My heart lifts when I see my daughters cradled in healthy conversations with my parenting helpers.

On the school day my children leave my care, I will drop an “I love you” note into their lunch box or a quirky gift from the two-dollar shop.

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?

People like Joe are the inspirational reminder to stay simple when giving a sense of worth to my daughters in our precious moments of connection.

Six-packs of business socks were on special a few days ago at Aldi. If they weren’t one short of a week’s worth, I might have racked them up at the till. In my momentary contemplation of snappy-coloured toe and heel, a fellow shopper spontaneously announced a thought to me – “Perfect for Father’s Day!” She tossed the socks into her bag and trollied off, seemingly content that her Father’s Day obligation ...

The collective noun for clowns is a pratfall, and it makes no sense that you can have a rout of snails. Snails could as much create a rout as my kids would volunteer that they have homework. And, you might think that the rush of students on the three o’clock bell might be a whoop, given the ecstatic noise. However, chimpanzees had first dibs on whoop, and so I am swarmed ...

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 ...

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 ...

There is little surprise in seeing mums and dads flying with their kids during school holidays to an away-from-home location. Families are drawn to rekindle their connection with interstate or overseas relatives, or seek out the novelty of far-off theme parks or the adventure of a distant national park. Among the happy-joy-joy of chirpy aeroplane passengers are uneasy, fretful youngsters who are assigned to the back of the plane as unaccompanied ...

My together time with my daughters makes three people. When we are together, each of us brings our own measure of joy, mellowness, sanity, sorrow, silliness, delight, curiosity, affection, wonder and all the other hurdy-gurdy of emotions. Even though I try to have my dad radar tuned in to the emotions of two daughters, sometimes it can be a tough read. Tuning in and applying the right combination of daddy empathy ...

Soccer played by eight-year-old girls is enormously entertaining to watch. The entertainment is fuller when I view the game as an umpire and, best of all, as the dad of a player. I suppose it doesn’t matter what the sport is; looking on with pride and delight is a grand thrill. My daughter isn’t in my care after school on the Thursday that the games are played. Most often, she is ...

My dearest friends have sometimes explained that I can be stubborn. My children smile with a knowing look as if to agree. My counter view is that I am resolute. “Dogmatic!” offer the other parties. I claim steadfast. They say “staunch”, and I say “determined.” When things are important to me, I will hold to them tightly. I do this especially with my parenting. I often have a sense of being ...

A number of years ago, I spent five round-the-world trips on a lawyer to represent my case to be a present dad in my children’s growing up. I could sensibly calculate that separation would force the divvying up of my children’s time between parents, but I was determined to protect as much of it as I could, because I believe my children and I need time to maintain our strong, wholehearted ...

I look on at Dave being an unconventional single dad. While I don’t really know him, he looks to be a caricature of Hollywood stereotypes. This parenting style means that he is habitually bumbling, make-it-up-as-you-go and must-keep-them-happy. Mostly, he is comically entertaining for his lackadaisical approach to his dad status. Lackadaisical means Dave might give a whimsical shrug of his shoulders when his three boys concoct trouble that only a Disney ...

Channing Tatum might be a lot of things on screen. Off-screen he’s a single dad, and the best-selling author of three children’s books. All three kids’ books were inspired by Tatum’s relationship with his own daughter, Everly. Central to the storyline is Ella (aka Sparkella), who, with the help of her dad, learns the value of acts like how to combat peer pressure, having patience, and telling the truth. Life Lessons ...

John is a parent at my daughters’ school. He is an affable dad, but affable is not enough permission for me to throw a hug on him as I make my way to the parent holding bay to wait for the 3:00 pm school bell. He doesn’t give off a hug vibe. I think that handshakes are more of John’s territory. To set the scene, John and I had been emailing ...

Back in school times, I felt the awkwardness of being one of four students in the mix of eighty school leavers not dolled up in black dinner suits or tuxedos. From the daggy surround of Mum and Dad’s brown Datsun 280B, I scanned the crisp black and white of young men and the sharp colours of gorgeous dresses delicately draped on girls. Back then, I craved the safety of mimicking the ...

Ironically, my marriage ended as it should have begun. After lodging divorce papers the other day, I ambled out of the court offices into Salamanca Place. I deliberately slowed my pace to the steady step of a bridal march in order to soak in the soft morning sun. The sun’s glow wrapped an embrace of blanketing cheer that warmed my sombre mood. Fifteen years earlier, wedding day rain was a disappointing ...

My two earthly angels are spirited souls. Some of their spirit erupts spontaneously from joy spilling out of a moment where our awesome is in sync. This afternoon was a classic. Now, I appreciate that at 2:59 pm my daughters’ energy levels are spent. Their reserve tank is down to fumes. Yet, the 3:00 pm end-of-school alarm triggers some primal force, and the tapped-out slump converts swiftly to a frenzied push ...

I send out a warm Mother’s Day wish for my mum to be blessed with genuine pride in having raised three awesome men. I admire the example of care she set in her nursing work, especially with the elderly. I saw Mum argue the case for patients to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect when the frailty of the aged patients prevented them from advocating for themselves. I hold ...