New article from The Dad Dude It was twenty years ago today. With my back to the cold, roaring Atlantic, she walked the beach pathway towards me. “Fields of Barley” played amidst the squawking seagulls. (The word “barley” had special meaning for us—we were about to honeymoon in Bali.) I wept as she approached, vividly aware that of all the men... Read More The post Being Married to Julie, I am the Luckiest Man Alive. appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude My favourite person in the world, Julie Williams and I parent five kids between 9 and 15. We both work full-time, so it’s full on. Often enough, a woman grabs a coffee with her to get advice. They may be struggling with their one or two children, and assume that she, with so many in... Read More The post Being a Parent is Really, Really Hard appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude Mostly, my kids are exceptional learners. People ask Julie and I what we as parents have done to help them achieve like they have.  Honestly, we haven’t done much. Except this—we have passed onto them a hunger for learning and a confidence that they can.  Here’s four tips to help you do the same for... Read More The post 4 Ways to Teach Your Kids or Teens a Passion for Learning appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude Yesterday evening I was on a boat with a friend who told me that when he was 12 his father asked him why, though he was as smart as his brother, he didn’t apply himself as much at school. He answered his dad: “I could do as well as my father, but I would have... Read More The post Help Your Child Find Their Motivation appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude Happy Father’s Day—here’s sage advice for parents on Groundhog Day.  The parenting task on any given day can be so repetitive and mundane—like the tedious day in the movie Groundhog Day—that we lose our wonder and alertness in it all. (Relief! You may have thought I was going to compare a father to a groundhog.)... Read More The post Happy Father’s Day—Here’s Sage Advice For Parents On Groundhog Day  appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude An open letter to our brothers, fathers, and sons. (As I gear up to be a panelist on the “Expresso Morning Show” this Monday 13 June on the subject of mental health in fathers, I thought I’d repost this article, which I recently wrote for www.manbox.co.za.) Whilst our world is facing immense challenges on every... Read More The post Men We Need To Talk appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude Happy Mother’s Day, Julie—Enjoy the next weeks in a French Mt. chalet on your own. Talk about the 11th hour! Julie managed to get her Visa at 1:50pm yesterday. An hour later she was at Cape Town International—in fulfillment of a dream born a decade before, when she’d said to me, “When I turn 40,... Read More The post Happy Mother’s Day, Julie—Enjoy The Next Weeks In A French Mt. Chalet On Your Own appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude This article is by my co-blogger Julie, with whom I have at least five things (humans, actually) in common. While the global pandemic isn’t officially over yet, most of us (and our kids) have had to launch out of lockdown and hit the ground running again – this time, with masks on. While these masks... Read More The post Unmasking Big Emotions in Little (and Grown-up) People appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude Do you have a teen? If so, and they’ve driven you up the wall and back again – perhaps it’s time to take a closer look inside your teen’s brain… If you ask parents of teens to describe the teenage years, words like crazy, confusing, frustrating, scary, and out of control often crop up. Vibrant... Read More The post WHAT’S GOING ON INSIDE YOUR TEEN’S BRAIN? appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more

New article from The Dad Dude Here’s the six best gifts my dad left me In this post, I pay tribute to Allan Mullins, my second dad and the proud grandad of my five children. I hope to gift you with some of the remarkable and priceless gems he gave me through his wisdom and character. As hundreds of people who... Read More The post The Six Best Gifts My Dad Left Me appeared first on The Dad Dude ..read more