Celebrity moms, some good and some not so good, are the subject of many an article in entertainment (gossip) magazines. But what about the dads? In this day and age, dads are just as capable of being good or even great parents, sometimes even better than the moms. Just ask the family court judges. It used to be that women were automatically granted custody of the kids in the event of a separation or divorce. That is not the case any longer. Dads are currently found to be just as capable of caring for and nurturing their children. Especially when the kids are out of the baby stage.

Celebrity dads are no exception to this modern approach. Many times moms are just as busy (career wise) as dads, especially in the celebrity sector. Sometimes this fact forces the dads to spend more quality time with their children, just like in the movie “Mr. Mom.” At first the dads may feel like they are being forced, but many of these dads realize pretty quickly that the experience is invaluable. Their comfort level increases and they learn to appreciate the time spent with their children. Kids grow up so fast, this quality time is irreplaceable. Here are some celebrity dads that have risen to the challenge and appear to relish spending quality time with their offspring.

15 Usher

A famous father known by one name, Usher is also (reportedly) a great dad. Unfortunately for him and his two children the divorce and subsequent custody battles between the parents have not been particularly amicable, making it awkward for everyone involved. The tragic passing of his eleven year old stepson after the parents split up and the more recent scary incident involving his son and the swimming pool at his mansion, have not made their relationship any easier.

As much as Usher tries to keep his family life private, his fame makes it next to impossible. Media speculation on the current and previous relationships (of both parents), the divorce and custody battles is rampant. Hopefully as his sons grow up, Usher and their mother can put their differences aside for the benefit of their children.

14 Jude Law

The talented Mr. Law is a busy and famous British actor, producer and director. Not just successful in the movie industry, Jude Law has also had success in the fatherhood department. He has five children, ranging in age from three to twenty-one. Not so successful in the personal romantic relationship category though, these five children have three different mothers. That fact brings co parenting to a whole new level.

While spending sufficient quality time with all of his children is difficult due to the different locations of their homes, Law does support them financially. Except for the brief amount of time he was married to the mother of his first three children, his children have been raised by their mothers. However, as the children grow older he is willing, able and looking forward to spending more time with them.

13 Jack Black

Everyone knows Jack Black as a hilarious comedic actor from numerous movies. What many don't know about is his self admitted tendency to be a “helicopter parent” anxiously trying to keep his two sons safe. His sons are currently eleven and nine years old, close to the age Jack's own life took a few fateful turns. His parents divorced when he was ten and his older brother passed when he (Jack) was nineteen. Jack admits to being into partying by the age of fourteen.

The Guardian reports that Jack feels his strict parenting style comes from the fact that his brother passed young of AIDS. The excruciatingly slow deterioration in his brother's health and subsequent death was devastating to Jack and his family. Also influential in his outlook today is the fact that his teen aged years were so tumultuous and dangerous. Today, one of Jack's favourite pastimes is “swimming in the ocean with his sons”.

12 Pharrell Williams

Even though he is a famous singer, song writer, rapper, record and film producer, Pharrell Williams is quite happy (pun intended) to keep his private life private. Luckily, his model and fashion designer wife Helen Lasichanh agrees, in fact she is probably even more private than Pharrell. He confesses it took years of friendship and tons of persuasion on his part before they decided to marry.

Pharrell and Helen have an eight year old son, but so private is this couple's life, that the birth of their triplets in 2017 barely made the news. In fact there are not even pictures of the new babies online. Instead the media and everyone else was gaga over Beyonce's twins and George Clooney's twins. Both Pharrell and his wife prefer to give back to their community instead of posting the details of their life on social media. They plan to raise their children the same way, out of the Hollywood lime light.

11 Hugh Jackman

As a mega action movie actor, musical stage star and producer, Hugh Jackman appears to do it all not to mention have it all. Parenting also seems to come naturally to him. After several unsuccessful attempts at creating a family the old fashioned way he and his wife of twenty-two years adopted two children. That shows just how much the couple wanted to be parents. Hugh's wife Deborra-Lee is also an actress and producer so one can only imagine how busy the family is with two hectic careers between them.

Regardless of how busy their careers keep them, Hugh seems to be aware of how important it is to spend quality time with his children, now both teenagers. Although they appear to lead a (somewhat) normal life (compared to other celebrities) a few pictures of the family vacations have been posted for our entertainment.

10 James Marsden

Currently a well known actor, James Marsden also has singing and modelling credits within his impressive career that has stretched over several decades. Probably best known for his roles in X-Men and Westworld, his handsome face and versatile talent have landed him many roles over the years, both on the big screen and television.

His role as father is a bit smaller. He has two children with ex-wife Elizabeth Linde and one child with a subsequent, but also unsuccessful relationship, girlfriend Rose Costa. That makes him a busy dad to three children. The eldest is seventeen, the middle child is almost thirteen and the youngest is just 5 years old.

Huffington Post has quoted the pretty sage advice Marsden gives to Jack his seventeen year old “stay true to your heart and respect others, regardless of what business you're in.” Pretty good advice for a very proud dad.

9 Jason Bateman

Best known for his roles in the television sitcom Arrested Development and more recently the crime series Ozark, Jason Bateman has been around the Hollywood scene since he was a kid. In his younger days he played in Knight Rider with David Hasselhoff and Little House on the Prairie with Michael Landon. Jason Bateman comes from a family of actors. His father (Kent) is a television and film director as well as producer, while his sister (Justine) is an actress.

