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.

One of the reasons May 4 was selected as International Firefighters’ Day is because it’s the feast day of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. It was created in 1999 after five members of a Fire Brigade perished in an Australian wildfire. Observe International Firefighters’ Day with education, with prevention, with a poem.   Hey, Chief! – by Don Mathis “Hey, Chief! Your replacement’s here,” the fireman shouts with a smile as a young ...

Making the most of Mother’s Day is as simple as bringing your A-game, and plenty of back-up. Carrying out a successful Mother’s Day Op. is about coordination, planning, and having the right headspace. Although a cache of cliché gifts suits the nature of the op, they don’t guarantee operational success.   “Be all you can be, and be all there” – so goes my take on the U.S. Army slogan. Alongside ...

Being a Dad and working long hours do not always fit neatly together. You will have to take time to work out how you can balance both in a positive and productive way. Being the family provider and wanting to be a “good” father and do well at work can create a lot of pressure on Dad. So it’s worth taking some time to put it all into some perspective. Coming home ...

“He was still seventeen when they gave him a gun, and sent him off to the war. Didn’t understand what was really going on, or the reasons that he’d be fighting for.” So starts the poignant yet beautiful song “Unknown Hero” by Steve Grace, an award-winning Country Gospel artist with over twenty albums and a million miles of concert tours behind him, and long-time friend of the Marsh family. Released on ...

Divorce courts hate dads. There is no nicer way of saying it. As if the lack of charitable support for fathers separated from their kids wasn’t punishment enough. Partiality towards women in matters of divorce is wounding already-wounded men. Designed to reign in deadbeat dads, the system ends up beating dads who want to stay tuned in, and keep turning up. Family courts, it could be argued, are not in favour ...

Once upon a not-so-long-ago-time, I wasn’t a single dad. I was just a dad. Well, not “just”. For a just-starting-out dad, I had set some parenting goals. I quite deliberately set out to be anything but “just a dad.” I had a profound sense of parenting purpose. I was pounding with pride at the prospect of crafting a wonderful little person and was underway with nurturing and nursing my – our ...

As a parent, I make a lot of mistakes. But my kids are gracious to forgive if I’m humble enough to admit my mistakes. Canadian-born Hollywood actress Mary Pickford said: You may make mistakes, but you are not a failure until you start blaming someone else. My Sad Brag – I’ve Made More Mistakes Than You If you’re a parent, you have made more mistakes than you know. Don’t you feel ...

Them Before Us is the name of a breakthrough book about the need for a global children’s rights movement written by Katy Faust and Stacy Manning. The team at Dads4Kids had the joy of helping organise Australia’s first Voice 4 Kids Summit in 2015. Katy Faust was the keynote speaker. This historic event was held in the main committee room of Parliament House, Canberra. Katy Faust’s keynote speech about growing up as ...

Having “the talk” with kids is a jarring part of parent life. Even with homeschooling making this job a little easier, I’m still asking myself the same awkward question everyone else is: “How in the hell do I talk to my kids about sex, without the cringe, or me tripping over the wrong words?” The best execution? Use a scalpel, not a bat. Get creative. I approached the topic with a ...

A few years back I let go of a muffled swear word after pacing mile after frustrating mile of city blocks with my daughters looking for smart black flats that bucked the trend of imitation tramp. Ever alert to any parental blemish that might be used as evidence against me, my eldest caught my cussing which was supposed to be contained in my head. My potty-mouth shoe-shopping incident has become a ...

It’s too easy to get lost in a whirlwind of teenage emotion and lose your focus as a parent. A lack of confidence and clarity will undermine anyone’s efforts. These six “go-to” strategies are my favourite (most recited) tips for parents. They aren’t new strategies. They are the golden oldies that work! I learnt many of them from experienced parents and grandparents and I hope they help you. 1 – Keep ...