Prayer doesn't change God — it changes you. Discover why prayers sometimes seem unanswered, and how opening your heart to grace transforms both you and your marriage.
Byron and Francine Pirola
This year, the team at Dads4Kids gave Paul Withall the 2023 International Men's Day Australian Courage Award for his amazing work on promoting the desperate need to reverse the silent epidemic of male suicide in Australia.
Warwick Marsh
Here are ten reflections on falling short of a desired outcome. More precisely, why we fail despite ourselves or our best intentions.
Guest Writer
Despite the promises of Hollywood and fairytales, the perfect marriage is the one that helps us grow the most. And that’s not likely to be a marriage without hardship or trouble.
Byron and Francine Pirola
If Australia’s male suicide rate could be reduced to that of the rest of the world, 10 men per week would be saved from an early death.
Bettina Arndt
Common sense parenting isn’t so common sense, and the support networks once available to new parents are no longer there. But is it our schools’ responsibility to train parents?
Annette Spurr
Not all heroes wear capes. Mostly, they’re just everyday people. As we approach International Men’s Day on November 19, take some time to think about the heroes and positive male role models in your life.
Nathaniel Marsh
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.
Kurt Mahlburg
Having a difficult conversation is sometimes necessary. All couples need to be able to maturely address issues ranging from selfishness, neglect, or simple differences of opinion.
Byron and Francine Pirola
Fast forward to parenthood, and things have changed somewhat. I’ve become a reluctant morning person, but it’s had some surprising benefits.
Annette Spurr
According to the social sciences, 70% of prisoners are fatherless in one way or another. That is the reason prisons are known as homes for fatherless men.
Warwick Marsh
2500 Empty Shoes is a visual presentation on male suicide, held this year on 16 and 19 November on the lawns of Parliament House, Canberra. Day 2 coincides with International Men’s Day.
Paul Withall
The eleventh day of the eleventh month is a solemn day around the world. Many people call it Remembrance Day. The Daily Dad remembers members of the military with gratitude.
Don Mathis
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.
Guest Writer
When conflict arises in a marriage, it’s not uncommon for us to seek validation for being upset. So, we look for ways to strengthen our case and justify our complaint against the other.
Byron and Francine Pirola
I am intrigued by the university degree – ‘Bachelor of Paternal Application’. A Daddy Degree, if you will, focused on putting papa wisdom into practice.
Greg McInerney
Last week, I wanted to quit. I have never felt quite so unqualified for a position. Drowning in failure and frustration. Last week was a tough week in my motherhood journey.
Annette Spurr
Don’t be like Brando’s character Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront"; instead, be a contender! Fight for your family – your kids will thank you one day.
Nathaniel Marsh
Squish will always know the story about her birth mother and will always be free to ask questions about how it all began.
Kurt Mahlburg
Rather than just burying it or pushing harder into an argument, we try to take a step back to privately ask ourselves some why questions: why am I reacting this way? Where is this coming from?
Byron and Francine Pirola
Don’t you reckon that even more ordinary Aussies would stand up and be counted if they knew about this appallingly damaging new Family Law bill, rammed through parliament this week with no proper scrutiny and no mandate?
Bettina Arndt
News
Dads 4 Kids News is for writers to share interesting insights, news, and stories, to encourage dads and their families.
Most Read
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
Power of Prayer
Prayer doesn't change God — it changes you. Discover why prayers sometimes seem unanswered, and how opening your heart to grace transforms both you and your marriage.
7 Famous Rock Dads Who’ve Collaborated with their Kids
Never let fame get in the way of fatherhood. This is the quasi-example set by at least seven rock dads who’ve had no problems collaborating with their kids. Headline acts sharing the spotlight is about as down to earth as rockstars being on time, or helping roadies unload their own ...
Burn the Boats
A recent analysis of modern-day wedding vows reveals around a third of couples shunning the traditional commitment for life. According to the results, 34% dumped the phrase ‘until death do us part’. This really shouldn’t surprise us as the prevailing message young couples hear is that divorce is not only ...
Separation Smarts
Ironically, my marriage ended as it should have begun. After lodging divorce papers the other day, I ambled out of the court offices into Salamanca Place. I deliberately slowed my pace to the steady step of a bridal march in order to soak in the soft morning sun. The sun’s ...
Why You Need a Parenting Coach
If you want to be good at something, it’s best to get a coach. The best sportspeople, businesspeople, and musicians in the world usually have coaches, teachers, or guides. They know that to be the best they can be, they need someone to help analyse what they’re doing, find space ...
