What is the difference between a father and a dad?

To me a father is a man that is with the mother and sees his child everyday when he/she wakes up and goes to bed. A dad is the guy that pays child support and either doesnt see his child or does see his child but only on weekends..

A FATHER IS SOMEONE THAT IS IN THE CHILD'S LIFE. A DAD IS SOMEONE WHO WALK AROUND SAYING HE HAS KIDS AND DOESN'T DO A DAG ON THANG 4 DA CHILD. ANYONE CAN BE A DAD BUT A REALLLLLLL MAN IS A FATHER

After reading the posts here, I think you are both. It's to know that even above being a father or a dad, you are the true man. A father starts the process of a child, biological father. He can support the child, provide the child's needs, spend time with the child, train and discipline the child. But to me the real dad is one who will interact with a child. Not be afraid to hug and kiss their child and tell them how much they love them. Dad is the one who will quietly listen to what the child has to say, valueing the childs views on his life journey and support his ideas allowing him to experiment on them even when the dad know it probably wont work. Dad is the encourager, lifting the spirits with a you can do it attitude. He will take the time to explain right from wrong and not just punish. A dad won't fight a childs battles for him, but will steer him in the right way to win. Thank you for being there for your children, you sound like a wonderful sturdy figure in your child's life.

any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. :)

Anyone can father a child. It takes someone special to be a dad. I was lucky enough to have had a dad.

Anyone can be a father. All you have to do is get the mother pregnant. But it takes a real man to be a dad.

Hi there kodeshkodashim! To me both father and dad is the same thing. We either say he is my father or he's my dad. Both the same meaning. :)

to me a father is a man who helped create you, but a dad can be any man, willing to be at your side for the rest of your life... as the saying gos anyone can be a father but only a loving and caring man who is always in your life and treats you as his own, even if your not can be a dad

To me any man can create a child, biologically speaking, therefore any man can be a "father". A dad is a man who takes time to do things with the child they're helping to raise, whether they're there all the time or not. My "father" is the man who helped to create me biologically, but never did anything with me. My "dad" is the man my mother is with, who helped me with homework, taught me how to play chess, hugged me when I was sad and congratulated me when I graduated from high school.

my kids father is that man that helped make them their dad is the man that helped raise them and who they hug and kiss before bed

A child can have a dad and a father. In my opinion, a father is the man that created the child. Any man can do that. It takes a real man to be a dad. A dad is the man that helps raise the child.