Episode #9
Deborah Higdon and Chaco Abraham: How to Make Fathers Feel Welcomed at School
What if schools stopped asking why fathers aren’t involved—and started asking whether fathers truly feel invited to belong? In this episode, John talks with Dr. Debra Higdon and Dr. Chacko Abraham , co-authors of The Dad Difference: How and Why to Invite Fathers into Your School , about moving beyond traditional parent-engagement events toward meaningful relationships with fathers. They explore the barriers that can keep fathers disconnected—including time, transportation, school culture, previous negative experiences, and invitations that unintentionally speak more to mothers than fathers. The conversation offers practical ways schools can change that: personally inviting dads, giving them specific and meaningful roles, asking when and how they want to participate, using technology when physical presence isn’t possible, and recognizing that “showing up” can take many forms. Most importantly, the conversation challenges schools to stop measuring father engagement simply by attendance at events and instead ask a deeper question: Do fathers have a meaningful place in their child’s educational life? Deborah Higdon LinkedIn Page Chaco Abraham LinkedIn Page The Dad Difference Book Music by Aylex
