I am amused by the serious instruction of friends, “Do what you love and what feels right for you.” Their career counselling advice amuses me because they haven’t regarded that what I love and what feels right can sometimes yell wildly at each other in conflict. In the red corner, What-I-Love argues that there are Tassie mountain summits that I am yet to tread. In the blue corner, What-Feels-Right makes the ...

The more I pull back from my kids time-wise, the more they pull back from me, physically, mentally and emotionally. I am a firm believer that if you care about someone then you would not let anything stand in the way of spending time with them. – unknown I remember a great speaker and family expert who used to tell a story of a friend who was doing very well financially ...

“I wish I had been a better Dad and spent more time with my kids.” These were the words that many men spoke, often with tears, when Dr Bruce Robinson told them they didn’t have long to live. Dr Bruce Robinson is a respiratory specialist. When people have a lung cancer check they come to see him. In my video interview below with Bruce, he tells how he has told the ...

Some time ago I was busy working in my own office when I heard my wife talking in the next office to a stranger. Being the inquisitive type, I opened my door to shake hands with Bill, who was inspecting the services in our office on behalf of the landlord. Bill, realising he was in the offices of Dads4Kids, started to ply me with questions about parenting. He asked, “How should ...

For Hollywood dad, Kirk Cameron, modelling manhood is dad-life proper. Get past the Americana exterior, and the former atheist’s down-to-earth grasp of back-to-basics parenting has gravitas. Known for his role as Mike Seaver in the seven-season sitcom, Growing Pains, Cameron is also a father of six. Four of whom he and his wife of 31 years adopted not long after getting married. Two of whom, arrived later on. He recently shared ...

My kids and I were watching a Disney movie recently. In the movie, a dad, who was coaching his child’s sport team, yelled at his son. After the coaching session, the boy asked his Dad, “Why did you yell at me but you didn’t yell at all the other kids?” His Dad yelled back in exasperation, “I don’t care about the other kids.” I was struck by the irony of this ...

Our culture pressures us to keep working and consuming. It takes a conscious effort to step back, take a breather and re-prioritise, but doing so is really worth it for good health and peace of mind. “We have more ‘things per person’ than any other nation in history. Closets are full, storage space is used up, and cars can’t fit into garages, having first imprisoned us with debt. Possessions then take ...

Recently, I was able to catch the 2021 comedy-drama "Fatherhood", starring the irrepressible Kevin Hart of "Jumanji" fame. The film centres on single dad Matt Logelin, left alone with his baby daughter Maddy after Matt’s wife Liz unexpectedly dies following childbirth. It is based on a true story

I was asked to share some of my experiences of being a dad. The only reason that I am doing so is that I was the first to say “yes” to the invitation. Your story is as unique as mine. Your tales of being a dad are equally special. Your own feelings about being a proud dad are as genuine as mine and your dad jokes are likely to be just ...

An ex-con has set up a fantastic initiative called Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club, aiming to prevent fatherlessness from harming the next generation. By getting dads involved with their children’s education, Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club improves the lives of both father and child. The tragic mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, along with the continuing body count from shootings in Chicago, Illinois, shines a spotlight on the urgency to answer the absent dad ...

When you analyse the social science about the importance of dads, it is unequivocal. Dads are vitally important to their children’s success in a myriad of ways. As George Herbert said, “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” This is not speculation — it is reality. Joshua A Krisch puts the case well for this in an article titled “The Science of Dad and the ‘Father Effect’“. The subtitle says ...

Five more tips for dads on how to maximise your Minecraft gaming fun for some quality time with your children. For decades, I’ve been an avid videogame consumer. From an Amstrad in the ’80s, to rented Nintendos in the 90s, to console, and PC level MMORGs in the 00s, videogaming has been part of the casual way I’ve spent my downtime. While I’ve all but resigned from this virtual playground — ...

An examination of various parenting styles and reflection on our own modes of parenting, can be very beneficial in honing our parenting skills for the sake of our children as they grow and mature under our guidance and discipline. Two of the best parenting styles are ‘democratic’ and ‘authoritative’. The bare-bones definition of the democratic parenting style is, ‘Allowing a fairness and respect to develop between child and parent. It involves ...

Is it possible to mix work and family life in the same space? Do the benefits outweigh the challenges? Prime Minister Gillard described the pressurised life of modern families as the single greatest challenge facing Australians. So what’s the solution? ‘Telecommuting’ or working from home has been put forward as the 21st-century answer to this growing dilemma, but is it really that simple? Disruptions My hubby worked from home quite happily ...

The family is the school of love. Our children learn from us how to become well-functioning adults and potential future spouses and parents. We owe it to them and their progeny to provide a good example of how to live virtuously, paving the foundation for happiness and fulfilment. “Your children will become who you are, so be who you want them to be,” is advice I have tried to live by. ...

The family dog has taught us a variety of life lessons, including how to communicate better as humans. Owning a pet has been a journey that has taken the better part of a decade. A year into owning a dog — or rather being the caretaker of one — I’m sold on the adage that dogs are “man’s best friend.” Fish were tried, but died. Cats? We’ve been there and done ...

Parenthood is the art of making yourself obsolete. It involves ensuring as far as possible that your child has the self-discipline and character to make it through the ups and downs of life, far into the future. They learn from us the tools necessary for resilience and success. Every year, there are four questions all mums, dads, uncles, aunts, guardians or grandparents involved in child-rearing should try to ask themselves: Am ...

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 ...

Noelle (2019) is mainly a movie about a daughter of Santa Claus discovering that she has inherited her father’s talents for the vocation of gift-giving to children across the world. However, it also highlights the importance of fathers, in both intact and separated families.

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 ...