Related Articles from the Daily Dad
Are You a Helicopter Parent?
Helicopter parents are well-meaning parents who hover over their kids. If something happens, heaven forbid, such as falling over, fighting over a toy, or getting a bad grade, helicopter parents swoop in and do everything they can to make things better. Sometimes being a helicopter parent is a good thing -- in crowds, near water, or anywhere that physical danger ...
Dads ‘Cut Out’ in Changes to Law
Family law expert Patrick Parkinson says Labor’s proposal to amend the Family Law Act is a radical change that will take Australia back to when mothers were granted primacy in custody battles. The results for dads will be devastating.
Like Parent, Like Child
The most powerful influence on a couple is their family of origin. Good or bad, our experiences in our childhood prepared us for marriage. The young couple sitting opposite us had been married only a few years. They were experiencing some health challenges, but this is not what brought them to us; they were locked in a perpetual low-grade argument ...
Winner Takes All
This week a television crew from the Japanese public broadcaster came to Sydney to interview family law specialist Justin Dowd, a former President of the NSW Law Society. Japan is considering a move away from mum-custody towards “joint parental authority” -- which recognises that it’s in the best interests of children to have both mum and dad remain involved in ...
A Letter To My Younger Self
Now I’m a Nonna and have raised my own children, I can relax and watch as my son parents his little girl. I think back to myself as a young mum and I wonder what words of wisdom I could share with her. The things I know now -- hmmm… I’m always learning and growing, so I guess even these ...
Eagle Parenting – Engaged Parenting
American Bald Eagles usually mate for life. Living between 20-30 years in the wild, the main mascots of the United States since 1782 also share traditional parenting roles. Thanks to modern tech, researchers have gathered more knowledge about this North American icon’s parenting skills, much of which comes from a platoon of Live Eagle Cams made available by conservationist groups. ...
At the Car Wash
On Saturday I dropped my daughter off to do a school assignment with her friends. On the way home there was a FREE car wash. That’s always music to my ears. So why on earth would people give up a beautiful Saturday morning to wash cars for other people… FOR FREE? These weren’t just ordinary people -- these were people ...
Marriage is More than Money
A Pew study released mid-January suggests a majority of mums and dads in the United States are prioritising money over marriage. 90% of those quizzed about ‘aspirations’ for their children ‘prioritized financial independence and career satisfaction’ as numero uno. Material Success The Research Centre’s findings claimed that for a majority of parents, ‘it’s extremely or very important their children be ...
Empty Days, Lonely Nights
By Bettina Arndt -- The Sydney Morning Herald, April 28, 2014 A belief that children under three should not stay overnight with their separated or divorced father has underpinned our family law system for years. Has it all been a mistake? Bettina Arndt reports. Editor’s Note: Little has changed in the last ten years. Now, more than ever, changes are ...
How Reading to Your Child Affects Brain Development
One of my happiest childhood memories is snuggling in bed with mum or dad each night as they read to me. It was these moments that instilled in me a lifelong love of reading. It’s still one of my absolute favourite things to do, even though it’s a rare treat for me these days. What I didn’t realise back then ...
