The course that helps new dads become calmer, more confident, and more connected from the start
The Dad School’s First-Time Dads Course helps new fathers learn how to bond with baby, support their partner, manage stress, and build real confidence — in a live, small-group format designed for the first year of fatherhood.
Led by a licensed psychologist and father. Built to give new dads practical tools, real support, and a clearer path into family life.
You’re not looking for one more thing to manage. You’re looking for real support.
You may not be looking for a “dad class.” You may be looking for a partner who feels steadier, more confident, and more able to step in without needing constant guidance.
Because in the first year, everyone is learning on the fly. And when dads don’t get support, moms often end up carrying more of the emotional load, more of the decision-making, and more of the pressure than they should.
This course gives new dads practical tools for exactly that season: bonding with baby, supporting their partner, managing stress, and becoming the kind of father they want to be.
What changes when a new dad has the right support?
After this course, he's not just "more informed." He's more likely to:
- Understand what’s normal in the emotional and relationship upheaval of early parenthood
- Feel less overwhelmed and more confident in his role
- Support you more effectively during the first year
- Respond to baby with more attunement and confidence
- Understand secure attachment and what actually helps bonding
- Regulate himself better under stress, which helps the whole family system
- Think more intentionally about the kind of father he wants to be
- Reach out to other dads going through the same transition when needing support
100% of surveyed alumni respondents said they felt better able to handle the challenges of fatherhood and would recommend the course to a friend.
What New Dads Learn in the Course
This is not vague encouragement or “dad tips.” Each week builds a different part of the skill set new fathers actually need — for themselves, their relationship, their baby, and the kind of father they want to become.
What’s normal right now — and what actually helps
He learns what commonly changes after baby arrives (relationship satisfaction, communication, intimacy, mood, stress, identity, etc.) and how to embrace change through the "good enough" paradigm.
Values, identity, and the kind of father he wants to be
He reflects on what kind of dad he wants to become, what he wants to carry forward, what he wants to do differently, and how to use values to guide behavior when stress is high.
Stress regulation and self-care that helps the whole family
He learns how stress regulation and self-care support the family system three ways: by keeping himself regulated, by assisting baby in achieving regulation, and by maintaining the type of presence that supports your regulation, too.
How to support the relationship during the postnatal period
He learns how to be a better partner during the postnatal period by using strategies designed to support the relationship, tackling household and mental labor, providing emotional support, and embracing the ways things have changed.
Bonding, attachment, and how to respond to baby with confidence
He learns the relationship skills that help build secure attachment with baby: mirroring, attunement, mentalizing, and how to apply the Circle of Security attachment framework. This is where dads learn how to understand what baby is communicating and how to respond more confidently.
The father’s unique role, long-term impact, and how to put it all together
He learns about the father’s distinct role in exploration, play, socialization, resilience, and long-term development, reflects on what’s ahead, and leaves with a clearer sense of the legacy he wants to build as a father.
Across six weeks, he'll build skills to support the three most important relationships.
Not a lecture. Not therapy. Not generic parenting advice.
The Dad School is built for thoughtful men who care deeply and know that a map for this stage of life can help them be the fathers they want to be.
Live and interactive, not a pile of videos
Capped at six dads, so it stays personal and useful
Grounded in attachment theory and the science of development
Led by a licensed psychologist who is also a father
Focused on practical tools dads can use right away
This means your partner isn’t just consuming information. He’s joining a structured, expert-led room where he can ask real questions, learn from other dads, and build skills week by week.
Built by a developmental psychologist who understands fatherhood from both sides.
The course is led by Dr. David Kyle Bond, founder of The Dad School, licensed psychologist, father, and Faculty Associate, ASU. Across venues, Dr. Bond's work focuses on fatherhood, life transitions, attachment, and family relationships.
All of this means the course is both evidence-based and grounded in the reality of what new dads are actually going through. It's designed to be practical, not theoretical. What new dads learn here has clear application in the real world, right away.
Licensed Psychologist
Father
Faculty Associate, ASU
Founder, The Dad School
Questions moms often have before enrolling their partner
What if he’s overwhelmed already?
This course is designed for new dads in the thick of transition, whether they’re overwhelmed or already feeling like they’ve got it handled. It provides structure, support, and practical tools to address the challenges that tend to pop up from pregnancy through that first year.
What if he’s not the “take a class” type?
This is not fluffy or preachy, and it’s not long lectures with midterm exams. It’s live, practical, direct, and designed for dads who want useful tools, not rote memorization of theoretical concepts. Is there learning involved? Yes, absolutely. Does it feel like “school?” Nope. According to our alums, it generally feels more like learning a new team sport alongside other guys who want to be better players. Think “focused conversation,” not “worksheets and book reports.”
Is this therapy?
No. The course is educational only and does not constitute therapy or counseling. Guys are encouraged to share their experiences of new fatherhood, no matter where they are in that process, but it’s not required and this is most definitely not group therapy.
Is this for dads who are struggling?
It’s for new dads who want to be more intentional, more connected, and better equipped in the first year. The curriculum is about building skills and getting more comfortable with the transition into fatherhood — and while it does touch on normative challenges encountered that first year, it’s not aimed squarely at an audience of dads who are struggling.
How much time does it take?
The course is six weeks, 90 minutes per week, live and online.
How do I sign him up?
You can enroll him directly through the site using his information.
The First-Time Dads Course
- ✓6 live online classes
- ✓90 minutes per week
- ✓Small group capped at 6 dads
- ✓$699 total
- ✓Designed for first-time fathers from pregnancy through the first year
- ✓Practical tools for bonding, partnership, stress, and confidence
Spots are limited because each group is intentionally small. If the next cohort timing doesn’t work, join the waitlist.
If you want your partner to have real tools, not just good intentions, this is a strong place to start.