What is Dadinist?
Dadinist and the Dadinism movement is a simple idea with an important purpose: dads matter in parenting, and they deserve to feel included, confident, and supported from day one.
A Dadinist is a parent who believes that fathers are not helpers, backups, or side characters. They are equal, involved, emotionally present parents. Dadinism is not about being perfect. It is about showing up, learning, and doing your best for your children.
While Dadinism speaks directly to dads, it is built on inclusion, not division. Parenting works best when everyone feels valued.
How Dadinist came about
Dadinism grew out of a simple chat about how modern dads can feel more included in parenting. What started as a casual idea quickly became something bigger. The original spark was a T-shirt concept, with the word Feminist on the back and DAD stamped boldly across it. The message was simple but powerful: supporting equality in parenting includes fathers too.
As we talked more about it, we realised the idea went far beyond a design. It spoke to a growing number of dads who are actively involved in raising their children but do not always feel seen, represented, or directly spoken to. Many fathers want to do more than past generations were expected to, but often lack a clear identity or space that reflects that role.
That early idea captured something important. Not a slogan, but a mindset. One that recognises shared responsibility, mutual respect, and the value of involved fatherhood in modern families.
Parenting spaces online often focus heavily on mums, even when the advice applies to both parents. Dads are often spoken about rather than spoken to.
Many fathers want to be more involved but are not always given the tools, confidence, or welcome to do so. Advice is sometimes framed as if dads are inexperienced, secondary, or optional. That gap is what Dadinist exists to fill.
Dadinism was created to give fathers a clear identity within modern parenting, without stereotypes, jokes at their expense, or outdated assumptions.
The aim of Dadinist
The aim of Dadinism is to support and normalise active fatherhood.
That includes:
- Encouraging dads to be involved from pregnancy onwards
- Sharing practical, honest parenting advice for fathers
- Supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health in dads
- Helping dads feel confident in everyday parenting decisions
- Showing children positive, engaged male role models
Dadinism is about building better families by recognising the role dads already play and helping them grow into it even more.
Does Dadinism exclude mums? Absolutely not
Dadinist does not exclude mums. In fact, mums can be Dadinists too.
Being a Dadinist means believing in equal parenting, shared responsibility, and mutual respect. Many mums already support and encourage involved fatherhood. That makes them part of the Dadinist mindset.
Dadinist exists to include dads, not to push anyone else out. It sits alongside motherhood, not in opposition to it.
Parenting is not a competition. It is a partnership.
Dadinist and Babies & Children
Dadinist is part of the wider Babies & Children platform, which supports all parents, carers, and families.
While Babies & Children covers parenting as a whole, Dadinism zooms in on fatherhood and the specific experiences, challenges, and questions dads face. Together, they create a more balanced, realistic picture of modern parenting.
Future Plans for Dadinist
Dadinism is just getting started. Planned ideas include:
- Dedicated dad-focused articles and guides
- Real stories and experiences from fathers
- Resources to support dads’ mental health and wellbeing
- Community discussions around modern fatherhood
- Dadinist branding, content, and projects that help dads feel proud of their role
As Dadinism grows, the goal is to make involved fatherhood more visible, more supported, and more normal.
Why Dadinism matters
Children benefit when dads are involved. Families benefit when parenting feels shared. Dads benefit when they feel confident, capable, and included.
Dadinism is about changing the narrative quietly but clearly. Dads are not extras. They are parents.
If you believe that too, you might already be a Dadinist.
What makes a Dadinist? (Checklist)
A Dadinist is someone who:
- ✔ Believes dads are equal parents, not helpers
- ✔ Is involved in day-to-day parenting, not just the fun bits
- ✔ Supports shared responsibility at home and with childcare
- ✔ Learns as they go instead of pretending to know it all
- ✔ Takes their child’s emotional wellbeing seriously
- ✔ Shows up consistently, even when it is hard or tiring
- ✔ Respects mums and works alongside them as partners
- ✔ Rejects outdated stereotypes about fatherhood
- ✔ Knows that being present matters more than being perfect
If that sounds like you, you are already a Dadinist.
We are excited about growing this movement and seeing where it leads. It is not something you need to sign up to or label yourself with to be part of. If you believe that dads matter, that parenting works best when it is shared, and that being present counts more than being perfect, you are already part of it. Over time, this space will grow with more stories, ideas, and conversations shaped by dads, mums, and families who recognise themselves in these values and want to be involved in building something positive together.
Learn more about Dadinist at Dadinist.com, a growing Dadinism movement for modern, involved fatherhood.
Read more Dads content on Babies And Children