The Long-Distance Dad: How You Can Be There for Your Child-Whether Divorced, Deployed, or On-the road. »

Steven Ashley is the founder of the Divorced Fathers Network and www.divorcedfathers.com. The author of the self-published Fathers Are Forever: A Co-Parenting Guide for the 21st Century, Ashley has helped hundreds of men and women create cooperative relationships with their former spouses for the benefit of the children. He is a sought-after speaker and consultant to the media on behalf of fathers and their important contributions as parents.

Technical Review: Philip S. Hall, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and licensed school psychologist. He is the principle author of two nonfiction books on children, Educating Oppositional and Defiant Children and Parenting Your Defiant Child. He holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Montana. Dr. Hall currently specializes in working with problem children on American Indian Reservations, and focuses on overcoming Oppositional Defiant Disorder, a behavior pattern most often seen in children of single mothers. The majority of his patients are fatherless families.

You can't always be there physically for your children-but that doesn't mean you can't be a good dad. Steven Ashley, founder of the Divorced Fathers Network, shows you how to remain an important part of your child's life-no matter how far apart you are.

Whether you're divorced, constantly traveling for work, or deployed overseas, The Long-Distance Dad can help. This practical handbook addresses all the inherent problems of long-distance parenting and teaches you how to:

• Use technology to stay in touch
• Establish relationships with teachers, coaches, and counselors
• Take an active role in homework, school projects, and outside activities
• Make the most of vacations and holidays
• And much more

You may not be with your children. But you can be there for your children. Let The Long-Distance Dad help you be the great father you were meant to be.

Becoming a Long-Distance Dad     1
Kids, Transitions, and Structure     15
Preparing to Be a Long-Distance Dad     37
Successfully Balancing Work and Family     57
Building a Support Network     77
Children Newborn to Age Five     91
Children Ages Six to Ten     105
Children Ages Eleven to Fifteen     121
Children Ages Sixteen to Twenty     133
Adult Children     141
Taking Advantage of Technology     147
Your Kids' Mom: Your Ally in Parenting     165
Dating as a Divorced, Long-Distance Dad     187
Conclusion: Fathers Forever     201
Suggested Reading and Additional Resources     203
Predeployment Contingency Forms     209
Family Law     220
Index     228