Dads, You Should Join a Dads Group

There is a major issue impacting everyone in the modern technological age: lack of community. Technology, infrastructure, and the decline of third places are causing people across the U.S. to be lonelier than ever, leading to isolation and depression at levels we have not seen before. This puts the responsibility on individuals to be very active in building community into our lives and seeking it out—where it may have happened organically in different environments. As our third places disappear and technology pushes us further apart, it is essential that we seek community for our own happiness and well-being. This is especially important for new parents and new dads.

This is where a dad’s group comes in. I was lucky enough to attend a three-class Dads Group in Pasadena, hosted at Village Birth by TC Scotton. At the first class, I saw immediate benefits—not just in being able to talk about my experience, but also in hearing from other dads at different points in the parenting journey. Below, I’ll discuss some of the benefits I found from joining this dads group and why I think you should join one, too.

1. Feeling Connected

In the meetup, we would go around the room, and each dad would discuss a high, a low, and an area for growth. Through this exercise, you would hear things that you could link to your own experience as a dad. Maybe someone reacted too quickly to their wife about something related to their child and felt bad. They needed to process that, talk about the emotion behind it, and reflect on how they would have liked to respond in that situation. As humans, we are all having similar experiences, and understanding that someone else is going through the same thing is reassuring. It makes you feel less isolated and more connected. Shared experience is a core human connector, and we need to lean on this.

2. Learning from Other Dads

One amazing thing that happened is that I got to see a glimpse into my own future. My child was three months old when I attended, and I got to hear from dads who had six-month-olds, one-year-olds, toddlers, etc. Understanding what hurdles I might face in the future was huge. What should I do when my baby starts teething and putting everything in their mouth? How can my wife and I build in moments of pre-baby experiences, where we have a babysitter and allow ourselves to be ourselves outside of wearing our parental hats? These were just a couple of things that really stuck out to me and made me think about my future. But you will have specific things that resonate with you.

3. Community Building

This is probably one of the biggest reasons I remember most people talking about joining the dads group. We went around in a circle in the first class, and each person talked about why they were there. One of the most common reasons was wanting to build community and meet other dads going through the same journey. This was my reason for joining. Maybe you don’t live near the community you grew up in, maybe your friends aren’t parents, or maybe you are just looking to expand your network. These are all reasons why it is beneficial to build that community of dads.

Joining a Dads Group - Conclusion

Joining a dad’s group was one of the best decisions I made in my parenting journey so far. After the meeting, everyone was eager to meet up and keep in touch. It gave me the space to share, learn, and grow as a parent. Finding a community of dads—whether through a structured group or just informally connecting with other fathers—can make a huge difference in how supported and confident you feel in this journey. So if you’ve been on the fence about joining a dad’s group, consider this your sign to go for it. You might be surprised at just how much it can impact your experience as a parent.