Marriage gets a pretty bad rap these days. Celebrity bust-ups, high profile infidelity and a cohabitation takeover seem destined to put marriage into retirement. If it’s not already dead, it’s fast heading for extinction. Or so you might think. The truth is, despite these grim media representations, marriage is still rather popular. Weddings are at an all-time high and divorce has been in a steady decline (albeit slow) from its high of ...

Men are killing themselves in record numbers, yet we refuse to talk about it. Men achieve all that they are told will satisfy them, and yet they can not see enough joy and hope in life to keep going. It is time to speak up and stop this silent epidemic of death against men and their families. 13 months ago I wrote a post on this website about dads who kill ...

What’s the Difference Between Respect and Cherishment? While everyone experiences love uniquely, some clear gender patterns have emerged through relationship research. In one study, when given the option between the negative choices of being ‘alone and unloved in all the world’ or ‘inadequate and disrespected by everyone’, 74% of men preferred being alone and unloved, compared to only a minority of women.* Further enquiry suggests that this gender pattern is relevant ...

Other than headlining Hollywood blockbusters, Denzel Washington is also a sharp, and gifted public speaker. Staying true to the latter, Washington delivered a 30min address during this year’s Better Man event in Orlando, Florida.   The John Wayne Formula In a sit-down interview with the Reverend A. R Bernard, Washington talked about the meaning of manhood in today’s world, and how faith takes centre stage in his life. Addressing the Better Man ...

Do you have the right skills to resolve the conflicts in your life? In this podcast episode, Brian Noble shares a simple but powerful 4-step process to resolving conflicts. Resolving Conflict Podcast What do you do when you find yourself in conflict with someone, either personally or within or part of an organisation? How do you resolve conflict properly so that it doesn’t come up again? And can I resolve conflict ...

Are you skilled at resolving conflict where there are multiple personalities and vested interests? Real men need to be peacemakers. Listen in episode 11 to expert Brian Noble on how to resolve conflict in a group setting. Resolving Conflict In A Group Setting Do you have the skills to resolve conflict at work, in your church, or in committees or other groups? How can you stop tension from becoming outright conflict? ...

Can you be overly protective of your wife and kids? How do you walk the balance between care and responsibility? That is the topic of Real Talk 4 Real Men episode #27. Are you confident that you are preparing your young adults well for handling the responsibilities that come with adulthood? Have you prepared your wife to be able to live well without you, should you suddenly be taken off this ...

Not all TV dads are the same. Take examples like Tim Allen’s sharp-witted Mike Baxter, and contrast him with Matt Groening’s, feckless Homer Simpson. Forget for a moment that we’re talking about cartoon vs. human. In any greatest-dad-of-all-time celebrity boxing match, we know Baxter would win. The outdoor man vs. the “Duff” guzzling, obese, inattentive, drooling, lounge lizard. A father with strength, humility, and a no-nonsense embrace of free speech, up ...

“As iron sharpens iron so does the face of a man’s friend,” is a saying from the book of Proverbs. It really sums up the mysterious masculine healing power that is released when men gather together for a noble purpose. I have experienced this mysterious force in men’s gatherings at so many different levels and in so many different ways, for the last 40 years. I just love it when men ...

Back by popular demand, Darren Lewis shares the 5 essentials for guiding your sons into authentic manhood. How can a 29-year-old male be married and have 3 kids, and only then discover that he wasn’t really a man? That was the experience of former Queensland Father of the Year and founder of Fathering Adventures, Darren Lewis. Darren realised he had no vision for manhood, fatherhood and husbandhood. What we cannot define, ...

Today is Anzac Day, 25th April. The most holy day in the Australian calendar. It is a day when we remember the men who gave their lives for us all, that we might walk in freedom. Dawn Remembrance Services are held across the nation.  This phrase from the Bible is repeated ten thousand times, if not more, in these dawn gatherings: “Greater love has no man than this that he lay ...

Ian Grant, the author of Fathers Who Dare Win, is a world-recognised speaker and founder of New Zealand’s Parents Inc. He is and has been a ground-breaking pioneer in the International Men’s movement To give you further food for thought, I have reprinted below Ian Grant’s hard-hitting article called “Let’s Give Fatherhood a Better Name.” Like coming out of a painful nightmare, suddenly our society has woken up to how important ...

When all hope is lost and you are at the end of your rope, whom do you call? Until recently, you could call Eric Trezise (1930-2021), friend of the friendless and hope for the hopeless. Sadly, Eric passed from this life to the next recently, at 91 years of age. I first met Eric Trezise at the Dads4Kids Fatherhood Forum in Parliament House, Canberra in 2005. Tony Miller, founder of Dads ...

Elbert Hubbard said, “Do not take life too seriously, you will never get out of it alive.” Victor Borge said, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” Comedian and counsellor JP Sears put the above advice into practice in his brilliant YouTube video called “Man Scripts — How to Never Get in Trouble with Her Again”. These scripts will put a smile on your face and a laugh in your ...

Ian ‘Watto’ Watson said, “I have never seen a bloke go backwards with encouragement.” Ian Watson spoke at the very first Men’s Leadership Summit at Paluma Range, north of Townsville, in 2013. Sadly, Ian passed away in 2019. The good news is that he left a massive legacy of encouragement for men the world over.   Rhonda McKenzie, Ian Watson’s niece, said this about him at his memorial service in a ...

Several years ago, on International Men’s Day, Canberra’s ABC radio station rang me up and wanted to do an interview in Drive Time. I was happy to do it, until I found out my interviewer was a lady. Not that I have anything against the ladies, but ABC women (and many of the men) are noted for their bias against the male of the species. However, I am always up for ...

It is now ten days since International Men’s Day. The good news and the bad news just keep coming in. It is all very humbling. At times it is hard not to shed a tear. This bit of sad (bad) news contained in the letter below highlights why the team at Dads4Kids do what we do, and why we so greatly appreciate your support. I will let Jonathan share his story. ...

Dr Alex George has shared a heartfelt post in honour of his dad, Anthony, to mark International Men’s Day. The TV star, 30 years old, took to Instagram to mark the occasion and also urged his followers to check in on their male friends’ mental health. Alongside a selfie of himself with his retired police officer father, Alex wrote: “I am super proud of you Dad, you are always there for ...

In the early sixties, President John F. Kennedy said, “We need men who can dream of things that never were.” His words are still true today, as 92.8% of those who patent new inventions worldwide are men. Yes, the world still needs men today just as much as it ever did. Sadly, we live in an age where manhood is attacked publicly. It grieves me to say this, but to be ...

Robert Falzon, a good friend of mine in the men’s movement, asked me to contribute a chapter to his new book called Raising Fathers: Fathering from the Frontline — 12 Men’s Stories. Here is an excerpt from my contribution. It was a fine weather Sunday in this small resort town. The café was full of people having their lunch. No one seemed to recall seeing the young man with blonde hair ...