We celebrate Anzac Day on the 25 April to celebrate and honour the sacrifice of those who have fought for our country and those who still do.  But what has this got to do with being a father in the 21st century? Well I believe Anzac Day and in particular the story of Gallipoli is significant for us as fathers for many reasons. Let me share just four reasons why it ...

Australia has produced some amazing war heroes but none so remarkable, or popular, as Fighting McKenzie from World War 1. Daniel Reynaud, author of the book ‘The Man the Anzacs Revered’ asked, “How did a wowser become an Anzac legend? And how did this legend become totally unknown today?” William McKenzie served in both Gallipoli and France and was said to have been recommended for a Victoria Cross three times. Unfortunately, ...

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and believe it or not, Easter celebrates a man who died a criminal’s death and became the foundation for what are commonly called ‘Australian Values’. When I was a young boy, visiting my grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland, she used to tease me by saying, “You and your family are descended from convicts.” I deeply resented her comments because as a five year old boy, I did not ...

Believe it or not, Easter celebrates a man who died a criminal’s death and became the foundation for what are commonly called ‘Australian Values’. When I was a young boy, visiting my grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland, she used to tease me by saying, “You and your family are descended from convicts.” I deeply resented her comments because as a five year old boy, I did not yet know that Australia, in ...

Editors Note: It is not often I include a guest post on the Justaman blog but Tony Palombi is a great man with a great story and a great family. He shares the pain of growing up in a broken home and the hope within him. Divorce hurts our children. Lets not go there! Children Feel the Pain of Marital Conflict & Divorce My name is Tony Palombi and yes, it’s ...

Recently we attended the birthday of our nine year old twin granddaughters. Family members gathered from east and west. The party atmosphere, with the presence of other young children, was very much a controlled but happy riot. The new trampoline in the back yard added to the festivities.  Interestingly my son and his twin girls can be seen at the 36 second mark in the recent 60 second Dads4kids TV Ad. ...

We have just celebrated the greatest event in human history, the birth of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ split time in two in more ways than one.  BC and AD and have been a measure of history for almost two thousand years.  We also have the old and new Testaments, not to mention the fact that in ancient antiquity (BC), charitable organisations did not exist.  It was through the early followers of ...

Everyone has their best day of the year. For me it is Christmas which is the day this newsletter comes out – Sunday 25th December 2016. The reason that this is the best day for me is simple. Christmas Day is a time when family collides with Christ in the best possible way. Family and faith – it doesn’t get any better for me! The Christmas Story is all about true ...

Dear Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation, My father died last Sunday 4/3/07 of prostate cancer aged 69. I helped nurse him in last 5 days of his life, staying overnight in hospital with him one night. The pain and agony he suffered must have been excruciating. I am writing this article for two reasons. The first is to urge all men to get themselves regularly checked for prostate cancer (my Dad’s cancer was ...

Charles Dickens’ words could well apply to Christmas for many people here in Australia.  “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…  it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness.” From my point of view Christmas is one of the best times of the year. Christmas is a time for family. Christmas is a time to be happy. Christmas is a time to ...

Henry Youngman, a comedian who was known as ‘King of the One Liners’ once said, “I was an atheist for a while but I gave it up, no holy-days.” Such a one liner about holy-days sums up the subject of this week’s Dads4Kids newsletter – Easter Family Holidays. Most of us celebrate Easter holidays but where did they come from and why do we celebrate them? Most countries in the world ...

Last week I wrote about the stages of the masculine journey. John Eldredge released his book, ‘The Way of the Wild at Heart – a map for the masculine journey’ in 2006 and it will go down in history as a must have book about manhood just like “Iron John.” The “Way of the Wild at Heart” does not make the Art of Manliness 34 best books on manhood to read ...

Christmas is a great time of the year for our families and particularly for our children. I remember as a ten year old boy, the year seemed to last forever before Christmas arrived. The lead up to Christmas went excruciatingly slow. Psychologists acknowledge that time does go quicker as you age. For me, the big marker of the year was Christmas, not New Year’s Day. Everything revolved around Christmas. John Lennon ...

Next Saturday, 30th May 2015, we celebrate Australia’s 12th National Day of Thanksgiving. www.thanksgiving.org.au The National Day of Thanksgiving is a day we can use to say ‘thank you’ to those around us. I am ‘thankful’ to say that I have been privileged to be part of this national celebration from its earliest beginnings although I resigned from the Board last year to make way for new blood. I believe in ...

Our life always speaks. Sometimes our life can speak louder in our death than in our actual living. For me, I am still working at the living part, but for Andrew Chan his death has touched a nation, and arguably the whole world, in a way that his living could not. Australia was plunged into deep sadness with the midnight execution of Andrew Chan and his seven friends by firing squad ...

This coming Saturday marks the Anzac Centenary, which in more ways than one is ‘A Day to Remember’. The Centenary marks one hundred years of remembering our fathers who went off to war. Many did not return and many who did spent a life time recovering from the memory of the horrors of war. Anzac Day is bittersweet for me, just as it is for a lot of Australians. War brings ...

One of the biggest family holidays of the year is coming up this next weekend. It is a long weekend with a purpose. Our Easter holidays start on Good Friday (originally known as God Friday), going through Saturday to Easter Sunday with an extra Monday thrown in for good measure. Yes, we will all have our fill of Easter eggs and family fun, but there is a wonderful lesson to learn. ...

War stories have always caught my attention, especially manly acts of courage and chivalry. Maybe others feel like me and that is why the Art of Manliness featured Adam Makos, the writer of ‘A Higher Call’ in a recent podcast with a fuller story about the book on their blog. Alison, my wife, knowing how much I love inspirational stories, borrowed the book from the local library over the holiday period. ...

Sun Tzu was the general of an army in ancient China in 600 BC. I have heard about his writings for over 30 years. This Christmas I received a copy of the Art of War by Sun Tzu. It was exciting to read the book for myself for the first time. Many would argue he was a great philosopher and psychologist as well as being a great general. I was struck ...

I love Christmas, but last week, from Australia’s point of view, could only be described as the week from hell. On Monday morning we learned the news that an Islamic terrorist had taken over the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD. This self-styled radical Muslim cleric was holding almost two dozen people hostage in the name of Islamic State, the most murderous group on the planet. These are the ...