Welcome to the marriage before carriage dads matter revolution! This was the brilliant bottom line in a series of posts written by Delano Squires this week. Marking USA’s Father’s Day, the dad of four and Heritage Foundation Fellow declared, “There’s no greater vocation than being a dad.” Dependency, power, plunder, and control are reasons why they don’t want men to be men. “There are a lot of people who want men ...

Sadly, the Labor Family Law Amendment Bill 2023 has been passed in the House of Representatives in the Federal Parliament, Canberra. The Bill is now before a Senate Inquiry. Submissions close this Friday, 23 June 2023. We believe it is critical that as many people as possible send in at least a one-sentence email submission to the inquiry on behalf of the children of Australia. Read Professor Patrick Parkinson’s excellent submission ...

It was Christmas Day 2008, a significant milestone for my wife Jodi and me. Earlier that year, we had been thrown into the proverbial deep end as first-time parents of beautiful twin daughters, so this would be a Christmas like no other. The decorations were divine, we had food with all the trimmings, and the precious presents were beautifully wrapped (by my wife, of course) all ready to go. It was ...

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.’ ...

Absolute perfection. Blue sky, soft sand and inviting surf. Day 1 of our beach holiday, and all was well with the world. That was, until Tyson spotted the seemingly abandoned sandcastle. Front and centre, between the red and yellow flags on the busy foreshore. Instinct took over, and he did what any red-blooded 3-and-a-half-year-old would have done… he ran straight through the middle with complete, unadulterated excitement. Come on, what would ...

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 ...

January 3 is known as ‘divorce day’ – the most popular day for women to file for divorce. Perhaps because they’ve held it together for the festive season but can’t keep up the charade any longer. Sadly, most men don’t see it coming. Going through life blissfully unaware that their partner is desperately unhappy. I recently read an article in Psychology Today called “7 Relationship Resolutions Worth Keeping”. I’ve decided my New Year’s resolution ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

We were recently hosted overnight in the country home of friends. It was a beautiful experience in every way. Our hosts greeted us with warmth, housed us in a tastefully appointed bedroom and nourished us with a delightful meal. Their home was a beauty to behold; magnificent views overlooking the valley, landscaped gardens and an immaculately clean interior. Dust is a daily challenge in most bush homes, but you wouldn’t know ...

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 ...

I was told a very inspiring true story recently that I would love to share with you. I only hope I can do this story justice. A lady was told she couldn’t have children, so without trying she found herself pregnant quickly! She was overcome with awe, amazement, wonder, gratitude, love and excitement. So she decided to journal her story. Every day of her miraculous pregnancy and for the first year ...

International Children’s Book Day, April 2, honours the 1805 birthday of Danish author Hans Christian Anderson. It is a day to call attention to children’s literature and to inspire a love of reading in your family of destiny. Here is a list of the best children’s books of the 20th century.   Through the centuries, there have been some great bedtime tales for children. James Finn Garner, in his “Politically Correct Bedtime Stories” ...

Sexting, pornography, paedophiles and bullying. Too often I find these issues impact teenagers way before parents are even aware of them. That’s why I like to see parents educated and proactive when it comes to keeping their kids safe online. My first key point is this – When it comes to the internet…. Don’t set rules regarding social media use WHEN there is a problem. Set rules BEFORE there is a ...

For Hollywood dad, Kirk Cameron, modelling manhood is dad-life proper. Get past the Americana exterior, and the former atheist’s down-to-earth grasp of back-to-basics parenting has gravitas. Known for his role as Mike Seaver in the seven-season sitcom, Growing Pains, Cameron is also a father of six. Four of whom he and his wife of 31 years adopted not long after getting married. Two of whom, arrived later on. He recently shared ...