Category / lead yourself

The Gift of Less: Minimalism and Mini-me’s

My wife and guest-blogger, Julie starts off the Dad Dude blog in 2019 with some potent ideas about the gift of less. Before I hand over, if you’re wondering about this pic, that’s one of our twins, Charlie, asleep amidst the chaos a year ago. Enter Julie… THE GIFT OF LESS I remember when I…

Tag: minimalism

Something Brighter Than A Screen

I have stumbled across something brighter than a screen. Two nights ago, after the second family movie night in just three days (it’s school holidays) ended in exhaustion-related meltdowns in my youngest kids, Eli (10) and Fynn (8) my oldest kids made some recommendations: Eli: ‘Dad, we like movies and all. But I think we…

Tag: family-habits, kids-and-screens, time

The Dad Who Nearly Lost His Child And How It Changed His Parenting

The Dad Who Nearly Lost His Child And How It Changed His Parenting Two weeks ago a freshly focused father had come to hear me speak to a bunch of fathers about being a better dad to our kids. He was on the edge of his seat, taking notes. In a very interactive way, I covered…

Tag: time

Eat, Move, Sleep and 3 Other Daily Keys to Becoming A Healthier Family.

How does a family become healthier every single day? By that I mean cultivating the all-round wholeness of interpersonal connection, of body, of mind and of soul. There is something about the pace and busyness of life nowadays that mitigates against healthiness in families. So many of us have forgotten that pursuing achievement (such as…

Tag: exercise, family-habits, food, health

6 Myths That Cause Us To Spend Less Time With Our Kids

‘My dad was a ghost in my home.’ These are the haunting words of a young father I chatted to a few weeks ago. I met him as we watched our little kids at a restaurant’s play-section. He was on holiday and it was my day off. Julie was drinking a flat white nearby, and…

Tag: time

Rehumanize 101 – How Excluding Others Slowly Kills You Both

We have never been more polarized as a society. It’s not just South Africa, it’s the DSA (Divided States of America), it’s the whole world. Whipped up emotions and more vocal than ever, we all tend to be part of the problem. And social media allows each of us to vent our views and frustrations….

Tag: south-africa

3 Selfish Reasons To Have Kids

Are you thinking about whether you will have kids? Or maybe of having or adopting another one? Maybe you’re a parent in the trenches of two-year-old tantrums or tween eye rolls and you’re struggling to see the positive side… Since having our own kids, I’ve come to realize how many people think parenting is an unfortunate or…

Tag: happiness, why-have-kids

Parenting And The Myth Of Happiness

Tonight was one of those family dinners that just doesn’t go according to plan. “Mom! What is wrong with these carrots? Don’t you care about my food!?” “I don’t like chicken anymore.” “Dad! Charlie just poured his juice all over his food!” “You’re sitting on my chair! Off. My. Chair!!!” As I poured juice and peas down…

Tag: happiness, parenting-is-hard

10 Daily Habits To Transform Your Family This Year

One of the most shocking facts us working parents of younger kids have to face is this: for most days of the year, we have just 3 hours with them. That’s an 8th of every 24 hours. And that’s if you’re lucky. Time-sharing your kids with an ex, or traveling everyday to and from distant work, will cost…

Tag: family-habits

How To Not Waste Your Family Holiday: 12 Top Tips To Make A Good One Great

A family holiday tends to be far too short, and come around far too seldom, for us to blow it through a lack of thoughtfulness and intentionality. That’s why I wrote this blog. To help us parents make good family holidays even better. This subject is top of my mind at the moment. Julie and I, and our…

Tag: family-holidays

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