Father’s Day in New Zealand is a special day to recognise and celebrate the role fathers play in our life. Whether it’s your Dad, step-Dad, foster Dad or just…
This activity is inspired by a session I ran with my afterschool art class. The kids were aged 8 to 13 and they had a wonderful time exploring…
Dads have a special and important role in their children’s lives. Children are lucky if they have a dad who is involved in their lives, who knows their…
We know that all Dad really wants for Father’s Day, is a lie in with a newspaper and a cuppa. It’s always nice to get Dad a little…
There’s some absolute truth about fatherhood in the modern age that I’ve discovered. In fact, there are 12 actual truths. Share them with every Dad you know.
I have always been taught to tell the truth so here it is… I have kids. Three of them actually – so that makes me a ‘Dad’ -…
Charlie can whistle now. He worked it out on his own, more or less. One day, quite by mistake, out came a toot tweet, and he giggled, Hey!…
Just over 2 years ago, I became a single dad with shared care of my then 1-year-old daughter. My journey to parenting in ‘1 Player mode’, as I call…
It’s not that there’s a greater number of us – still just the three – but at least one of us is growing. Of course, we remember the…
I don’t know whether it’s cliché or a snippet out of a self-help seminar welcome packet, but lately every day feels like a celebration.
There’s no telling some people how much parenthood will change you. My little boy is four years old now, and in this time with him – we spend…
This year will be my fourth Father’s Day as a dad and my fortieth as a son. My son, affectionately named “Noodle” in my public writings, is only…
It’s the weekend between two long weeks of school holidays. It might be time for dad to take the kids for a day (or part day) if mum…
When the children’s father no longer lives with you it’s easy to excuse anything to help you forget the man who they call “Dad”. Most divorced parents resent…
Newborns come in all shapes and sizes… and they all have the same basic needs. Milk, burps, nappy changes, and sleep are the common ones. They also need…
When heavily pregnant with your first baby, you can often begin to feel rather swamped with peoples’ remarks regarding the pending sleep deprivation which is going to beset…
These days, when we take on the role of motherhood, the majority of us sacrifice ‘fulfilling our own full potential’ in almost every other avenue of our lives.…
Fathers… It is fifteen years since my father passed away, just six weeks after our first son was born. My husband John’s father passed way before he was…
I think my 14 year old son is very lucky. Lucky because he has just spent the first week of his school holidays with his Grandparents. Now, I…
For the second time in recent years my children have unwittingly lead me on a journey back in time. And what a very pleasant and fun filled journey…
We’ve been a lucky family when it comes to grief and dealing with death in the family. My children have both sets of grandparents to provide all the…
Our 9 year old daughter had a sobering message on the drive home from school the other day. It went something like this, “we have to start doing…
Every so often the age range of our children creates little dilemmas – and Christmas is one of those times! Remember we’re the ones with a teenager, a…
So what does a Super Dad write about for his first parenting article? Having just assumed this mantle I find that the pressure is now on. Out of…
It’s been an adventurous couple of months in the Leishman household as we reached the culmination of a number of years of planning to take off on a…
Mark Leishman’s had a long and varied career as a New Zealand radio and TV broadcaster. Here’s his ten top tips for developing respect and assertiveness in our…
I always remember a pop song of the early 60s. I would have been about six years old but the song was called My Dad by Paul Peterson…
It’s the age old parent’s fear and dilemma. When to tell your child the facts of life? My tuppence worth. Do it earlier than you think advisable, and…
When parents are faced with the prospect of homework for the first time, it can be a little daunting. And it’s not always that obvious how you can…
It is a generalisation, but it can be very hard to get a man to address any health concerns early on. The attitude of ‘she’ll be right’ seems…
Isn’t it fantastic the way schools these days are placing so much emphasis on Anzac Day and New Zealand’s involvement in the World Wars. It seems to me…
The nightly ritual when I get home from work is probably mirrored by many Dads around the country. In the door, take a breath and then it’s the…
Here’s a reality check and it’s courtesy of my good friend Jim Mora (he was the warm, witty voice of Wonder Dogs)- Jim’s afternoon radio show on National Radio…
Christmas has come and gone and the exhaustion after rushing around to get everything tidied up before the end of the year has abated. I am always amazed…
Mark Leishman share his thoughts on being an older parent.