I am grateful for being able to say my well-felt “I love you”, but what of saying the same when I am waiting for my daughters to be in my care?

I was checking emails on my phone the other day when, out of nowhere, something swooped by at lightning speed and ripped it out of my hands. They were so fast, I didn’t even see who it was.

Whether new to the dad guild or a veteran dad-lifer, blunt affirmations offer sharp relief. Telling ourselves objective truths keeps us fit for the fight.

I find myself huffing in annoyance when sorting out his attempt to pack the dishwasher. He has seemingly not calculated the maximised available space-to-ickiness-of-surface ratio.

First things first: Happy Father’s Day! It’s an honour to be communicating with you on this most important and special day. Whether you’re a father of younger or older kids, a grandfather, or a father figure to some precious people in your life, our prayer here at Dads4Kids is that you have a blessed Father’s Day with family and friends. Secondly, the first-ever TV documentary on the Dads4Kids Men’s Leadership Summit, ...

My wife and I are in the process of adopting a baby girl, known affectionately as ‘Squish’ here at the Daily Dad until her adoption is finalised. I am now writing a weekly column as we learn the ins and outs of parenting a newborn, and as we navigate the joys and challenges of adoption. Enjoy this week’s edition of ‘The Adventures of Squish’. The Most Important Meal of the Day ...

Before I had kids, I would have known exactly how to deal with this situation: Jack, my 2-year-old son, is crying for reasons known only to himself as we make our way through Woolworths. Tyson, my 3 1/2-year-old, is good as gold… until we reach the cleaning aisle, of all places. Ignoring Jack’s tears as best I can, I put a box of OMO laundry powder in the trolley. That was ...

Today, we are excited to give you the first glimpse of our new Dads4Kids Father’s Day Community Service Announcement/TV adverts. Richard Attieh and his team at the Australian Television & Media Group have done a great job. See it below. We expect Channel 7 Metro and the regional stations which broadcast 7, 9 & 10 to get behind it. Hopefully, Channel 9 will do the same. Sadly, Channel 10 Metro is ...

In recent weeks, I’ve shared a few anecdotes about our newly adopted baby. She’s known as ‘Squish’ here at the Daily Dad until her adoption is finalised. I am now writing a weekly column as my wife Angie and I learn the ins and outs of parenting a newborn, and as we navigate the joys and challenges of adoption. Here is this week’s edition of ‘The Adventures of Squish’. We Don’t See Miracles Every ...

One of our readers, Joelle from Colorado, shared a photo of her son Chase looking very upset.  The reason?  Joelle wouldn’t paint his nails purple. It all went wrong for me recently when my son Jono was unable to carry each of the seven cars he had carefully selected for the four-minute drive to pick up his big sisters from school. He wouldn’t let me carry any, and he wouldn’t leave ...

Last week, I told the origins story of our newly adopted baby. She’s known as ‘Squish’ here at the Daily Dad until her adoption is finalised. I plan to write a weekly column as my wife Angie and I learn the ins and outs of parenting a newborn, and as we navigate the joys and challenges of adoption. Here is this week’s edition of ‘The Adventures of Squish’. Nothing Prepared Me ...

What is the measure of a dad’s relationship with his daughters? My left brain ponders that “I have a 9 out of 10 relationship”, but I am hardly going to say that aloud, as I would sound more analytical than heartfelt. The essence of being a dad that radiates from a deep, heartfelt core doesn’t know the words, because words will fall short of my love for my daughters and the ...

A Mum Daily reader and new mum wrote to me: “I have to admit, no one can tell you what its like to be a new mum until you’ve been there. I had no idea. I have a dream baby, who only fusses when there is something wrong like hunger and gas. But it’s just this weird loss of identity and lonely feeling that I didn’t expect to feel.” Watching this ...

Last night, some scratchy static in my dad subconscious alerted me to go about being a dad with extra care and gentleness. Most parents know of our children’s delicate talent for beckoning us to attention with tantrums, yelled commands and rushing tears. Other times, there is no trumpet that alerts a parent to go softly. I know that the parenting cues can be miniscule. You are forgiven for missing them, and ...

Recently, we met some friends at a local area at Mermaid Beach called “The Marketta”. I had never been there before; Kylie had been a few times. We won’t take that any further… Anyway, it’s a fun place in an old industrial area, that has been outfitted with slightly alternative-style clothing and craft shops, and stalls with food from various countries and cultures around the world. Personally, I love culture and ...

Mankind is so blessed to have the gift of music. The world would be a much sadder place without music, and I believe Walter Savage Landor was spot on when he wrote, ‘Music is God’s gift to man.’ Thanks to my parents (Dads4Kids founders Warwick & Alison Marsh), my siblings and I were all very blessed to be exposed to, and learn via private tuition, music from a young age. While ...

A recent study has found that couples without kids are much happier in their marriage than those with kids. Should I be worried? Thankfully, the same study showed that mums were happiest of all, but dads were amongst the unhappiest — perhaps because of the strain parenting has put on their marriage. Nothing can really prepare you for how much life changes after your baby arrives: sleepless nights, the relentless advice ...

“No generation knows better than ours the terrible consequences of growing up without a father. Fatherless boys are far more likely to grow up and commit violent crime, mistreat women, and act out against society in every other way. Girls who do not have a father to honour — and, hopefully, to love as well — are more likely to seek the wrong men and to be promiscuous at an early ...

The goal of Christian homeschooling is to equip kids with a holistic thinking toolbox. This requires some form of structure and a ton of nurturing. The best educational outcomes are achieved by utilising what is known as transdisciplinary learning. This is, explains Polytechnic, ‘the integration of knowledge into some meaningful whole.’ Home educators are not raising specialists in a given field (narrow disciplinary learning). The same can be said about insulated ...

I am troubled by an epic first-world problem that a friend has just shared. The plane she was in had been stalled on the runway. While the plane was parked, the steamy, restricted space of a cramped cabin gradually created an uncomfortable balminess. Overhead were three air vents, no doubt installed to puff a cool breeziness onto each of the three seats below. My friend, seated on the aisle, reached up ...