We all need encouragement from time to time. Dads4Kids’ mission is to equip, encourage and inspire fathers; to strengthen and support families; to engage with community, church, business & government to see our children thrive.

When Judith Hogan from the Think On Good podcast contacted Dads4Kids late last year with an opportunity to encourage listeners and viewers, I was thankful for the chance to be interviewed.

The internet is brimming with content, but much of it is unhelpful, AI slop, or just downright depressing. Not Think on Good, ‘the starting place for the good change leading to healthy minds with practical exercises, local program information and evidence-proven therapies’, as their YouTube description explains.

Judi and her team are focused on sharing ‘authentic heart-to-heart stories in pursuit of conversations that improve and change lives for the better’. I was honoured to join her for episode 3 of the Think on Good program, “The Importance of Being Dad” – watch the 17-minute video below or listen to the podcast here.

As Judi says in her excellent opener:

According to worldwide statistics, the cost for a child growing up in a single-parent or blended household weighs in much more than dividing finances. Today, we find out what some of the impacts are, and how to support children from transition to adulthood.

One of the essentials for nurturing resilient and healthy minds is to encourage a consistent father-child relationship. While this is complex and not always possible, Dads4Kids offers resources that may help you turn sparse and seldom conversations into meaningful bonds.

Judi nails it, and as 2026 gets underway, my prayer is that you’re able to build stronger, more meaningful bonds with your children this year.

The challenges for us dads to build and maintain consistent relationships with our children are complex and can feel overwhelming. There’s limited time, stress, financial pressures, and competing commitments. For single dads, especially those fighting false allegations, just the opportunity to see one’s children can be a seemingly never-ending battle.

These past few weeks, I’ve been able to speak with several single dads. Sam* (*name changed to protect privacy) from Lithgow, New South Wales, has not seen his daughter in 8 months. Separated from his ex for over 10 years, he managed to survive the living hell that is Australia’s corrupt family court system. He was able to see his daughter semi-regularly up until recently, when some false allegations were made. Now, tragically, he’s stuck.

Sam works hard and is doing the best he can, but he has limited resources and is under significant financial pressure from Australian Government agencies. He faces a terrible choice of either going back to court (something to be avoided) or toughing it out and hoping things change.

I did my best to encourage Sam and will continue to uphold him in prayer. If you’re a praying person, please pray for single dads like Sam, too.

Another dad I spoke with this week is Toby Cusack from Gladstone in Queensland. Toby is a single dad and supporter of Dads4Kids who has survived his own dark days. He has now turned a corner, has re-partnered with a lovely lady, and is part of a wonderful church community.

Toby completed Dads4Kids’ Courageous Online Fathering Course in 2023 and hasn’t looked back. He’s an inspiring dad, a great communicator, and a bloke who is an amazing encourager to others. I’m hoping we’ll hear more from Toby in the coming months, but in the meantime, here’s an encouraging thought he shared with me this week:

If you can be a good dad, then you can be a better dad,
and if you can be a better dad, then you can be the best dad! — Toby Cusack

No matter what situation you find yourself in, for your children, your future, go all out and be the best dad you can be.

Lovework

Watch “The Importance of Being Dad” and be encouraged. Congratulate Judi Hogan and the Think On Good team for their fantastic initiative, creating content to help change lives for the better. Like and share their videos, and make sure you subscribe to the Think On Good YouTube Channel here. A lot of work goes into creating uplifting content, and the team from Think On Good need our support and encouragement as they continue to build.

Join Dads4Kids’ upcoming Courageous Online Fathering Course starting soon on 27 January 2026 – registrations close NEXT SUNDAY, 25 January! Commit to lasting, positive change for your family in 2026. If you’ve already completed the course, share this link with all the dads you know. Encourage other men to join with a great bunch of guys on Tuesday nights for ten weeks and be the best dads they can be!

Yours for being dad,
Nathaniel Marsh

PS: THANK YOU to those who continue to partner with us as we build men, grow fathers, and change generations. Dads4Kids would not exist without the generous support of our amazing donors. If you’re encouraged by our work and would like to see Dads4Kids start 2026 strong, please consider supporting us on a monthly basis or making a tax-deductible donation here.