Parenting a strong-willed child can be challenging, but with various techniques, it can be very rewarding. Channel their energy into productive activities, and communicate clearly with them to achieve mutual goals. I’ll begin by saying: I love my strong-willed child. She’s full of light, is daring, boisterous, spirited, and loud. Strong-willed children, as defined by Psychology Today, are children ‘who are stubborn and always have to get their way.’ Writing for ...

Nappy changing is an acquired skill. Once you have mastered this fine art, you can look forward to all the following levels of fatherhood! When it comes to the art and skill of fathering, a lot has changed since the ‘wonder years’ of our father’s or grandfathers’ generation. Oh, the good old days — the prospective parent, relegated to the smoke-filled waiting room, hospital staff deeming it inappropriate for fathers to ...

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 Chance also had a stubborn streak that had him withdrawn from the program, so he became our pet.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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Consistency is crucial in training both pups and kids to develop good habits and reach their full potential, as guide dogs and as human beings. Let me kick this article off by introducing the first pup we raised. His name was Lennox and he was a Golden Retriever. He was a lovable caring boy, who loved having his photo taken and literally going out of his way to smell the flowers ...

Here are five affordable yet fun ideas to celebrate the spirit of Valentine’s Day with your beloved all year round. Valentine’s Day is, in many ways, a gap-filling marketing oasis for retailers to cover their bottom lines between Christmas and Easter. We buy into it probably for the same reasons. Valentine’s Day offers time to take a breath between the biggest ecclesial feasts of the year. The grind is back in ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Parenthood is the art of making yourself obsolete. It involves ensuring as far as possible that your child has the self-discipline and character to make it through the ups and downs of life, far into the future. They learn from us the tools necessary for resilience and success. Every year, there are four questions all mums, dads, uncles, aunts, guardians or grandparents involved in child-rearing should try to ask themselves: Am ...

Anniversaries aren’t just for reminiscing about a past event. They are an opportunity to forge new memories together and cherish one another with expressions of true love. As critical as I am about New Year’s resolutions and the feckless sentimentalism attached, I am not averse to using January to prepare for key anniversaries. These key calendar events spark hope in the midst of the dull, back-to-work, post-Christmas grind. An anniversary is ...

Research shows that religious men tend to do more chores than non-religious, progressive men. What is the reason behind this? And what other reasons might men have to delve into the thick of housework? While housework is not the most glamorous of duties, research from the University of Utah suggests that some men are holding their own, both in the kitchen and outside it. Surprising Observations In January 2021, Utah-based Deseret ...

Extinguishing conflict requires good communication. Here are some basic pointers on how to mediate a family quarrel and restore peace to your home. Most of you reading this would know that conflict resolution is a staple in just about every workplace. I don’t think I would be met with a whole lot of disagreement by asserting that the same emphasis should also be applied in the home. Two people step up ...

This New Year, instead of making unrealistic resolutions that are swiftly discarded by the wayside, focus on what really matters deep down and take sustainable steps toward nourishing that. The worst things about the closing of another year are New Year’s Eve hype and paraphernalia. With a few exceptions, the event is — on the whole — a dumb-ass excuse for a celebration. How many New Year’s resolutions touted the day ...

This Christmas, create lasting memories while enjoying quality time with your children in the wondrous world of Minecraft. Sticking with the current D4K theme of activities that dads can do with their kids, few rainy-day ideas top an adventure through the virtual world of Minecraft. Since Minecraft’s Swedish creator, Markus Persson sold his 71% share to Microsoft in 2014 — after getting fed up with ‘armchair trolls’ — the block construction ...

Despite the pace, there are ways to meet some of the challenges of the holidays. It’s not impossible to rise above the commercialised grind of Christmas. Men don’t have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle all the Way, frantically tearing up the town trying to win the approval of his son by chasing down the latest toy fad. Pushing back against the grind can be as easy as picking up tools, ...

The life of Frank Capra is a reminder that real-life stories are often the most powerful we will ever hear. When real men like Frank Capra speak, truth trumps fiction.  Like many in Generation X, I was raised on television by Boomers who chose to co-parent with the idiot box! I was one of those taught to sit in front of the television and told to “speak only when you’re spoken ...

The role that involved fathers play is vital. The opposite is also true: uninvolved fathers can cause significant wounds. But even these wounds can be redeemed to help others. “An engaged and loving father is the most powerful man-making force on the planet,” writes Earl Hipp in his perceptive article titled Healing the Absent Father Wound. He goes on: The opposite is also true. When fathers are absent, physically or emotionally, the ...

American fathers have launched a new initiative in schools that provides a powerful reminder of the important role dads play in the lives of their children – and the community. To tackle rising school violence, up to 40 dads from Southwood High School in Louisiana have banded together under the banner Dads on Duty USA. Their battle plan is simple: be present on school grounds. According to CBS, “the students say ...