Intentionally creating adventures for your children helps your family to grow and bond together in memorable ways which build an excellent foundation for a lifetime. I believe it is a father’s job to create adventures for his children. Pam Brown put it so beautifully in her famous quote, “Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, storytellers, and singers of songs.” Some time ago, I wrote of one ...

The movie Belfast is a powerful family movie brimming with joy and hope in the middle of the most difficult and tenuous of situations. This indie film received seven nominations at the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Picture. This is a staggering achievement for an indie film. I honestly thought it could win Best Picture. The bookies had it as the early favourite, but in the end it was pipped at ...

I consider myself an expert in road tripping with small kids — having survived numerous flights and 2 car trips to Broken Hill of 18 hours each way. Yes, that’s right, 18 hours! First time with a 10-month-old; the second time with a 2-year-old and 7-month-old. It wasn’t pretty. So, here’s what I now know… Lesson 1. Be prepared Lesson 2. Be prepared Lesson 3. Be prepared Since Lessons 1, 2 ...

Developing a close friendship with your spouse and children through mutual shared interests helps to cement the bond as a family, creating lasting lifelong relationships. Many people ask us how we have raised five well-balanced, successful children.  They are amazed at the close friendship we have as a family. Often, we are equally amazed because we know all the mistakes we have made as parents. We feel at times like it ...

With the tumult of boisterous offspring, sometimes the quiet moments of recuperation are found nearer to home. Who needs a holiday? In my life BC (Before Children), my idea of complete relaxation was luxuriating beside a pool on a tropical island, reading a book, or ordering room service and getting up only to go to the bathroom. Sigh… good times. Nowadays, the idea of going away is exhausting! Packing for four ...

Working together with your spouse in parenting and disciplining your children makes it all the more effective. Now to introduce our second pup. His name was Chance and he was a very handsome Black Labrador. Chance was a “by the rule book” pup and loved people’s company on his terms. Chance also had a stubborn streak that had him withdrawn from the program, so he became our pet. Lesson 3: Two ...

Celebrating your birthday as a parent is not quite the same as in pre-parent life, but it sure is a barrel of fun with your munchkins! I had a great birthday. I didn’t have any expectations, but I did make hints about possible things I’d like to do on the day, and those hints were heard. Morning Sunshine The morning started with two eager faces, wanting to wake me up so ...

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 ...

Prioritising your spouse, especially in the little daily routines, teaches your children how to respect and honour their mother. My wife and I were fortunate enough to be volunteers for the Guide Dogs for the Blind organisation in our local state after all our kids had grown up and left school. Over a period of seven years, we had the pleasure (and to be honest at times the displeasure) of raising ...

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 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 ...

Just because some people have the privilege of being raised in a happy, well-adjusted and prosperous family, doesn’t mean we should make everyone equally miserable. It never ceases to amaze me the crazy ideas that some people come up with. You really have to ask whether some people actually stop and think about the implications of what they are saying. This ABC article is a case in point. The headline was: ...

Children bring immeasurable joy into our lives. Let us treasure the precious moments we have with them, being present as they explore and discover the world. “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” These are the wise words of a home-schooling mum, Angela Schwindt. Quick Wit Currently, I have the joy of living with three of my grandchildren. One ...

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 ...

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 ...

A family needs other families for friendship, support and mentoring, especially in hard times. It takes a village to raise a child, and it also takes a village to sustain a family. Be open to growing alongside other families, sharing love and care for one another. Recently my wife and I received a message from a close friend of ours, “Mum’s condition has rapidly deteriorated and she is now just sleeping… ...

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 ...

One’s career ambitions or personal desires can take longer to achieve when busy parenting your children. Still, have patience and savour each moment with your family. At my old church, there were initiatives and events in place to get more women to connect with each other, mainly to get the older and younger women interacting with each other. To broaden my friendship group from the girls I already hung out with ...

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 ...