This weekend, Squish met her Australian cousins for the first time, and the experience was as fun as we had anticipated, for babies and parents alike. To set the scene, let me tell you a bit about my family.

Towards the end of July, we celebrate World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. This year (2024), the theme is loneliness and references Psalm 71:9 — “Do not cast me off in my old age”.  

Witnessing my father’s interaction with my own kids prompted me to reflect on my relationship with him. It is possible that my book, "Single Dad", is a way of exploring what I missed out on.

Disagreements and tension with our children’s mother can’t help but spill over into how we relate to our kids. Our words and actions (or our inaction) can have powerful consequences for our families and children.

Becoming a single father brings with it a whole raft of incredibly significant changes to your life. Being a single dad means being the absolute centre of your child’s life; the pillar that their future rests on.

"‘Why Can't We Hate Men?’ asks a headline in 'The Washington Post'. A trendy hashtag is #KillAllMen. Books are sold titled ‘I Hate Men’, ‘No Good Men’, and ‘Are Men Necessary’? How did an ideology arise that condemns masculinity as dangerous and destructive?”

A few words of encouragement to single dads who have custody of their kids. In many ways, these dads can learn valuable lessons from the many single mums who have blazed the trail before them.

My toddler son loves diggers, or excavators. He can spend hours watching a digger at work, piling earth into a dump truck. So when I saw there was a discount for Dig IT at Mount Tamborine, a mini excavator park for children in the Gold Coast Hinterlands, I pounced on it.

Richard has now experienced what an incredible blessing it is to be a parent. As a single dad, he courageously stepped up to a task that seemed too big, and now he recognises the amazing things he would have missed had he chosen to give in to fear and run.

Now that I have two toddlers, we spend many happy hours in playgrounds. Here in Brisbane, we are spoilt for choice. There are various new features which surpass the playgrounds of yore.

The other day I woke up to my daughters printing out digital photos and carefully compiling them into a photo album. I was inspired! The best part was that we enjoyed some precious time travelling down memory lane, reminiscing together.

It happened so quickly, I barely noticed the change. But all of a sudden, our little bundle of joy needs to be disciplined. Every moment of the day, she is finding ways to test boundaries and assert her independence.

Dining out can be stressful rather than relaxing when you have rambunctious toddlers. Here are some tips to make it a more pleasant experience for everyone, fellow patrons and waitstaff included:

Our little Squish is fast closing in on her first birthday. Where have these last 12 months gone? My first year of fatherhood has been better than I imagined. It comes with plenty of challenges, of course, but so does every path we choose in life.

Kingdom Thinkers Academy (KTA) has launched its online school portal. The portal offers quality options suitable for both the homeschooled and the tutored, and is another innovative move by the Australian start-up.

I have always enjoyed immersing myself in beautiful art, and now I have the opportunity to share it with my husband and children.

Dads4Kids founders Warwick and Alison Marsh have massive hearts. As their eldest son, I’ve witnessed first-hand their Phar Lap-sized tickers for Australia and the World. It’s right there in the hand-drawn blue heart of the Dads4Kids logo.

For the last two weeks, Squish has been surrounded by all four of her grandparents. It was the first time Squish had met my mum and dad, who flew in to the United States all the way from Australia.

An intentional marriage that is loving and affirming, is a powerful way to heal the wounds of insecure attachment. It’s one of the great graces of marriage as we grow in attachment to each other by providing consistent and responsive care.

Divorce is tough on kids, and different children respond in different ways. Of course, it’s tough on a dad too, but as much as possible, it’s best to be understanding, patient, and positive.