve" To All Who Celebrate
You've already gone through the trouble, just cut the wires. They won't know the difference.
I Know It’s Cheap Content But I Thought Girl Dad’s Would Get A Laugh Out Of This
Aaaand now we know who bought all the toilet paper during lockdown ...
Am I Wrong To Be Annoyed By This?
The joke could be bc men but I think it's neet, I'm a teen and haven't taken care of a baby before but I bet mistakes happen from being sleep deprived, even moms should get a version imo because it could be very useful during those late night diaper changings, see the bright side
I bought one of these for my daughters Dad 9 years ago and posted it on a funny pics app. I got a lot of stick for it but most thought it was funny, and her Dad thought it was hilarious 🤷🏻♀️ Depends on the person I suppose. I never once doubted his abilities as a Dad, he knew it was a joke so that's all that mattered I guess. Looking back now, I can see why some Dads would find it rude or upsetting, it's like it's saying Dad's are incompetent but I still see the funny side, and I would still find it funny if it said Mummy. Perhaps they should make one for each parent, make it fair 🤷🏻♀️
"and I would still find it funny if it said Mummy. " - but they never do. It's always the Dad who is assumed to be inept or "just babysitting" when taking care of their own child.
Load More Replies...The Only Thing My Son Is Eating Is Peeled Bagels. Just Absurd. Thought I’d Share
My sister and I used to peel the top off meat pies and eat the inside, then scrape off only the soft pastry to eat because of the texture. I'm glad I grew out of it, I definitely don't have time for that!
Load More Replies...Add this to your list of things to tease him about 20 years from now.
She's About To Get Wrecked
If You Want To Entertain Your Kids For Cheap
Cheap? Not nowadays 😂 Wish I'd kept mine from when I was younger
I have bought a number of sets from op shops (thrift stores) for about $5 and all the brands seem to fit together well. I used to get annoyed when I was a kid because there were never enough pieces in one set. I work in education and one set new (from a education resource store because we aren't allowed to buy from kmart) is about $60-80 bucks, but we are allowed to buy from op shops and get reimbursed so that works out much better for the budget.
Load More Replies...I’ve Never Been More Proud
Dads! Do Not Sleep On Aldi. $200 For Two Weeks Of Food For A Family Of Four
That 12 pack of drinks is really bothering me, because all I can think about is everything that is squished underneath it.
A discount supermarket, originally from Germany but now present in many countries.
Load More Replies...My Son Threw A Paper Airplane At Me And Told Me To Read It
I Made A Mistake
As a parent and pet owner, Think of the worst thing possible that Luka could eat. Whatever it was, it's nastier than that.
Load More Replies...Pro Dad Tip. Never Dress Up In Full Costume As A Children’s Character In Public
4:30 In The Morning With A 4 Week Old
Wfh Dads....kids Now Know When To Not Come In The Office
Looks like the kid(s) left a sticky note with whatever burning question they had, instead of disturbing dad. Seems like the sign is working out well.
“Nah Honey, I’m Not Going To Put Down The In-Ground Anchors. This Thing Is Like 700 Pounds, It Isn’t Going Anywhere” Famous Last Words
More likely it was high winds in storm. That canvas sunshade and tower structure would catch the wind really well. Doubt if any littles were around went it went down.
Load More Replies...Seriously, What Do You Guys Do With All The Daycare Scribbles?
Nice stuff is put on display, then they can keep whatever they want if they have a tidy place to put it. If they don't have a place to put it, then they throw it out themselves.
Some people use them as wrapping paper/card fronts. Others cut them up so the kids can turn them into collage.
I used to draw like this aswell now I'm a freshman planning out my whole future as an artist, just need to graduate high-school with a portfolio and then I'll be good, remember you develop skills as you grow and practice, always seem interested in your children's hobbies bc one day it'll be their career and you'll be able to see their progress
Wife: Alone I Don’t Have Time To Shower. Daddit:
I did this with mine too. Don't forget to put something on top or else your gonna learn how good a toddlers throwing arm is.
