Are you the dad you want to be?

Every dad has a story.

There’s no doubt fathers make a huge difference in their child’s life. Dads thrive when they’re confident in their parenting, build strong relationships, and have community support.

Wherever you are starting from, Skagit Dads Connect can help you build on your strengths and become the dad you want to be.

What is Skagit Dads Connect?

Skagit Dads Connect is a FREE group that meets over 13 weeks to focus on making family relationships stronger and putting the pieces into place for you and your kids to succeed.

Whether you’re expecting your first child, parenting a toddler, or a teen, this program gives any father the practical tools and proven strategies for keeping their cool, talking things through, predicting and solving problems, and raising their child in a positive, connected environment.

By focusing on the special role fathers play, this program helps men think about how culture, relationships, and experiences have shaped their views on parenting and find their own way forward as the dad they want to be.

Cómo funciona

Introduction & Orientation

Each dad begins by meeting with a Family Support Specialist and Dad Coach to learn more about Skagit Dads Connect. We’ll talk about your goals as a father, how the program can support you, and fill out any paperwork needed.

Workshop Series

Fathers meet weekly as a group with our trained facilitators for the 13-week workshop series.

Sessions focus on child development, fathering styles, taking care of yourself, positive discipline, having fun with your kids, and building strong family relationships. The series wraps up with a graduation ceremony for the whole family.

See below for more info on what happens during sessions.

1-on-1 Dad Coaching

Fathers with personal goals can meet individually with a Dad Coach for support on specific topics.

Coaching can be for things like career development, education goals, health & wellness, or building community support systems. Coaching begins after the introduction and orientation and can continue for up to four months.

Each weekly session is 2.5 hours long, and childcare is provided.
During this time, dads will:

Connect

Enjoy a meal together and talk with other dads and facilitators. Catch up on the week and build your dad network.

Aprenda

Share experiences about fatherhood, find out what works, and build practical skills through activities & discussions.

Explore

Dive into topics like: child discipline, balancing work & fatherhood, ideas for play & fun, and navigating tough conversations.

Grow

Apply what you learn and start seeing the changes in yourself, your relationship with your kids, and the other dads around you.

Who is Skagit Dads Connect For?

We welcome dads, stepdads, grandfathers, and other male caregivers in a parenting role who want to build their parenting skills and connect with other local dads & resources. The program is especially helpful for new dads, but open to fathers at any stage.

Skagit Dads Connect groups are available in English and in Spanish.

Grandfather-playing-blocks-with-grandchild

Sign Up!

Complete this interest form to join a program or learn more.

Upcoming Programs

Wednesdays, Oct 7 – Dec 30
5:00-7:30 pm @ Heartwood House
(2136 Hwy 20, Sedro-Woolley)

Wednesdays, Jan 6 – Mar 31
5:00-7:30 pm
(location to be determined)

Meet the Team

Jarrod (Dad Coach)

Jarrod is a proud dad whose life, much like Highway 20, is always under construction. An Air Force veteran and peer mentor, he has experienced both success and failure, addiction and recovery, incarceration and redemption. Before joining Skagit Dads Connect, he helped dads battling substance use reconnect with their children and families, rebuild their lives, and discover hope.

For most of the last 25 years, Jarrod was a single dad. Along the way, he taught his son not that we never make mistakes, but that recovery, growth, and redemption are always possible. More recently, he has learned how to thrive in a blended family and, thanks to his wife, has become fluent in Spanish.

Since becoming a dad I’ve learned:
Kids don’t need a perfect father. They need one who keeps showing up, owns his mistakes, and teaches them that falling down isn’t failure—staying down is.

Best thing about Being a Dad:

Having the privilege of being part of my son’s life and watching him grow into an honest, compassionate man. Knowing that by being open about my successes, failures, and mistakes, I gave him permission to do the same—and seeing him extend that same grace and compassion to others.

John (Family Support Specialist & Workshop Facilitator)

From a young age John enjoyed a passion in the subjects of psychology and spirituality (and baseball), launching a 40-year career in the behavioral health field. John has special interest and experience in the areas of trauma, mental health, addiction, employment and vocation, parenting, family counseling, and men’s issues. Most notably John is a proud father to an active Army soldier, and when relaxing can be found fishing, camping, boating, or at the gym.

Since becoming a dad I’ve learned: The virtues of Humility and Faith.

Best thing about being a Dad: Being blessed with the unconditional love of my son.

Genaro (Workshop Co-facilitator)

The son of a farmworker, Genaro has seen some of the greatest difficulties life can present. Through education, healing, and a focus on meaningful relationships, Genaro developed a purpose and plan to ensure that families have pathways to connection with each other and their communities.

Genaro co-facilitates workshops with Skagit Dads Connect in addition to his primary role as the Executive Director of O.U.R. Journey, a local group creating pathways for youth to reconnect with themselves, their families, and their community. Together, these roles allow him to take a whole-family approach to health and wellness. His mission is rooted in love, hope, health, healing, and a belief that all dads and their children deserve the chance to thrive.

Since becoming a dad I’ve learned: A lot! Becoming a dad at 16 while still a child, I had to learn how to take care of myself while trying to learn how to provide for my child and partner. Over the years I’ve learned how to work on myself (self-care, family values, work ethic, education, contribution to community) in order to be able to guide and support my children.

Best thing about Being a Dad: Spending time with my children. Seeing their growth is like seeing the fruit of what I have been able to give them.

Take the next step. Join Skagit Dads Connect.
Build skills, connect with other fathers, and get support to strengthen your family.