Your job pays the bills. But "Dad" is the title that defines your legacy. This piece is a call to fathers to own the role that matters most.
National Center for Fathering
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.
All Pro Dad
When it comes to nourishing our relationships, doing more is often exactly the wrong thing. Sometimes we need to do less, to retreat so as to advance.
Byron and Francine Pirola
I can appreciate Mrs Claus’ argument that her ex put the business ahead of family, especially with his patterned history of disappearing on Christmas Eve, right as the in-laws were due to visit for their own family celebrations.
Greg McInerney
My house is a mess (well, actually it isn’t any more because this cleaner is really, really good!), I meet most deadlines at 12.01 a.m. and my kids are just plain exhausting, but they know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I love them.
Annette Spurr
Dads, if you can, do your best to choose the positive for your kids. Lead them, in love, towards the Light. Seek out the better way, and hopefully, you might even discover some great music on the journey.
Nathaniel Marsh
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.
Kurt Mahlburg
Contempt has been identified as a corrosive relationship pattern among couples headed for bust. An expression of despisal, contempt is the toxic cousin to criticism.
Guest Writer
I’d argue that not only are you able to raise incredible kids as a single dad, you’re also uniquely positioned to do it. You have opportunities that two-parent families don’t.
All Pro Dad
International Children’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in December. Children around the world are entitled to be children, to have food, water, and shelter.
Don Mathis
In my opinion, there’s nothing more attractive than a man who’s a great dad. Becoming parents has brought out parts of ourselves we would never have known were there.
Annette Spurr
The good news is, "Journey to Bethlehem" is now showing in cinemas across the country! "Journey to Bethlehem" is a Christmas musical movie about Mary, Joseph, Herod, the Magi, and of course, the birth of Jesus!
Warwick Marsh
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.
Kurt Mahlburg
Waiting teaches us humility and patience – essential virtues for healthy relationships. It opens a space for reflecting, allowing us to stop ‘doing’ and to simply be aware… of ourselves, our world, the person before us.
Byron and Francine Pirola
I delight in that time that is exclusively ours. Time spent one-on-one with either of my daughters is a rare treat for dad and daughter. Making exclusive time for my children is critical for us. Our relationships are so much better for it.
Greg McInerney
Last week was National Families Week. A time to pause and reflect on what your family means to you. To celebrate what makes your family unique. So, what makes your family unique?
Annette Spurr
Opportunities to seek out adventure are only limited by your imagination and budget, but there are ways to escape inexpensively. An adventure together was exactly what the girls and I needed, and an educational road trip could be a good place to start.
Nathaniel Marsh
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.
All Pro Dad
Planning a wedding is busy and stressful. There’s lots to think about and lots of factors to consider in every decision: the budget, the aesthetic, and the cost-benefit analysis.
Byron and Francine Pirola
I know my sons love me, but I’m preparing myself for the day they say they’d rather live with their Mum because her house is more fun.
All Pro Dad
Friends who knew we were trying for a baby would often bring it up and so, for anyone who’s wondering, here’s what NOT to say to your childless friend.
Annette Spurr
News
Dads 4 Kids News is for writers to share interesting insights, news, and stories, to encourage dads and their families.
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The opinions of the various writers are not necessarily the opinion of Dads4Kids. Please do your own research and come to your own conclusions. We welcome feedback and if you would like to submit an article for the Daily Dad, please contact the editor at info@dads4kids.org.au
More Than a Job Title: Why DAD Is Your Most Important Role
Your job pays the bills. But "Dad" is the title that defines your legacy. This piece is a call to fathers to own the role that matters most.
Boundaries
The proverb, “Good fences make good neighbours,” has a great deal of wisdom. The concept of having clearly defined boundaries helps us to develop healthy relationships. When people know the limits of what they can demand from a relationship, it allows all parties to enjoy it. Hidden agendas evaporate, and ...
Parenting = Responsibility + Fun
A number of years ago, I spent five round-the-world trips on a lawyer to represent my case to be a present dad in my children’s growing up. I could sensibly calculate that separation would force the divvying up of my children’s time between parents, but I was determined to protect ...
Shop Well, Stay Well
If it’s in the pantry, you’ll eat it. I know it sounds like common sense, but it’s true! If we shop well and keep tempting treats out of our reach, it makes it far easier to make healthier choices every day. It’s a fact that one in three cancer cases ...
Fighting for Peace
What can one do to fight for peace? Get out in the street, march with your feet. What can you do if you oppose war? Lay down your weapon and fight no more. And if your politician is filled with hate, vote for the other candidate. For we really do ...
