Fatherless father-of-two Rob Kenney has earned the “internet dad” title after millions tuned into a dad-help YouTube channel he created in April 2020. Kenney’s simple “Dad, How Do I?” vlog now has 3.83 million subscribers with over 18.4 million views. The 58-year-old social media “influencer’s” 30-year-old daughter Kristine Ponten attributes his popularity to COVID-19 lockdowns, stating,  “I don’t think it would’ve gone viral in another circumstance. It is definitely pandemic-specific regarding ...

Most of us think of love as that feeling of affection and attachment we experience for another person. But is love just a feeling? Or is there more to it? The Experience of Love Every person experiences love in a unique way. Some gestures of love will more powerfully communicate love to you than others. For example, some people feel close and connected when they can physically touch the other person. ...

Here are five affordable yet fun ideas to celebrate the spirit of Valentine’s Day with your beloved all year round. Valentine’s Day is, in many ways, a gap-filling marketing oasis for retailers to cover their bottom lines between Christmas and Easter. We buy into it probably for the same reasons. Valentine’s Day offers time to take a breath between the biggest ecclesial feasts of the year. The grind is back in ...

St Valentine witnessed to the importance of married love by his life and death. This Valentine’s Day, let us celebrate true love in our marriages, recommitting ourselves to loving and serving our spouses with joy. On February 14 every year, couples around the world celebrate one of the heroes of Christian history. As the story goes, Valentine was a Roman priest who married young couples in secret despite the decree of Emperor Claudius II forbidding all weddings. The emperor ...

Were we too young to get married? Would it have been better to wait till later? Lots of people told us so. Neither of us had really experienced life: Byron at 27 had at least lived out of home for three years. On the other hand, Francine at 21 was still studying, had never had her own bedroom, let alone lived independently. From university professors, mentors and friends, she was repeatedly ...

It can be a habit to push oneself to the limit, but consciously carving time out of paid work, housework and childcare to rest, tend to yourself and others, and listen to God’s soft prompting will keep you happier and at peace amidst the busyness of life. Life has been crazy busy since Phoebe was born. At the beginning of this year, I was able to source some writing work which ...

My son’s many allergies have been a trial. In learning to alleviate his pain, and watching him bear patiently with discomfort, I have found a depth of strength and love which I never knew I had. ‘We’ll have to shut down the whole clinic for the afternoon,’ she said, annoyed. ‘Well, you just go ahead and do that,’ I thought, annoyed. But didn’t say it. My 11-month-old had suddenly developed a ...

Research shows that religious men tend to do more chores than non-religious, progressive men. What is the reason behind this? And what other reasons might men have to delve into the thick of housework? While housework is not the most glamorous of duties, research from the University of Utah suggests that some men are holding their own, both in the kitchen and outside it. Surprising Observations In January 2021, Utah-based Deseret ...

We’ve all been in that situation. A friend or relative confides in us that they are having some marriage trouble. We want to help but knowing what to do that is genuinely helpful is tricky. Here are a few tips to keep in mind. Use your best listening skills: give your full attention, validate the thoughts, emotions and needs expressed: “What I hear you saying is…” While it’s important for your ...

Extinguishing conflict requires good communication. Here are some basic pointers on how to mediate a family quarrel and restore peace to your home. Most of you reading this would know that conflict resolution is a staple in just about every workplace. I don’t think I would be met with a whole lot of disagreement by asserting that the same emphasis should also be applied in the home. Two people step up ...

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 ...

Christmas is a blessed season to pause and soak in the loving presence of your family, recalling the quiet joy of the first Christmas in the humble abode of the Holy Family. As the song says, “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.” For many families, this is true. You see, kids love family. It’s what they instinctively long for. Christmas is really the celebration of what many in ...

I don’t know how many times I have looked at the clock since becoming a mum and have willed those handles to spin a little faster. There have been many a day when I have wished for nap time to come sooner and for bedtime to be brought forward. I’ve always contemplated why time feels like it goes forever when stopping and playing with kids on the floor, yet when life ...

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 God, help me to write when I am looking at an empty page. Dear God, help me to be a better person, a better father, a better friend, a better husband. Dear God, help me to become whom You want me to be. Dear God, help me to like Spongebob Squarepants reruns.   Dear God, help me not to get cranky when my daughter leaves a mess wherever she goes. ...

When a crisis hits you out of nowhere, what do you do next? When Guy faced nearly losing a child, he learned 13 lessons before the crisis was even over. Sometimes in life you have experiences that profoundly and permanently change you. Experiences either solidify your existing beliefs, assumptions and expectations, or they challenge and change what you thought you knew. Some are so small you don’t even notice them. Some ...

How close are you to burning out? Could you recognise the signs? What will the consequences be if you did burn out? In episode 44 of Real Talk 4 Real Men, Guy and Chris unpack how you can guard against burnout. As I sat on the last train of the night home from another exhausting and stressful day at the office, my brain continued to race as I reflected on the ...

Today, Chris and Guy answer the question: what is really involved in being a father in a child’s world? Episode #31 of Real Talk 4 Real Men. When you became a daddy, did you think that being a father was something just so natural, you didn’t really need to think very much about it? That was Chris’ experience more than four decades ago, but he had to learn the hard way ...

Editor’s Note: This is a profoundly real and self-revelatory article for those fathers who are grappling with the deeper issues of fatherhood. Full congratulations to Rod Lampard for sharing his journey with us. This is a case of strong meat for strong men. ___ “You’re just like your father.” This was the fictional narrative of my formative years. Instead of using my name when things got heated between us, my family ...

I can remember as a young 7-year-old boy going to an Easter Egg-rolling Competition in Scotland. You are probably thinking — what is an Easter egg-rolling competition? Good question! Easter egg-rolling seems to have Viking and Nordic roots. It is a custom in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Scotland and the northern parts of England. Now US presidents even do it! Apparently, it is symbolic of the stone being rolled away, and so ...