Becoming a father can be an exciting and rewarding time. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed and unprepared to be a dad, you are not alone.
Fatherhood is one of the greatest callings in a man’s life. You play a crucial role in raising your child and shaping them into who they were created to be. But that role doesn’t come easily, especially when you don’t have the support and parenting information you need. Or, maybe you’ve never had a solid father figure in your life to show you what it can look like.
With free Fatherhood Mentoring, Alternatives is here to come alongside you to equip you to be the best dad you can be. Through a strong, consistent relationship with your Mentor, you will experience support through your partner’s pregnancy, education and helpful advice from another dad who has done this before.
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What is Fatherhood Mentoring?
Alternatives Fatherhood Mentoring pairs a first-time father with another man who has walked the path of fatherhood and can provide help and encouragement.
As a Mentee, you will meet with your Mentor regularly during your partner’s pregnancy and for the first six months of your child’s life. It will be a non-judgmental and confidential space where you can develop skills that will prepare and equip you for fatherhood.
When you first meet with your Fatherhood Mentor, he will get to know you and your situation and get an understanding of the areas where you could use the most support, education and encouragement. From there, you will work together to develop a personalized mentoring plan that’s tailored to fit your needs.
Some of the topics you and your mentor will cover:
- How to support your partner during her pregnancy
- Bonding with your preborn baby
- What to expect during labor and delivery and how to support her
- Caring for an infant
- Healthy growth and development
- Successful co-parenting
In Fatherhood Mentoring, our team uses the following resources to support you:
Doctor Dad®, an interactive online course packed with information that has immediate practical applications for you as a new dad.
BrightCourse®, a video-streaming service to support you in topics related to parenting, relationships and life skills.
24/7 Dad® a program to help you be a better dad 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Momma Mentoring
Much like a Fatherhood Mentor relationship, your partner can find help and encouragement as a first-time mom through a mentoring relationship with another woman who has walked the path of motherhood and can provide her with help and encouragement.
Learn more about our Momma Mentoring program.
How to Get Started
To participate in Fatherhood Mentoring, you will first need to complete an application. After submitting your application, we will call you to share more information
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Fatherhood Mentoring is intended for first-time fathers and will be available from the positive pregnancy test all the way through the first six months of your child’s life.
Fatherhood Mentorship, like all other Alternatives programs and services, is completely free of charge.
These are not counseling appointments, and Fatherhood Mentors are not licensed, professional counselors. They are simply fathers sharing parenting education, Alternatives’ Fatherhood Resources, and their own experiences as a dad.
You will meet with your Mentor twice a month for a one-hour session during your partner’s pregnancy and through the first six months of your child’s life.
Yes! Our hope is that the two of you will cultivate a relationship where you feel comfortable, strengthened and encouraged.
We understand that not every personality aligns well with another. If you find that your Fatherhood Mentor is not a great fit for you, you may request a new Mentor, and our Men’s Director will review the request and may assign a new Mentor based on the situation.
Sessions will take place at one of our four Alternatives office locations. You can opt for telementoring sessions if you are unable to access one of our office locations.
Fatherhood Mentoring can include growing in your Christian faith as a new dad. We will take your lead in whether or not you choose to include this faith dimension.
The Mentor will assign you homework/lessons that are intended to be an extension of your mentoring sessions.
