This Sunday we celebrate the dads in our world with Father’s Day creating an occasion for families to come together and recognise the influence that our papas have played in our lives.

Father’s Day can sometimes be a sad occasion for some, particularly if your dad has died or was absent in your life – and I fully recognise that many are not as lucky as me – but in my world, good men probably don’t get as much credit as they deserve.

It can be easy to see or hear the negative stories in the world when it comes to men, especially around family violence, crime and gender-bias, and for many readers of this column, some may accuse me of a bias.

But I have been blessed with great men in my life.

I idolised my dad from a young age, and would often be his shadow around the home and sporting fields. 

The fact that I learnt how to operate a cricket wicket roller from a young age was a tell-tale sign that I spent far too much time at the local cricket club due to dad’s involvement.

I reckon I was the only teenage girl in the district who could fill out a manual cricket scoresheet, as dad played cricket in C-grade until as long as he could roll over his arm.

Dad’s love of cricket, AFL and horse racing was passed onto all four of his children, and we have him to blame for being long-suffering Collingwood supporters.

But, for me, the highlight of being his child was having my own daughter and watching him as a grandfather.

His face lights up every time he sees her, and it’s been a delight to witness their relationship first-hand.

As a grandfather, dad is very active in how he interacts with his granddaughter, often participating in playing, games, and drawing with her.

It aligns with new findings from the 2026 LEGO ‘Little Years, Big Impact’ Report showing that Australian fathers are more involved than ever before, despite increasing pressures on their time.

While the study focused on dads, rather than grandparents, it showed 60 per cent of parents say dads are more involved in play than previous generations; and 62 per cent of fathers play with their children several times a week.

Dad often says he has more time now to be more active with the children in his life, but I also think he has softened in his old age.

It is also a reflection on society – a sign of the shift in the sharing of primary care and the expectation of families.

Speaking of good men, my husband takes on a lot more of the caring of our children and household duties than I ever saw my dad do when I was younger.

He was very hands-on since the day our children were born, and we definitely take a 50-50 responsibility in parenting.

It’s funny to think that many current-day dads are taking their cues from the cartoon show Bluey, where the dad Bandit is one of the all-time great models when it comes to play.

He is always playing with his two daughters Bluey and Bingo, and to be honest, looks like he is having just as much fun.

So, let’s all take a leaf out of Bandit’s book and be more active, present and enjoy the time we have with our children and grandchildren.

Happy Father’s Day to all our readers who have, or still do, play such an important role in our lives – may we appreciate and celebrate them.

The entire September 2, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!