OSU Extension program helps fathers build stronger relationships with their children

The Oklahoma County OSU Extension is helping fathers across the state become more confident, communicative, and connected parents through a free 12-week program called Strong Dads.

The Oklahoma County OSU Extension is working to strengthen families through a new fatherhood initiative called Strong Dads, a 12-week program designed to help men become more effective parents, partners and role models.

Launched in late 2023, the program is based on the nationally recognized 24/7 Dad curriculum created by the National Fatherhood Initiative. It covers topics such as appropriate discipline, age-based expectations, effective communication and the importance of men maintaining their own physical and mental health.

“Communication, effective communication, sometimes people are talking, but they're not really effectively communicating,” said Maritza Martinez, the program’s bilingual field coordinator. “We're constantly telling mothers, take care of yourself to take care of your children. But men are human beings, too. They have to take care of themselves to be the leaders of their family and to take care of their families and their children.”

The program meets once a week for two hours over a 12-week period and offers incentives to participants. Attendees receive a $10 gas card each week and up to $100 in Walmart gift cards for completing surveys during the program.

“We also feed them when they come,” Martinez said.

The program is already seeing positive outcomes among participants, including court-mandated attendees and Spanish-speaking fathers from diverse cultural backgrounds.

“In the Latino culture, a lot of the men sometimes are hesitant to sign up and I'll get more calls from the wives signing them up,” Martinez said. “But then once they've gone through it, they are so happy. They have evolved. They're more receptive to putting themselves in the shoes of their wives and attempting to communicate.”

She said fathers have shown notable improvements in their relationships with their children, particularly daughters.

“After the 12 weeks, we've come up with a plan of how they can, even if it's 30 minutes once a week doing what she wants to do, making it about her, they started to notice that she would open up and that they would have a stronger bond,” she said.

“Sometimes they're court-mandated, but by the end of the 12 weeks, they're so happy that they were there. You can see them evolve and change. They love their children, and so once they start seeing the progress, the work they do in themselves and then the effects it has on their children and then their wives, it's amazing.”

The Strong Dads program is currently available in Oklahoma, Tulsa, Creek, Rogers and Kay counties. OSU Extension leaders hope to continue expanding its reach to more communities in the future.