Being a parent can be a tough task — but a variety of tricks can help make the battles of childcare a little less stressful. While many methods are well-known and practical, others are more controversial.

Singing these two carols to Squish has helped me think about Christmas through the eyes of a child for the first time in decades. And it’s a beautiful thing.

There’s no doubt that being a dad is hard. But it’s also true that the best parts of this life often require struggles equal to the joy they bring. The reality is, even those struggles shape us in beautiful ways. Here are five ways children are a blessing.

As a new dad, I have to say the funnest first of all has been seeing our baby laugh. I have been addicted to her silly little giggle ever since. Laughter is a payoff for life’s drudgeries. And it is an essential ingredient for a strong and healthy family life.

If there is one piece of non-negotiable advice I have for all fathers, it is to forget your children for enough time each week to date the woman who mothers them.

Babies who have a secure relationship with their father use more coping tactics to entertain themselves during times of separation from parents than other infants who were not securely attached to their father.

Here are ten reflections on falling short of a desired outcome. More precisely, why we fail despite ourselves or our best intentions.

What Angie and I are learning during this season is just how differently the two of us are wired. Motherly instinct is an incredibly powerful force, and this holds just as true for an adoptive mother as for a biological one.

What makes a good father? Anyone can have children, but not anyone can be a father. So before you claim that "World's Greatest Dad" mug, take a look at some of the criteria that illustrate how to be a good father.

Squish will always know the story about her birth mother and will always be free to ask questions about how it all began.

It is truly amazing that in this one little life is a personality just bursting to get out, complete with interests and quirks, distastes and dreams, humour and chutzpah, and so much more.

As an adopted daughter myself and now a birth mother, I will always be an advocate for adoption. I want women to know that there is an option.

It amazes me that someone so tiny, barely two months out of the womb, is so eager for connection. Treasure every moment. Look your baby in the eyes.

NASA naps last for around 23 minutes and have the potential to save sleep-deprived dads on autopilot.

Our adoption story is a twisting, turning tale that stretches across three countries and involved the riskiest decision my wife and I have ever made.

Getting Squish to nap regularly is a conscious choice, a discipline. It has me wondering how many parents let their newborns decide their own sleeping patterns and, if so, how much misery it could cause!

Tap in, tap out. It’s as simple as it sounds — a self-explanatory parenting tip about sharing the many new responsibilities of raising a child.

Sleep deprivation is marriage enemy number one in our book. When sleep-deprived, everything can appear miserable and beyond redemption.

Adoption is a beautiful thing. But God’s first and best plan is the natural family. My wife and I are extremely pro-family. Who would we be to interfere if Squish’s birth parents wanted to get back together and keep Squish?

My wife and I are in the process of adopting a baby girl, known affectionately as ‘Squish’ here at the Daily Dad until her adoption is finalised. I am now writing a weekly column as we learn the ins and outs of parenting a newborn, and as we navigate the joys and challenges of adoption. Enjoy this week’s edition of ‘The Adventures of Squish’. The Most Important Meal of the Day ...