Five Marks of a Faithful Single Father
Billy Graham once said, “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets of our society.” That’s especially true of single fathers.
How to Raise Kids Who Don’t Have ‘Daddy Issues’
How can today’s young men ensure that they don’t raise children with daddy issues? I have a few ideas that any man can implement to become a good dad.
Dear Dads, What Example Are You Setting?
By being mindful of the example we set — both in the habits we encourage and the behaviours we avoid — we’re not only guiding our children’s actions today, but also building the foundation for the kind of person they will grow up to be.
Tension with Our Kids’ Mum Deeply Affects Our Fathering
Disagreements and tension with our children’s mother can’t help but spill over into how we relate to our kids. Our words and actions (or our inaction) can have powerful consequences for our families and children.
Nurturing Becomes the Man
Even if nurturing wasn’t a strength for your dad, you can learn from others, and pass it on to your kids. Men do feel, and we do nurture. Let’s just do it… now! With our arms, words, eyes and ears, we can give our kids the physical and verbal affirmation that lasts a lifetime.
Modelling the Good Life for Your Baby
It has dawned on me in recent weeks that the time to model “the good life” for Squish is not when she starts talking or begins school or reaches adolescence — but today.
Backyard Dads
“Inaugurated in 1957, the Australian Father of the Year has been awarded annually to high-profile, famous fathers, from prime ministers and politicians to sportsmen, business leaders, entertainers and musicians acknowledging the support, guidance and love they show to Australian children.” So says Wikipedia. I am not famous or high-profile. The smear-the-opponent style of politics means that I will never go there, and my dad jokes hardly rate as entertainment. A long ...
Last Words to Dads
Only a few days ago, I got a call from the eldest daughter of a dear friend telling me that her Dad had passed way from a heart attack. Ian was at his work, and without any apparent warning, he collapsed and died. He was comparatively young and in good health. After the phone call, I was in a state of shock. We didn’t see each other a lot but we ...
The Lost Arts of Parenting (Pt 1)
I used to think that it was really tough of my dad to expect me, at age 18 (in 1958), to be home at 8:30 in the evenings on Thursday and Friday nights, so that my mother would feel secure in the house with my little sister. This had been the requirement for a number of years, and it included Tuesday and Sunday nights as well. The reason for this ‘cruel ...
