The Sixty Minute Father: How Time Well Spent Can Change Your Child's Life

by Rob Parsons

This book helps men take an honest look at how they spend their days on the job, underscores the irreplaceable value of a father's time spent at home, and gives specific advice on how to make it to the ball games and ballet recitals and still build a career.

Genres: Christian, Parenting, Nonfiction, Self Help, Family

112 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1982

About the author

Rob Parsons OBE is an international speaker on family issues and the author of many best-sellers including The Heart of Success and The 60-Minute Father. Over half a million people have attended his live seminars.

He is the founding chairman of Care for the Family.

Reviews

[Atiyeh]

Sixty Minute Father is a thoughtful reflection on fatherhood, relationships, and the importance of being emotionally present in a child’s life. Rob Parsons explores how being a good father is not only about providing for a family, but also about connection, attention, listening, and creating meaningful memories.

What I appreciate about this book is its reminder that children often remember the moments of genuine presence more than material things. It encourages fathers to look at the quality of their relationship with their children and to understand the lasting impact of their words, actions, and availability.

A warm and insightful read about love, responsibility, and the small choices that can shape a child’s life.

[Greg Taylor]

I read this when my children were very young, so it saved me a lot of heartache of regret if I had not spent time with my children. The book is a dire warning to fathers, even a 2x4 to the head for some dads who wile away their time in the office and make excuses about doing work on weekends or late nights and miss their children's lives. The sixty minutes refers not to time spent with children per se but to the time it takes to read the book. If you want a book you can literally read in one hour and have a lifetime of benefit, this is a great gift book for a dad, a great book for toilet reading, done in short chapters. Matter of fact, that's exactly where I read it, and now this review is over because I've over-shared!

[Lee]

Some of the key takeaways:
- Keep a healthy work/life balance
- Be careful saying "Yes" to everyone else and effectively saying "No" to your family
- Time is your most important asset with your children, make the most of it
- Most of us eventually respond to criticism - the faster route is always praise
- Discipline is crucial to your child's upbringing - they must have boundaries
- Never attack the 'person' of the child only their behaviour
- 'Presence' is more important than 'presents'

[Vincent]

It’s simple, unpretentious and on point. Nothing too far-fetched, but a good reminder nonetheless of what it requires to be a good dad. 60 well-spent minutes that helped me to make more time for the little one and for the family in general.

[Travis]

Goal 7 - Not to delegate the Big issues

Can a book that was published in 1996 be relevant to the parents of today? Yes, yes it can. Wisdom is timeless.

This book is meant to be read in 60minutes, directed towards busy dads. The whole thing is pretty good, but if you want to see if it's worth a read, just read Goal 7, and if you aren't enlightened and humbled by the wisdom within it's pages, then you can put it down and save yourself the other 55minutes.

Interestingly enough, that chapter starts out with a story of a father and son, in 1895... timeless wisdom.

[James Tetley]

Simple Book. Powerful message. Carpe Diem. Sieze the day before they are gone!!

[Arjen Admirant]

Lekker kort, praktisch en goede voorbeelden!

[Vko Mze]

Lühike, õpetlik ja kõige olulisemat väärtustav. Lugedes oli tajutav, et kirjeldatud tänapäev on juba möödas. Samas on kirjeldatu aegumatu.

[Brad Webel]

Quicker read. Good insite. Still applicable today. Would totally read this yearly.

[Narise]

You can read this book in one hour and it will change your life as a parent forever.

[Brandon]

I don't have children yet but this book has opened my mind to what is important and valuable in that setting.

[Jim Weems]

States the obvious in many places but a pertinent reminder that the days we have with our children are limited and we need to cherish and make the most of the time.

[Cliff Watt]

I loved this book. As a new but older father to 5 month old twins, I'm acutely concerned by how I will be able to balance my very busy, very time consuming and very stressful job with fulfilling my aspirations of being the kind of father I want to be.
My own dad taught me how much he loved my sister and I and he told us all the time, but he was always working to make ends meet. I would rather have had less 'stuff' and more 'Dad' and this book has given me a lot to think about in being able to provide that for my children. My dad absolutely did his best, I just want to avoid falling for the same logic trap that he did. I will spend time with my kids today, not tomorrow when I might have more time because I now see how that day will never come.
One of the very few books for fathers that will actually help you to be a better dad. An absolute MUST read!

[Semi-Academic Eric]

How can one be a good dad while meeting the demands on his time as a businessman, entrepreneur, and active community member? We hope that this book can provide some answers.

Part-way in, it does have some interesting insights and helpful tips.

[Leighton]

Must for any parent!

[Julian Okoye]

A good little book. Quick and easy to read with several easy to implement tips that will make a big difference to Dads and their kids.

[Gabriela]

A very good one, just wanted to read it before my husband does :)

[Mike Harrison]

I love thriller and crime books and enjoy these ten times more than any other genre. However when I read books like this and especially from Rob Parsons, I feel like my life has been filled with wisdom, compassion and more goodness than if I read 1000 of my beloved crime ones