Spiritual Mothers
It’s no mistake that the modern celebration of Mothers’ Day occurs in May – the month of Mary. She is a model of motherhood from whom all – men and women alike – take inspiration. We’ve often joked that it takes mere seconds to conceive a child but years of ...
International Boys’ Day – 16 May + Thank God for Mothers
Today, Sunday 14 May, is Mother’s Day but this coming, Tuesday 16 May, is International Boys' Day. What do these two days have in common? #1. Without mothers, we would not have any boys to celebrate. #2. The greatest defenders and promoters of boys are mothers. For that we are ...
Empowering Young Women to Embrace Their Maternal Instincts
Edited extract from her latest book expected to be published in late 2023. During a brief one-hour interstate flight I sat beside a young man (whom I shall call Ben) in his late twenties. He was married with a seven-month-old son. He’d recently started his own business in construction but ...
Widowhood is a Process, Not an Identity
Grief is like being “concussed, or slightly drunk”, C.S Lewis mused. It is, he added, an “invisible blanket between the world and me… her absence is like the sky, spread over everything”. Imagining marriage as one ship, C.S. Lewis wrote, “the starboard engine has gone. I, the port engine, must ...
Sexual Differences – Respect and Cherishment
When we understand our sexual differences, we are empowered to use them constructively to build great relationships. We’ve always maintained that our differences are something to celebrate; that they allow us to more deeply appreciate the unique contribution we each make to our shared life. We can be different, with differing ...
The Joy of Second Guessing
My two earthly angels are spirited souls. Some of their spirit erupts spontaneously from joy spilling out of a moment where our awesome is in sync. This afternoon was a classic. Now, I appreciate that at 2:59 pm my daughters’ energy levels are spent. Their reserve tank is down to ...
The Gift of Pain – Beyond Channel 9’s 60 Minutes Story
Imagine a life without pain. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? I just finished watching a story on 60 Minutes called ‘Pain-Free’. Far from being a utopic experience, it played out more like a horror story. Witnessing the journey of two little girls through a life without pain ...
Mother’s Day Memories
Mother’s Day is next Sunday. As well as appreciating the mother of your own children, think of how you can love on your own mum. Gifts are an option, but sharing a loving memory you have of her would make her day.
International Firefighters’ Day: May 4
One of the reasons May 4 was selected as International Firefighters’ Day is because it’s the feast day of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. It was created in 1999 after five members of a Fire Brigade perished in an Australian wildfire. Observe International Firefighters’ Day with education, with prevention, with a poem. ...
Make Mother’s Day a Military Operation
Making the most of Mother’s Day is as simple as bringing your A-game, and plenty of back-up. Carrying out a successful Mother’s Day Op. is about coordination, planning, and having the right headspace. Although a cache of cliché gifts suits the nature of the op, they don’t guarantee operational success. ...
Choosing to Love
If there is one thing that makes motherhood so worth celebrating, it’s a mother’s capacity for love for her children. Whether it’s her willingness to give over her body to nourish a newborn, her patience with the endless ‘but why’ questions of a toddler, or the testing rebellion of a ...
Happy Mother’s Day
I send out a warm Mother’s Day wish for my mum to be blessed with genuine pride in having raised three awesome men. I admire the example of care she set in her nursing work, especially with the elderly. I saw Mum argue the case for patients to be treated ...
Balancing a Job and Family
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 ...
The Unknown Hero
“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 ...
Defeating Dad-Hating Divorce Courts
Divorce courts hate dads. There is no nicer way of saying it. As if the lack of charitable support for fathers separated from their kids wasn’t punishment enough. Partiality towards women in matters of divorce is wounding already-wounded men. Designed to reign in deadbeat dads, the system ends up beating ...
Trigger Warning: There’s a Landmine Below
Over the previous columns, we have been exploring how our formation from our family of origin can continue to impact us and our marriage negatively. In this article, we want to unpack the third and final way our formation experiences play out – through emotional injuries. Some years ago, Francine ...
Being a 100% Dad
Once upon a not-so-long-ago-time, I wasn’t a single dad. I was just a dad. Well, not “just”. For a just-starting-out dad, I had set some parenting goals. I quite deliberately set out to be anything but “just a dad.” I had a profound sense of parenting purpose. I was pounding ...
I’ve Made More Mistakes Than You
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 – ...
Putting Children First
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 ...
A Dad’s Open Letter to His Son About Pornography
Having “the talk” with kids is a jarring part of parent life. Even with homeschooling making this job a little easier, I’m still asking myself the same awkward question everyone else is: “How in the hell do I talk to my kids about sex, without the cringe, or me tripping ...
Programmed for Love or for Trouble?
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 ...
