As institutions adopt new cultural norms, parents can no longer outsource character formation. The home, not the system, is now the decisive arena shaping strong, resilient sons and daughters.

From classic cinema to Olympic ice rinks, this reflection explores love as a dance—dynamic, disciplined and beautiful—inviting husbands and fathers to lead with strength, joy and devotion.

Fatherhood matters more than ever. In a culture confusing boys about identity and purpose, dads are called to lead with love, strength, and intentional guidance to help sons grow into grounded, resilient men.

Stepfathers play a vital role in modern blended families, offering stability, guidance, and support. With patience, empathy, and thoughtful strategies, they can build trust, strengthen relationships, and foster lasting family harmony.

Through consistent love and the support of other wise men, single dads can walk in confidence and leave an impact that lasts generations. Here are five essential principles—three “do’s” and two “don’ts”—that can help single fathers navigate this important calling.

Words have power, especially when it comes to parenting. Used with thoughtful intention, words can build up and create. Used carelessly or worse, recklessly, they can tear down and destroy. One word that seems to have gone out of fashion is the ‘D’ word, Discipline.

Billy Graham once said, “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets of our society.” That’s especially true of single fathers.

When it comes to the election of Australia’s political leaders, be informed and get involved as much as possible. After all, to quote writer Brian Smith, ‘strong families are an amazing antidote to overreacting governments.’

Every father wants to be a hero in his son’s eyes. Every father dreams of leaving a lasting impact, of being the guiding force that shapes his son into a confident, capable leader. This program is an invitation to intentionally invest in your relationship with your son in a way that will echo for generations.

Though I have gained many insights into working with single fathers over the past 16 years, here are some that I consider to be the most foundational. I believe these five principles — three “Do’s” and two “Don’ts” — will prove successful in your parenting.

I believe if you have children, there’s not a more important leadership role for a man than being a father. Applying my leadership skills to being the best dad I could be to Ben and Emily helped me in return.

Masculine men are the very thing we need — now more than ever in the battle of traditionalism versus progressivism. Though the media has attacked the vital value of gender itself, we know they’re wrong. We know male and female is how we’re made.

Courage. It transforms everyday people into unlikely superheroes. We have an amazing 10-week online course for dads called Courageous, starting Tuesday 3 October.

A South Australian dad has put himself between danger and his daughter, after the curious toddler encountered a deadly Eastern Brown Snake. Noticing she’d become distracted by something in the hallway, Jake Coombe used his body to shield her. The father who lives with his family on an acreage told The Advertiser they’d just returned from holiday. “Alba was carrying a fishing reel, and I saw her drop it, to run for ...

The culture of your family will be based on 3 things: What you allow What you don’t allow What you demonstrate/how you live your life I know what you’re thinking: that is way too simple, and way too obvious. Yes! Just the way I like things. At least when things are simple, I can pretend to understand most of them. Although these 3 elements are simple and seem obvious, the number ...

As a parent, you have to be able to lead family discussions with a listening ear, respecting each family member’s point of view. From the diversity of opinions, in love you can forge a united course of action. Sincere agreement is vital for harmony and effectiveness. Many years ago, Dads4Kids convened Australia’s first-ever Fathering Forum in Federal Parliament in Canberra. Almost 30 different groups were represented. The one thing each group ...

Ahhh… reminiscing. Remember when your first child was born, and you held that precious bundle of possibility? Remember the emotions that welled up inside, the pride and joy of this beautiful new life? The thoughts that passed through your mind that you really weren’t sure what to do, because this brand new baby was completely reliant upon you. But at the same time, the dreams you had for him/her you were ...

Queen Elizabeth II is a wonderful role model for strong and steady leadership. Her life bears lessons for all parents, who must lead their families. If you are like me, you will have been staggered by how many people loved the Queen. I have always admired the Queen’s leadership, humility, faith, courage, and commitment. I thought I was one of very few, but it turns out I am one of billions. ...

It’s become one of the major focuses for business in the last few years. Sports teams are constantly talking about it and whenever there are issues in society, it becomes a major focus. So what about the family? The basic building block of a strong society? It’s interesting that the majority of us have never given it a second thought. It is possible to have the family you want — the ...

Why does it seem so hard sometimes to have peace in the house? I have struggled many times over this. We pray every day, try to organise the day and set the course — that is, we the parents. As a father, the head of the household, I should be steering the ship on the course I think we are going — why do we hit so many rocks? We used ...