I am always looking for good web sites for parents and am particularly happy when I find one that is geared towards fathers. While my heart goes out to all single parents, single fathers have a harder time than single mothers simply because there are fewer of them. The noncustodial father is generally not considered to be a ‘single parent’ and fathers with custody of their children are significantly fewer than mothers. With this in mind, I was excited when I received an email about a new web site designed for fathers – married or single, custodial or noncustodial.

Dictionary for Dads (www.dictionaryfordads.com) is a web site designed for fathers who are interested in developing their parenting and fathering skills. If you are a man in the position of parenting a child, this site if for you. While it is a fledgling project (2008), it already boasts articles on topics ranging from bedwetting to teen anger issues – and almost every subject in between. While I was unable to review every article on the site, I chose several of which I felt were particularly critical to single fathers. Two of these are subject which fathers tend to avoid – diapering babies and daughter’s menstrual cycles.

The article on diapering contained instructions for both disposable and cloth diapers, basic diapering strategies including defining techniques for boys and girls, and tips for dealing with common diaper problems such as diaper fit, rash, and diaper disposal. It was a straight-forward article with lots of good information for a first time parent.

The article on the female menstrual cycle and how to handle discussing/educating our daughters was excellent. In addition to tips on how to talk to daughters about a sensitive subject, included are tips for fathers on considerations for their daughters’ health during the onset of menses. Diet considerations, hygiene and a section on “when to talk to her doctor” are included. The topic is handled with sensitivity and yet is thorough and very helpful. I have often worried about daughters who must learn of a woman’s physiology from a father; however, I can see where, with the right resources, a father could handle this situation quite sufficiently. I am pleased that Dictionary for Dads seems to be an up-and-coming resource to which fathers will be able to turn.

The idea for Dictionary for Dads was generated out of concern for fathers who wish to improve their parenting skills as they aid in the raising of healthy, happy, productive children. The research and resulting articles are the products of Kevin P. Beirne, MS, CSW. Mr. Beirne is a New York State psychotherapist with over fifteen years of experience in counseling children and families. He earned his bachelor degree from Cornell University and his master’s degree from Columbia University. Mr. Beirne contacted me via email to ask that I review his site as a possible reference for those who visit the Single Parents’ site at BellaOnline.com. I am please that he did, because I have found it to be a refreshing, real look at parenting in general and a great resource for fathers in particular.

If you need ideas for age appropriate activities for your children, lullabies to sing your children to sleep, ways to deal with separation anxiety, tips to ease teething woes or advice on how to deal with your ever-changing teens, then you are bound to find an article at Dictionary for Dads that contains sound, logical advice for your situation. Check it out!