Upcycled Telephone Tardis Hopes to Turn Dads into Readers
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 ...
The Forever Conversation
At some point, every couple will have the Forever Conversation -- the discussion that explores their long-term commitment. It’s no secret to anyone that the incidence of cohabitation has increased. In fact, a couple who hasn’t cohabited is increasingly rare, even in the Catholic formation circles where we work. For ...
A Chip on My Shoulder
I look on at Dave being an unconventional single dad. While I don’t really know him, he looks to be a caricature of Hollywood stereotypes. This parenting style means that he is habitually bumbling, make-it-up-as-you-go and must-keep-them-happy. Mostly, he is comically entertaining for his lackadaisical approach to his dad status. ...
King of the Sandcastle
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 ...
Gestures of Love
Few poets have explored the weight and wonder of fatherhood like Andrew Lansdown. Over the years, Andrew has established a high reputation for his subtle, insightful poems about his wife and children. I have known Andrew Lansdown for over two decades. As a songwriter and would-be poet, I have ...
Channing Tatum on How the Single Dad Life Inspired Him to Write
Channing Tatum might be a lot of things on screen. Off-screen he’s a single dad, and the best-selling author of three children’s books. All three kids’ books were inspired by Tatum’s relationship with his own daughter, Everly. Central to the storyline is Ella (aka Sparkella), who, with the help of ...
Attention-Deficit Marriages
In a fast-paced world, our attention is a rare and valuable commodity. Is your marriage suffering from attention deficiency? True confession: some evenings you’ll find us sitting on the couch with the TV playing, and us both on our laptops or other individual devices. We know -- it’s not particularly ...
Tech Traps
John is a parent at my daughters’ school. He is an affable dad, but affable is not enough permission for me to throw a hug on him as I make my way to the parent holding bay to wait for the 3:00 pm school bell. He doesn’t give off a ...
What You Need to Know about Alcohol-Fuelled Violence
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 ...
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters
Who doesn’t love a good movie? Having worked in the film and TV industry for over 20 years, I certainly appreciate a good story, well told through the medium of moving pictures. Here at Dads4Kids, we love shining a light on great films, especially those with strong fathering themes, and ...
U.S. Advisory Admits Link Between Teen Suicide and Social Media
Vivek Murthy’s latest advisory is spotlighting the link between social media and teen suicide. Murthy, a Democrat, and the current United States Surgeon General said, “For too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends.” “We are in the middle of ...
Ain’t Marriage Grand!
What makes for an epic marriage? A marriage that faces and transcends challenges and obstacles, that has an interior resilience and grace that comes from the God who is always ready to encourage us. We recently attended two weddings of close family friends. This time, a different part of the ...
Courage vs the ‘Happiness’ Credit Card
My soapbox needs an upgrade. Previously I made do with an upturned milk crate. I could – metaphorically – stand atop and crusade. My crusade is usually stirred of a parenting niggle but my audience is sometimes just me. This time around I want to stand a little taller and ...
Divorce Proof Relationship Resolutions
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 ...
Enthusiasm the Great Cure for Apathy
“We may have found a cure for most evils; but we have found no remedy for the worst of them all, the apathy of human beings.” Fighting Against Apathy The above quote is from Helen Keller, making it all the more pertinent. Helen Keller was both deaf and blind but ...
Funding Fatherhood Puts the Paternal Back out on Patrol
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 ...
Marital Resilience
Let’s face it – marriage is a tough gig these days. With divorce rates higher than we’d like, too many families are being torn apart by marriage breakdown. What can couples do to immunise their marriages against this tragedy? Marital resilience starts with a well-grounded understanding of what marriage is ...
End of School Resilience Parenting Lesson
Back in school times, I felt the awkwardness of being one of four students in the mix of eighty school leavers not dolled up in black dinner suits or tuxedos. From the daggy surround of Mum and Dad’s brown Datsun 280B, I scanned the crisp black and white of young ...
50 Outdoor Activities Every Child Must Experience
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! ...
Brave Quest: Inviting Our Sons to Great Significance
The phone rang. It was my Dad, the one and only Warwick Marsh. “Hey Nat, do you want to interview a friend of mine from Kansas City?” “Sure, tell me more!” was my quick response, as Dad knows I love meeting and interviewing people. Dad continued, “Dean Briggs is His ...
















































