I delight in that time that is exclusively ours. Time spent one-on-one with either of my daughters is a rare treat for dad and daughter. Making exclusive time for my children is critical for us. Our relationships are so much better for it.

I am intrigued by the university degree – ‘Bachelor of Paternal Application’. A Daddy Degree, if you will, focused on putting papa wisdom into practice.

Apparently, a strong-willed child (I parent one) needs their soft underbelly affirmed five times for each critique.

My heart lifts when I see my daughters cradled in healthy conversations with my parenting helpers.

On the school day my children leave my care, I will drop an “I love you” note into their lunch box or a quirky gift from the two-dollar shop.

I am grateful for being able to say my well-felt “I love you”, but what of saying the same when I am waiting for my daughters to be in my care?

People like Joe are the inspirational reminder to stay simple when giving a sense of worth to my daughters in our precious moments of connection.

Six-packs of business socks were on special a few days ago at Aldi. If they weren’t one short of a week’s worth, I might have racked them up at the till. In my momentary contemplation of snappy-coloured toe and heel, a fellow shopper spontaneously announced a thought to me – “Perfect for Father’s Day!” She tossed the socks into her bag and trollied off, seemingly content that her Father’s Day obligation ...

The collective noun for clowns is a pratfall, and it makes no sense that you can have a rout of snails. Snails could as much create a rout as my kids would volunteer that they have homework. And, you might think that the rush of students on the three o’clock bell might be a whoop, given the ecstatic noise. However, chimpanzees had first dibs on whoop, and so I am swarmed ...

What is the measure of a dad’s relationship with his daughters? My left brain ponders that “I have a 9 out of 10 relationship”, but I am hardly going to say that aloud, as I would sound more analytical than heartfelt. The essence of being a dad that radiates from a deep, heartfelt core doesn’t know the words, because words will fall short of my love for my daughters and the ...

Last night, some scratchy static in my dad subconscious alerted me to go about being a dad with extra care and gentleness. Most parents know of our children’s delicate talent for beckoning us to attention with tantrums, yelled commands and rushing tears. Other times, there is no trumpet that alerts a parent to go softly. I know that the parenting cues can be miniscule. You are forgiven for missing them, and ...

There is little surprise in seeing mums and dads flying with their kids during school holidays to an away-from-home location. Families are drawn to rekindle their connection with interstate or overseas relatives, or seek out the novelty of far-off theme parks or the adventure of a distant national park. Among the happy-joy-joy of chirpy aeroplane passengers are uneasy, fretful youngsters who are assigned to the back of the plane as unaccompanied ...

I am troubled by an epic first-world problem that a friend has just shared. The plane she was in had been stalled on the runway. While the plane was parked, the steamy, restricted space of a cramped cabin gradually created an uncomfortable balminess. Overhead were three air vents, no doubt installed to puff a cool breeziness onto each of the three seats below. My friend, seated on the aisle, reached up ...

My together time with my daughters makes three people. When we are together, each of us brings our own measure of joy, mellowness, sanity, sorrow, silliness, delight, curiosity, affection, wonder and all the other hurdy-gurdy of emotions. Even though I try to have my dad radar tuned in to the emotions of two daughters, sometimes it can be a tough read. Tuning in and applying the right combination of daddy empathy ...

Soccer played by eight-year-old girls is enormously entertaining to watch. The entertainment is fuller when I view the game as an umpire and, best of all, as the dad of a player. I suppose it doesn’t matter what the sport is; looking on with pride and delight is a grand thrill. My daughter isn’t in my care after school on the Thursday that the games are played. Most often, she is ...

My dearest friends have sometimes explained that I can be stubborn. My children smile with a knowing look as if to agree. My counter view is that I am resolute. “Dogmatic!” offer the other parties. I claim steadfast. They say “staunch”, and I say “determined.” When things are important to me, I will hold to them tightly. I do this especially with my parenting. I often have a sense of being ...

A number of years ago, I spent five round-the-world trips on a lawyer to represent my case to be a present dad in my children’s growing up. I could sensibly calculate that separation would force the divvying up of my children’s time between parents, but I was determined to protect as much of it as I could, because I believe my children and I need time to maintain our strong, wholehearted ...

I look on at Dave being an unconventional single dad. While I don’t really know him, he looks to be a caricature of Hollywood stereotypes. This parenting style means that he is habitually bumbling, make-it-up-as-you-go and must-keep-them-happy. Mostly, he is comically entertaining for his lackadaisical approach to his dad status. Lackadaisical means Dave might give a whimsical shrug of his shoulders when his three boys concoct trouble that only a Disney ...

John is a parent at my daughters’ school. He is an affable dad, but affable is not enough permission for me to throw a hug on him as I make my way to the parent holding bay to wait for the 3:00 pm school bell. He doesn’t give off a hug vibe. I think that handshakes are more of John’s territory. To set the scene, John and I had been emailing ...

My soapbox needs an upgrade. Previously I made do with an upturned milk crate. I could – metaphorically – stand atop and crusade. My crusade is usually stirred of a parenting niggle but my audience is sometimes just me. This time around I want to stand a little taller and shout out a little louder. A new soapbox on a grander scale might help or maybe trade up to five milk ...