• The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers

  • Becoming the Father Your Children Need
  • By: Ken R. Canfield Ph.D.
  • Narrated by: Wayne Shepard
  • Length: 2 hrs and 57 mins
  • 3.6 out of 5 stars (107 ratings)

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The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers  By  cover art

The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers

By: Ken R. Canfield Ph.D.
Narrated by: Wayne Shepard
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Publisher's summary

You can't earn a degree, take postgraduate courses, be certified, or become a master tradesman, but being a dad is the most important job you will ever have. The multitude of suggestions and "should dos" being shouted at you from all corners can be overwhelming. You cannot do them all, but how do you choose which techniques and skills are the most important for raising happy, healthy children? Solid scientific research and the wisdom of excellent experienced fathers clearly show the way. This audiobook won't overwhelm you with the clamoring of a hundred voices. It will give you the seven things, the important things, you need to know and do to be an effective father.
©2004 Ken R. Canfield (P)2004 Oasis Audio LLC

Critic reviews

"This production is about investing in the individual lives of our children with all our hearts, energy, and self-discipline. A useful lesson that all fathers should hear." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Try to get past the delivery

Try to get past the delivery of information in this book.
I am not a religious man, and this book is.
The humor is dorky.

I read this book to find out what I need to do to become a better father.
The book provided that information.

Great insight!

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41 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Written exclusively for Christians

Be aware that this book is written specifically and exclusively for Christians. It seems like there is some good advice, but I'm having trouble getting through it being reminded about every 2 minutes that this book is written assuming (even requiring) core beliefs that are not my own. Although the summary mentions only that the advice comes from "solid scientific research", the book first mentions the Bible as a primary source. Being featured so prominently in the book, this fact should have been included in the publisher's summary.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Could be shorter and a bit churchy

As with any work of non-fiction I was hoping that this book would tell me a lot that I would consider beyond common knowledge. Instead it offered a little.
I would have enjoyed this book more if it was made shorter by trimming the elaboration on each point.
I also think books with a strong Christian perspective should be made clear in its description so that non-denominational readers like myself are not caught of-guard and tempted to suspect the author's objectivity.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Only the devout need apply

As a new parent, I was looking for parenting advice. What I got was a guilt trip for not going to church. Some of the other advice was OK but it was way too churchy for my liking.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Not great

But not bad. The author assumes we're all christians. Given that, I was suprised there were no revelations. It's all good advice, but mostly obvious.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Very good book

This was a very good book, and while most fathers would do much of this naturally, it was good to hear it laid out with some suggestions.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Little more than common sense

This book is what you'd expect from a parenting book that the average "good" dad would write... Spend more time with your kids, listen to them, love your wife, go to church.

Also the name is clearly a ploy to cash in on Covey's "Seven Habits", since this book has eight secrets.

It is very preachy. If you're not comfortable with quoting scripture and being told to talk to your pastor and to pray out loud with your family... This book will make you uncomfortable.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

This should be read by the Author

Is there anything you would change about this book?

this kind of intimate information should be read by the author. I really like the content of the book but the reader seems cold and detached from the word by word content and message. The reader is good, but not for this type of material.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I am not at the ending yet, but I am sure it is No SECRET!

What didn’t you like about Wayne Shepard’s performance?

too cheerful and detached, stock, not emotionally dynamic. artificially happy. Is the reader even a father himself?

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

yes

Any additional comments?

the word SECRETS should not be used in Non Fiction. These aren't Secrets, this is well know wisdom. Should replace SECRETS with the word Guidelines or something. These are not secrets of parenting, these are more like Best Methods....

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Good, but be aware if you are a single father

"The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers" is a good read/listen as it reinforced and provided additional depth is principals I already knew. It also introduced me to some new ideas to think about and apply in my own relationships with my kids. HOWEVER, buyer beware. This book was written with married fathers in mind. As a single father, I was upset by a few ideas and comments in the book but decided to not let that detract from the positive I was able to get out of it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

must read

honestly all father, grandfathers, hope to be fathers. should read this book multiple times. mothers, grandmothers, and hope to be mothers should too.

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