The concept of a Love Bank was first developed by best-selling author Dr Willard Harley in 1986. Put simply, it is how we keep track of the way each person treats us. When it comes to being excellent fathers for our children, The Love Bank is a very useful concept.

Last week was our toughest yet as parents. It all began when Squish endured a few days of unexplained fevers and interrupted sleep. We eventually found a rock-hard lump on her leg that was clearly the source of her pain. Our baby needed surgery to drain the infection.

Ultimately, parents must remember that they likely won’t be around for their children’s entire lives, but children’s siblings probably will be. If parents can teach their children how to build a solid family network together, they will offer a legacy not only to their children, but one that can be passed through the generations.

Caitlin Keating, a journalist with People magazine, has done a beautiful job telling this powerful story. The full title of this exclusive article is even harder to believe: “Blind Triplet Contemplated Suicide Before Blind Man Adopted Them. Now Boys Are Pursuing Their Dreams.”

The title above could just as easily read “My First 9 Months as a Dad”. I don’t think of myself specifically as an adoptive dad — I am a dad — to a beautiful, curious, vibrant little nine-month-old baby.

My new after-work ritual marks a big shift for me. No longer do I get to veg straight away, as in my bachelor days. This is a sacrifice, but it is one that I am willing to make.

Fortunate is the father and child who discovers "I Love My Daddy Because…" (by Laurel Porter Gaylord). At last, here is a book that shows the variety of attributes men — and animals — share with their young.

We are right in the middle of celebrating the Easter holidays, which always come up as a welcome watering hole of rest and recreation for fathers and families. What has this got to do with you as a father, and why is it important?

Today, at the age of 18, Ramos has a one-year-old daughter, Hailey. As he prepared to celebrate Father's Day with his daughter, Ramos reflected on his family, and his hopes for his daughter's future. 

Does integrity matter? Sacrifice? Hard work? Compassion for others? Giving? They will emulate what they see and learn from our actions. Going the extra mile for your kids can be wrapped up in one statement: You are second. Live by that.

Scans actually showed significant biological differences in the dads’ brains as they grew into the role of fathering their infants. We can be the fathers our children need, and at just the right time. That should give us confidence and a sense of purpose as dads.

Dads, you are important in the lives of your children. Whether you have contact with them or not, you are important. Make your presence count. See what your children are up to, listen to what they are going through, and speak words of encouragement to them.

Even young kids need time with dad. They need to learn from us. They need to grow with us. It is not always easy, and we are usually exhausted, but it is so important to give that little bit of extra energy to enter their world.

I have previously written about how children are wired to need both a mother and father. This is a fact that has come into much sharper focus for me as our little Squish has begun regularly calling out our names.

Until the 1970s, men were banned from the birthing suite. But fathers are now moving from breadwinner and disciplinarian to involved parent.

Phones, and screens in general, are kryptonite when it comes to active listening and being fully engaged with our families. For better or worse, they’re part of modern life, but every family needs to find ways to manage these pesky attention-stealers.

Since 2004, Dads4Kids founder Warwick Marsh and a fantastic team of volunteers have hosted the annual Dads4Kids Fun Camp. As the name suggests, it’s all about dads and their kids camping together and having fun.

Listening to ‘Unplanned’ made my wife and I deeply grateful for Squish, and deeply grateful to her birth mother and father for staring down every challenge they faced to give this beautiful baby the gift of life.

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.

One day, I realised that these wonderful awakenings would not last forever. One of these wondrous leaps would be the last one, and it would never happen again.