With the tumult of boisterous offspring, sometimes the quiet moments of recuperation are found nearer to home. Who needs a holiday? In my life BC (Before Children), my idea of complete relaxation was luxuriating beside a pool on a tropical island, reading a book, or ordering room service and getting up only to go to the bathroom. Sigh… good times. Nowadays, the idea of going away is exhausting! Packing for four ...

A convert to homeschooling explains why he eventually chose this educational path for his children, musing on the variety of resources and the dedication required of homeschooling parents. 2022 marks my 9th year as a home-school dad, as well as my family’s 12th year as homeschoolers. Not bad for a dad who was against the idea of us ever home-schooling. A Fresh Concept In the beginning, I was never anti-home-school. I ...

Working together with your spouse in parenting and disciplining your children makes it all the more effective. Now to introduce our second pup. His name was Chance and he was a very handsome Black Labrador. Chance was a “by the rule book” pup and loved people’s company on his terms. Chance also had a stubborn streak that had him withdrawn from the program, so he became our pet. Lesson 3: Two ...

Celebrating your birthday as a parent is not quite the same as in pre-parent life, but it sure is a barrel of fun with your munchkins! I had a great birthday. I didn’t have any expectations, but I did make hints about possible things I’d like to do on the day, and those hints were heard. Morning Sunshine The morning started with two eager faces, wanting to wake me up so ...

Fatherless father-of-two Rob Kenney has earned the “internet dad” title after millions tuned into a dad-help YouTube channel he created in April 2020. Kenney’s simple “Dad, How Do I?” vlog now has 3.83 million subscribers with over 18.4 million views. The 58-year-old social media “influencer’s” 30-year-old daughter Kristine Ponten attributes his popularity to COVID-19 lockdowns, stating,  “I don’t think it would’ve gone viral in another circumstance. It is definitely pandemic-specific regarding ...

Basic pointers on how to juggle working from home while parenting your children. Flexibility is key. Most people started working from home with kids during the pandemic and set up a home office of some sort. I’ve worked from home for many years, and most of the time it’s been with kids at home. If you’re in self-isolation, here are my tips on how to navigate working from home. 1. Create ...

Life with a baby turns regular activities into entirely new and wonderful experiences. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed. My son, Seth, is now ten weeks old, and so intelligent he’s bound to make a future Prime Minister. (Not that I’m biased!) Recently, I reflected on my experiences during Seth’s birth. A heap has happened since then. He’s grown, developed skills, changed appearance, and I’ve learned there is ...

Field trips bring lasting benefits for fathers and their children, providing life lessons and character-building opportunities. If like me, you were a kid in the 1980s, chances are you remember watching The Waltons. The two-story white house, Mary-Ellen, John-Boy, the sawmill, Ike and the general store; the yellow rumble-seat car, the ‘recipe,’ the Baldwin ladies, and John Walton Snr calling out “Good night, everybody” at the close of every episode. There ...

When you are juggling family and work responsibilities at full capacity, is there still room for giving back to your community? Once a month, on a Sunday afternoon, we head out to our ‘connect group’ as part of our church. Connect Group is a group of families that meet together to hang out, talk about life, pray for each other and be a support to each other during a busy season ...

Even when you are overwhelmed by unforeseen messes, it is possible to choose to laugh at the situation and carry on. It always happens when you’re at your most tired and looking after the kids by yourself. One or multiple children engage in a maddening act that would be enough to make a grown man cry. This happened to me yesterday. It was the end of a very busy patch with ...

An examination of various parenting styles and reflection on our own modes of parenting, can be very beneficial in honing our parenting skills for the sake of our children as they grow and mature under our guidance and discipline. Two of the best parenting styles are ‘democratic’ and ‘authoritative’. The bare-bones definition of the democratic parenting style is, ‘Allowing a fairness and respect to develop between child and parent. It involves ...

On the weekend I headed to see the movie Bad Moms with a group of school mums whom I just love hanging out with and getting to know. Let’s be honest, there was bad language and themes that were definitely for adult eyes only. But the movie pointed out something that all of us mums need to know — we don’t really have it all together, no matter what type of ...

If you’re struggling to cope with the graphic details and images you’re exposed to in the media (cyclones, acts of terrorism and violence), imagine what must be going through the minds of your children. Children contend with these images according to their age and development. Little ones will often mix what is real with make-believe, so they aren’t really aware of the “disaster”, but they can see that people are upset ...

Consider the benefits of homeschooling your children. The challenges are worth the effort to raise independent thinkers of solid faith and good character, with a firm foundation. I know a lot of people baulk at the prospect of homeschooling their kids. Visualising the idea is hampered by what looks like a monumental mountain of details. I won’t lie. Having homeschooled for 12 years, the sheer size of the task is daunting. ...

Seeing your child grow up and get married is bittersweet, but embrace the changing seasons as part of being a parent. Being the father of the bride is an honour, a momentous occasion, a fresh opportunity to love. The first Father of the Bride movie was shot in 1950. The second Father of the Bride movie with Steve Martin starring as the father was shot in 1991. Don’t worry, there will ...

Prioritising your spouse, especially in the little daily routines, teaches your children how to respect and honour their mother. My wife and I were fortunate enough to be volunteers for the Guide Dogs for the Blind organisation in our local state after all our kids had grown up and left school. Over a period of seven years, we had the pleasure (and to be honest at times the displeasure) of raising ...

Be prepared for the absolute mess which your children can make while growing up. At the same time, they will fill your home with joy. Kids. They are amazing creatures whom you love to the moon and back, but they can frustrate the heck out of you. And none of this frustration is EVER put as a warning in the parenting books. What To Expect When You’re Expecting and Knocked Up ...

Is it possible to mix work and family life in the same space? Do the benefits outweigh the challenges? Prime Minister Gillard described the pressurised life of modern families as the single greatest challenge facing Australians. So what’s the solution? ‘Telecommuting’ or working from home has been put forward as the 21st-century answer to this growing dilemma, but is it really that simple? Disruptions My hubby worked from home quite happily ...

The family is the school of love. Our children learn from us how to become well-functioning adults and potential future spouses and parents. We owe it to them and their progeny to provide a good example of how to live virtuously, paving the foundation for happiness and fulfilment. “Your children will become who you are, so be who you want them to be,” is advice I have tried to live by. ...

The family dog has taught us a variety of life lessons, including how to communicate better as humans. Owning a pet has been a journey that has taken the better part of a decade. A year into owning a dog — or rather being the caretaker of one — I’m sold on the adage that dogs are “man’s best friend.” Fish were tried, but died. Cats? We’ve been there and done ...