Stay Simple
People like Joe are the inspirational reminder to stay simple when giving a sense of worth to my daughters in our precious moments of connection.
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 long admired Andrew’s poetry and turn of phrase. Acclaimed poet and critic Geoff Page observed, “Lansdown has a very sincere and ...
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 was that this simple habit gave me so much more than ...
Top Ten New Year Resolutions
Every New Year is a fresh opportunity to start anew. Take this chance to assess your life and implement achievable steps to practise good habits and prioritise what matters most. We each have only so many years on this earth -- make this year a great one! Only six more sleeps and we all enter the New Year together. How exciting! A New Year always brings new opportunities. Hundreds of millions ...
An Open Letter to Kids Church Leaders
An open letter to kids church leaders: you are doing more for our children than you realise. Praise God for your ministry! For 15 years, I’ve served in kids church or children's ministry at different churches and denominations. During that time, I worked almost solely with 2-4 year olds. Through those years, I wondered about the impact it had on their lives – if any – apart from providing a child-free ...
10 Reasons Why Dads Should Read to Their Children
Dr. Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” This famous children’s book author was certainly across his subject. Here are 10 good reasons why you should read to your children. Hopefully you are inspired. 1. Dads Bring Something Special to the Reading Equation. Harvard-trained Dr Elisabeth Duursma said, “In most families, mothers are the ones ...
Dear Dad – The hidden power of Fathers: “Honest, funny, sometimes startling, often moving.”
My wife got me a book for Father’s Day called “Dear Dad”. It is a collection of letters to fathers, edited by Samuel Johnson OAM. The description on the back cover says, “A heartfelt, honest and very human book of letters that will make you smile and make you cry. It is the perfect gift for the Dad in your life. A reminder to say how you feel before it’s too ...
Man in the Mirror
Some time ago Jeff Stacey, from my men’s group, gave me a copy of Wayne Bennett’s autobiography, Man in the Mirror. I was overjoyed. I have long been an admirer of Wayne Bennett, widely regarded as Australia’s greatest Rugby League Coach of all time. The Bronco’s football team which he coached for 21 years straight won six premierships. Wayne Bennett then coached the St George-Illawarra Dragons to their first victory in ...