Another important role Jason Bateman plays is that of proud father. Married to wife Amanda Anka (daughter of singer Paul Anka) for almost seventeen years, the couple has two daughters who are currently six and eleven years old. Keeping his children out of the Hollywood scene is the goal Bateman is striving for. If anyone knows the perils of being a Hollywood teen star, it would be him.

8 Joel Madden

Known as a singer, DJ, record producer and actor, Joel Madden is perhaps even more recognizable as the husband of Nicole Richie, who in turn is best known as the daughter of Lionel Richie. Married for seven years, the couple has two children aged ten and eight. In fact Nicole appears to have traded her adventurous, partying, wild girl days in for more stable family outings.

Joel loves spending quality time with his family and is the first to admit it is very difficult to be away from the kids. He is realizing that the milestones he misses out on in their lives cannot be retrieved. Jetting back and forth between the USA and Australia where he was a coach on the musical show “The Voice” for a few seasons must have led for a hectic family life. Nicole too is a busy parent as a fashion designer, television personality and actress.

7 John Legend

John Legend's legendary (pun intended) voice and award winning songs are recognizable around the world. Perhaps that's the reason he chose Legend as his stage name after being born John Stevens. Also recognizable around the world is his model wife Chrissy Teigen's beautiful face and figure. The relationship between John Legend and Chrissy Teigen is also very public knowledge. The two do not appear to mind the public scrutiny of their love life and marriage. She in fact is a queen of social media.

Currently the parents of a two year old daughter, with a son on the way very soon, these celebrity parents are both committed to providing a healthy and happy environment for their children. Hopefully they can pull it off, not many other celebrity couples are so successful in their attempts.

6 David Beckham

As one of the world's best known (now retired) professional soccer players and a father of four, David Beckham is a very busy man. He and wife Victoria (aka Posh of the Spice Girls) started their family early despite their active careers. He was just shy of turning twenty-four and she was almost twenty-five when their first child was born. Three more children arrived within the next twelve years.

Within those twelve years and in the seven years since their last child was born, David has been a very “hands on” dad, despite being the superstar on multiple international soccer (football in the UK) teams. Victoria's very successful careers in both the music and fashion industry made it even more imperative that David spend as much time as possible with their children. He appears to be a natural, loving dad photographed often with his children.

5 Guy Ritchie

Although no longer married to Madonna, director Guy Ritchie has one biological child with the famous songstress. The couple adopted another child before he remarried and had three more children. She has a child from a relationship prior to Ritchie (making him a step dad) and has since adopted three more. So, between his biological children, step children and adopted children Guy Ritchie gets lots of practice and variation in the parenting department.

Parenting within a blended family is that much trickier to deal with and succeed at. Everything from sibling rivalry to disciplinary methods has to be ironed out between not just two parents but three or four. The behaviour of the children involved is a direct indicator of how well the parents are doing. Judging by the closeness between all of his children that is very evident in pictures, Guy Ritchie appears to be doing an awesome job.

4 Matt Damon

As one of the highest grossing actors of all times according to Forbes Magazine, the talented Matt Damon needs little introduction. Also to his credit, Damon has been married to the same woman for thirteen years, a rare occurrence in Hollywood. Together they have three children, all daughters, now aged ten, eight and six years. Also a big part of their lives is his wife's twenty year old daughter from a previous relationship.

Very close to all of his daughters, Damon spends as much time as he can in their company. He claims the fact that his wife is not in the Hollywood industry makes it easier for their family to lead a somewhat normal life. According to Today.com they are trying to raise their daughters as good people, respectful of themselves and others.

3 Ricky Martin

Proudly Puerto Rican, Ricky Martin is a popular singer, author and actor in America. The modern day version of the family Ricky Martin has created with his husband is becoming more popular today. To become a father, Ricky enlisted the help of a surrogate to carry and give birth to his twin sons when he was on his own. He and his new husband are currently raising this pair of twins and hope to adopt more to increase the size of their family. Born into a large, chaotic family Ricky wants to create a similar environment for his children.

As his twins ask questions about their birth and the fact they have two dads and no mom, Martin explains their modern family carefully, with age appropriate frankness. That is a great start towards being a good father!

2 Russell Crowe

Another international movie star that needs little introduction, Russell Crowe is a household name. He is a citizen of New Zealand, but spends most of his time in Australia. Although currently divorced from his wife of many years, they have two sons together. The boys live with their mother but Crowe spends as many weekends and school holidays with them as he can.

Raised in very humble conditions, Russell does not wish to spoil his children just because he can. He considers himself very fortunate to have the lifestyle he has today and reminds his children of this fact. As much as this dad tries, it is understandably difficult to raise his children within a “normal” life. Since his ex-wife has moved on romantically, a new father figure is now present in the boys' lives. Hopefully, this will not prevent or discourage Crowe from spending time with his boys.

1 Seal

Seal and his former wife Heidi Klum are no longer romantically involved, but they do enjoy spending quality time together with their four children.. Seal adopted the eldest child, Heidi's from a previous relationship. The next three they share biologically. After eight years together, the couple divorced (very amicably) in 2014 with both linked to other love interests since then. Ranging from eight to thirteen years old, the children obviously benefit from and enjoy such a close, respectful relationship between their parents.

He is an easily recognizable singer and song writer, she is a famous model, fashion designer, business woman and television personality. With such hectic lives and careers, their apparent co-parenting success is something to be admired in the Hollywood industry. Hopefully they can keep it up so the children can continue to benefit.

References: dailymail.co.uktheguardian.com, huffingtonpost.cacelebritybabies.people.compeople.comtoday.comnews.com.aueonline.cometonline.comromper.com