Ten years ago, Hogan Hilling and Austin Dowd began collecting passionate, tender photos and eloquent, heartfelt comments from a diverse group of fathers from around the world. "Dadly Dads" showcases the good nature, wisdom and value of men in the lives of their children.

It happened so quickly, I barely noticed the change. But all of a sudden, our little bundle of joy needs to be disciplined. Every moment of the day, she is finding ways to test boundaries and assert her independence.

It’s the second law of thermodynamics and we use the term regularly in ordinary conversation. But what does entropy have to do with relationships? 

Dads, let’s look at positive habits we can pursue — 5 things to do that will help us be more affirming and encouraging for our kids and more peaceful with our exes and others.

Renewing our vows can be done as frequently as we choose; from the mundane routines to settings in the extreme. When we start to think this way, there must be thousands of opportunities for couples to renew their vows.

For the last two weeks, Squish has been surrounded by all four of her grandparents. It was the first time Squish had met my mum and dad, who flew in to the United States all the way from Australia.

An intentional marriage that is loving and affirming, is a powerful way to heal the wounds of insecure attachment. It’s one of the great graces of marriage as we grow in attachment to each other by providing consistent and responsive care.

Divorce is tough on kids, and different children respond in different ways. Of course, it’s tough on a dad too, but as much as possible, it’s best to be understanding, patient, and positive.

The phenomenon of eloping to avoid the drama and cost of a big event is not a new idea. What is new, is having the big event, but exchanging vows separately in a smaller, more intimate, ceremony.

Is it possible to be a great father as a single dad? The short answer is, “Absolutely!” However, since being a single parent brings a variety of outside factors and dynamics, we may have to take a slightly different approach.

Vows are not just words. Unlike a promise, which is typically made between people and may be private to them, a sacred vow is made to God, or before God as a witness. It is never totally private and carries accountability to the person (or people) to whom we made the vow and to God.

Dr Nielsen’s work at Wake Forest has concluded that women perform better in what they refer to as the 3Ms = Money, Men, and Mental Health, if the father-daughter relationship is strong.

One of the best things a dad can do for his kids is to love and respect their mother. A strong marriage creates security for the whole family, and it helps your kids thrive in significant ways.

Who are your marriage role models? The number of couples choosing to get married is plummeting. Good, solid marriages are less common than they used to be. Maybe YOUR marriage has been a role model for others – or maybe you would like to be.

We’ve heard it said many times – you probably have as well – it goes like this: “People live so much longer these days, it’s unreasonable to expect a marriage to last all their life.” Is it true?

Even if nurturing wasn’t a strength for your dad, you can learn from others, and pass it on to your kids. Men do feel, and we do nurture. Let’s just do it… now! With our arms, words, eyes and ears, we can give our kids the physical and verbal affirmation that lasts a lifetime.

I finally discovered my wife’s biggest turn-on. I must confess I’d never been a fan of Gary Chapman’s book "The 5 Love Languages" before this incident. Initially, the whole concept felt contrived. I wasn’t buying it. That is, until that moment in the kitchen...

My father returned from the war with ten quid in his pocket. He’d been flying Spitfires and Hurricanes over Europe and later in Burma. He was invalided out, worn out by what he’d seen and done.

Lorenz suggested that a baby’s cute features trigger a nurturing response in adults, encouraging them to care for and protect them. Research has confirmed Lorenz’s theory many times over in the decades since.

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.