Happy Father’s Day

You as a father have a lot of reasons to be happy. Each of your children gives you well over a million reasons. Add your wife and family as a total unit and you now have well over a billion reasons to be happy.

In the light of all this, being happy on Father’s Day should come easy to you. Could it get any better?

We know that we all have individual trials and difficulties. Paul the apostle talks about ‘momentary afflictions’ but if you are a father today, and your children are alive and well, you have to have a happy Father’s Day.

Let me put it another way. If you can’t be happy, how do you expect your children to be happy? You know what I keep telling you all the time: You are a love leader. Let me tell you something else: If you are a father, you are also your family’s happiness leader. Paul Lewis was right in saying, “A father’s words are like a thermostat that sets the temperature in the house”. Yes, that’s right. If the thermostat blows up, the temperature goes haywire.

Speaking personally, I have a lot of reasons to be happy this Father’s Day. You see, I have been hanging around a young dad who is absolutely madly in love with his kids and I am finding it totally inspirational.

Aaron Dickson is the 27 year old father behind the Best First Date video that has received 8.6 million views on YouTube and another 11 million views on video aggregators like FaithIt, BuzzFeed and GodVine. So I am hanging around a young father of two children who has touched almost 20 million people with the message of excellence in fathering. As I said last week, I am always willing to learn.

Love Your Children Video YouTube:

Last Thursday I was showing Aaron Dickson around the Opera House when I got a call from the editor of the Daily Mail. Melissa ‘discovered’ Aaron Dickson a few months ago like everyone else did when his video went viral. She had heard on the grape vine that he was in the country and wanted to do an interview. Dads4Kids brought him to inspire Australian fathers to love their children. Her story, both in word and picture form is without parallel.

One of the critics in the comments section gave the following assessment of Aaron’s words, “It’s all very sweet but come on, you have been a parent for three years – don’t start talking about “how to be a great parent” find a man with grown up children, and grandkids, maybe a couple who have fostered over the years – they could tell you how to be a great parents, not someone who’s had children for five minutes and think they know it all.”

Let me make some comments on our critic’s assessment. Firstly Aaron Dickson does not claim to know it all. I have been chauffeuring him around from interview to interview. He is one of the most teachable guys I have ever met. Any aspiring father has to be a continual learner to stay ahead of his growing progeny. Secondly I wish I had known as much as Aaron does when I was 27 years old, because if I had I would have been a lot better father than I was.

Thirdly, I have five grown children ranging from 33 to 21 years of age. Four are married and between them we have five grandchildren with a quadrillion to come. I am the guy the critic commentator wants to hear from, so let me, if I may, steal Aaron Dickson’s Top Daddy Tips. I promise not to tell him if you don’t.

Aaron Dickson’s advice is brilliant, but let’s just pretend you heard it from me first:

1. Slow down and pay attention to the details around you. Little kids are living in a dream world. They have big imaginations and want to be cherished.
2. We need to take time off from our devices and TV.
2. Pursue our kids’ interests and make sure they know they are worth our time.
3. Be creative, it doesn’t take money to spend time with our kids.
4. Tailor your time to the individual child – if they like climbing trees take them to the park etc
5.Transform areas of your home into exciting places like a palace or a boat. Little kids have vivid imaginations and dream big.

Lovework

If you can put Aaron’s words into action, you are a better man than I am. Mind you, that wouldn’t be hard. So I challenge you to accept Aaron Dickson’s advice and make his advice your own. If you do, I guarantee you will have a very happy Father’s Day and more importantly, your children will too.

Happy Father’s Day
Warwick Marsh

PS. Our goal has been to raise $25,000 by Father’s Day 2014. You have been part of raising $16,740 over the last few weeks. That means we have only $8,260 to go. How exciting!!

This is all about helping the children. Your donation, no matter how small or large really matters. Some people reading this newsletter could write out a cheque for $8,260 for our children and not miss it. For others a cheque of $100 could be a huge sacrifice.

Dads4Kids is asking for your sacrificial help for the children of Australia and the world. Our children need your help and they are worth it. Give Now.