Thanks to a group of West Australian dads, Currambine Primary School is now host to a unique library. Painted red, and watertight, the renovated Telstra phone booth is an outdoor add-on to the school’s existing book-borrowing service. The dads from LADDs birthed the idea. Loving and Devoted Dads are an offshoot of father engagement, The Father Project. LADDs exists to ‘improve child development by inspiring dads to engage with their kids.’ ...

Channing Tatum might be a lot of things on screen. Off-screen he’s a single dad, and the best-selling author of three children’s books. All three kids’ books were inspired by Tatum’s relationship with his own daughter, Everly. Central to the storyline is Ella (aka Sparkella), who, with the help of her dad, learns the value of acts like how to combat peer pressure, having patience, and telling the truth. Life Lessons ...

When the news of alcohol-fuelled violence came on TV, I just had to write about it. What does this have to do with parents of toddlers? More than you could imagine. In fact, no matter what age your children are, this will touch your heart. Recently, police across Australia and New Zealand united in an operation to curb violence on the streets on Friday and Saturday nights, particularly alcohol-fuelled violence. The ...

Who doesn’t love a good movie? Having worked in the film and TV industry for over 20 years, I certainly appreciate a good story, well told through the medium of moving pictures. Here at Dads4Kids, we love shining a light on great films, especially those with strong fathering themes, and we have done so for many years through this weekly newsletter and our Daily Dad website. See here, here and here ...

Vivek Murthy’s latest advisory is spotlighting the link between social media and teen suicide. Murthy, a Democrat, and the current United States Surgeon General said, “For too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends.” “We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis.” Speaking ...

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 ...

“We may have found a cure for most evils; but we have found no remedy for the worst of them all, the apathy of human beings.” Fighting Against Apathy The above quote is from Helen Keller, making it all the more pertinent. Helen Keller was both deaf and blind but somehow broke through her massive impediments in communication. Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor ...

Ron DeSantis doubling down on his fatherhood initiative gives further life to Florida’s fight for fathers. Speaking to a pro-life group on Saturday, the governor recommitted to the pro-dad program aimed at ending the fatherless epidemic. Dubbed House Bill 7065, 2022, the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative was unanimously signed into law last May. One year on and DeSantis is adamant that help for dads is hope for their kids.   If dad ...

Back in school times, I felt the awkwardness of being one of four students in the mix of eighty school leavers not dolled up in black dinner suits or tuxedos. From the daggy surround of Mum and Dad’s brown Datsun 280B, I scanned the crisp black and white of young men and the sharp colours of gorgeous dresses delicately draped on girls. Back then, I craved the safety of mimicking the ...

After interviewing a number of children under the age of 12, the National Trust has released a list of 50 outdoor activities every child must experience. The truth is, children need adventure – and outdoor adventure. The great news is, most of them require a $0 investment from mum and dad! I don’t know about number 30 but I’m willing to try just about all of them. Which one’s your favourite? Adventurer ...

The phone rang. It was my Dad, the one and only Warwick Marsh. “Hey Nat, do you want to interview a friend of mine from Kansas City?” “Sure, tell me more!” was my quick response, as Dad knows I love meeting and interviewing people. Dad continued, “Dean Briggs is His name. He’s a big deal in the global prayer movement, and has written a book called Brave Quest.” Sounded interesting to ...

Never let fame get in the way of fatherhood. This is the quasi-example set by at least seven rock dads who’ve had no problems collaborating with their kids. Headline acts sharing the spotlight is about as down to earth as rockstars being on time, or helping roadies unload their own gear. Ask any genuine musician who they’d prefer to play alongside. Given the choice, most would choose the ‘stay humble, or ...

Ironically, my marriage ended as it should have begun. After lodging divorce papers the other day, I ambled out of the court offices into Salamanca Place. I deliberately slowed my pace to the steady step of a bridal march in order to soak in the soft morning sun. The sun’s glow wrapped an embrace of blanketing cheer that warmed my sombre mood. Fifteen years earlier, wedding day rain was a disappointing ...

If you want to be good at something, it’s best to get a coach. The best sportspeople, businesspeople, and musicians in the world usually have coaches, teachers, or guides. They know that to be the best they can be, they need someone to help analyse what they’re doing, find space for improvement, and guide them to it. But many parents go it alone. They figure it out as they go along, ...

Today, Sunday 14 May, is Mother’s Day but this coming, Tuesday 16 May, is International Boys’ Day. What do these two days have in common? #1. Without mothers, we would not have any boys to celebrate. #2. The greatest defenders and promoters of boys are mothers. For that we are grateful. Take for example Kirralie Smith, 2023 Mother of the Year for Family Voice. Kirralie is the founder of ‘Binary‘ who ...

Edited extract from her latest book expected to be published in late 2023. During a brief one-hour interstate flight I sat beside a young man (whom I shall call Ben) in his late twenties. He was married with a seven-month-old son. He’d recently started his own business in construction but now needed his wife to return to work for a year or so – “Just so that we can get on ...

My two earthly angels are spirited souls. Some of their spirit erupts spontaneously from joy spilling out of a moment where our awesome is in sync. This afternoon was a classic. Now, I appreciate that at 2:59 pm my daughters’ energy levels are spent. Their reserve tank is down to fumes. Yet, the 3:00 pm end-of-school alarm triggers some primal force, and the tapped-out slump converts swiftly to a frenzied push ...

Imagine a life without pain. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? I just finished watching a story on 60 Minutes called ‘Pain-Free’. Far from being a utopic experience, it played out more like a horror story. Witnessing the journey of two little girls through a life without pain was excruciating… from putting a hand into a pot of boiling water to chewing fingers through to the bone, it revealed ...

Mother’s Day is next Sunday. As well as appreciating the mother of your own children, think of how you can love on your own mum. Gifts are an option, but sharing a loving memory you have of her would make her day.