Feed, change, bathe, rock, clean, repeat – endurance is part of the paternal deal. That old “it’s a marathon not a sprint” adage doesn’t really cut it for parenting. It’s more like an extreme triathalon performed on your knees.
Fatherhood requires you to reconcile yourself with a particular kind of monotony. Whether pacing the yard at 3.30am trying to rock your baby to sleep or having to read Spot’s Day Out for the 23rd night straight, there is a relentlessness to being a dad.
Yes, it’s 100 per cent worth it, of course. But sometimes you need an inspirational hit of dopamine to keep you going. That’s why we’ve selected four TED talks to boost your spirits. After all, bedtime is coming and Spot’s Day Out won’t read itself.
How do you truly connect with your kids? Struggling in the wake of divorce, Dwight Stitt was determined to maintain strong bonds with his children. The tactics he reveals will keep all dads connected to their kids – whether or not they’re divorced.
Glen Henry got his superpowers through fatherhood. After leaving behind a job he hated and a manager he didn’t get along with, he went to work for an equally demanding boss: his kids. Here’s what he’s learned.
“All parenting turns on a crucial question: to what extent should parents accept their children for who they are, and to what extent they should help them become their best selves.” That’s a question writer Andrew Solomons asks in his brilliant book, Far From The Tree, that explores what he learnt talking to dozens of parents about the line between unconditional love and unconditional acceptance.
One in 10 new dads experience post-natal depression. Mark Williams shares his experience and why dads must start to look after their mental health in order to look after their families.