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.

The early years are the most dynamic time of life, producing more than a million neural connections each second. For parents or caregivers, this time offers a wonderful opportunity to impact children’s lives.

Children with dads who are involved in their upbringing tend to do better socially, emotionally, and academically than kids with uninvolved fathers. Research also shows kids with involved dads tend to be more confident.

Bids for Connection can include doing a task the other will appreciate but not expect, a word of affirmation or appreciation. They are simple gestures that are an invitation to move forward together.

The first four weeks of being a new dad will be one of the scariest times of your life. To make this a little less scary, we’ve compiled a few tips on how to get through it.

Smoke-free spaces will help to ensure a more rapid decline in female smoking rates, with flow-on effects for rates of maternal smoking, promoting the health of mothers and their unborn babies.

It has officially begun: Squish is eating solids. Watching her navigate her first few mouthfuls of food, after months of a milk-only diet, was predictably entertaining.

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.

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.

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.

Fast forward to parenthood, and things have changed somewhat. I’ve become a reluctant morning person, but it’s had some surprising benefits.

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.