Yeah, had to baby-proof the bathroom, too. She still follows me in there, but now she's coloring in stuff or playing with her stuffies
F*ck
Home Depot Kids Workshops 2025 Schedule
Girls Underwear Is Over 50% More Expensive Than The Boy Equivalent. Absolutely Ridiculous
If you click the Reddit link, people are calling b******t on this one and saying that they checked their local Target to discover that they're both the same price ($10.99).
Load More Replies...Get Him A Tower, They Said. It Will Be Fun To Have Him Help In The Kitchen, They Said
This will happen with or without a tower. At least this way he can help with the clean up and hopefully learn why he has to wait until told to use the sauce or whatever. Otherwise you just have to wait, knowing this is likely to happen when you least expect it.
I Can Only Eat So Many 😮💨
Get A Toddler Tower
For Those Of You Not Yet With Teenagers, You’ll Have This To Wake Up To Someday
Ohhh, I remember those days of trails of books, coats , wrappers left by my 2 daughters when they were growing up. Particularly my oldest. Well she is now the mother of an 8y.o.(m) and a 15y.o. teenager (f) who leave books, coats and wrappers from the door to her bedroom. Lol
For the love of all it never stops... no matter how much you reiterate, plead, beg... it just continues and you're waiting for them to leave for college just to be able to have a clean house again XD
The Songs That This Thing Plays Are Actually Pretty Good
Faith In Humanity Restored This Christmas, Thanks Daddit!
You Are Not Alone
Does Anyone Else Loathe Bottle Washing Then Sanitizing? There Must Be An Easier Way
We talked with our first childs doctor when he was newborn, complaining about all the dishing and sterilizing. The doctor said "we've never recommended sterilizing the bottles, so you can stop doing that". And what do you know, all our kids survived.
I learned to not let them build up so much. I take them down to the sink and everytime something else needs washing up I do the bottle first and then the other things. Then I leave the bottles on the drainer until there is enough to fill the steriliser and then put that on. The bottles in the steriliser are good for 24 hours once opening the lid 👌🏻 That being said, I will be grateful when I no longer have to do the sterilising part 😂
In this I'm glad I only breastfed. No need to measure out, warm up, wash, dry or sterilize. Always had a snack ready when going out. Kinda miss those days lol
We're lucky in that there are three of us looking after the baby, so someone is always noticing that bottles need sterilising and making sure we have enough to keep going.
Tonight My 8 Year Old Son Asked How Time We Will Have Together
I moved in with my dad when I was 28... He is terrified of going to a nursing home so I'm in it for the long haul... Mind you, he spends most of his time in his bedroom and I currently work 1-6pm so we usually only spend 3 hours a day together
You are a good daughter. You're giving so much more than can be measured by "3 hours".
Load More Replies...So Many Birthday Parties
Well, Gents. It Finally Happened To Me
I'm a grandad. I have no biological children of my own, but my stepdaughter has a daughter and to me she's absolutely my granddaughter. I'm lucky, due to circumstances, to be about as involved as the baby's father would be - late night feeds, nappy changes, singing her to sleep, etc, and it is ABSOLUTELY the best thing in the world. I have honestly never been happier, and as she grows and interacts with me and the world around her more, it just gets better. Being a (grand)dad is honestly, in my opinion, the best thing a man can do. 10/10, can recommend.
I'm so happy for you! The love you have for them is clear. <3
Load More Replies...I'm a grandad. I have no biological children of my own, but my stepdaughter has a daughter and to me she's absolutely my granddaughter. I'm lucky, due to circumstances, to be about as involved as the baby's father would be - late night feeds, nappy changes, singing her to sleep, etc, and it is ABSOLUTELY the best thing in the world. I have honestly never been happier, and as she grows and interacts with me and the world around her more, it just gets better. Being a (grand)dad is honestly, in my opinion, the best thing a man can do. 10/10, can recommend.
I'm so happy for you! The love you have for them is clear. <3
Load More Replies...
