Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n My girls are two and three so we\u2019re well and truly in our Bluey era.<\/p>\n The most effective way for kids to learn is by observing the behaviour we model for them. Kids watch, copy and absorb what us adults do and say (that\u2019s why we can\u2019t really get mad at them after their first swear word).<\/p>\n But I\u2019m here to say that modelling works for adults too, because observing how you navigate dad life has been a masterclass for a new dad like me.<\/p>\n Here are three things I love about you as a dad, Bandit:<\/p>\n Play<\/p>\n Your commitment to playing with your girls is unmatched. Even when you\u2019re busy or exhausted you just plonk yourself on the floor and embrace whatever game the kids are playing. And as I\u2019m learning with my girls, often, it\u2019s not even about the game, they just want our attention, and on their level.\u00a0<\/p>\n I absolutely adore how willing you are to humiliate yourself. In the Dance Mode episode you unleash some outrageous moves in public and loudly exclaim, \u201cLadies and gentlemen, I\u2019m doing this for my kid\u201d. A quote I think of all the time.<\/p>\n Who cares about a few weird looks from strangers if your kids are happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n Flaws<\/p>\n You own your mistakes. You acknowledge when you\u2019ve lost your temper. And you apologise. I\u2019m proud to admit that you have guided me to be better in this space. <\/p>\n There\u2019s something very powerful about an adult saying sorry to a two or three-year-old. It instantly flips the power dynamic and validates that little person as an equal. You can see by the looks on their faces that it truly means something. <\/p>\n You\u2019ve taught me to see an apology as a show of strength, not weakness.<\/p>\n Lessons<\/p>\n If something is hard or annoying, my eldest can be quick to get frustrated and retreat. But as you so perfectly pointed out: \u201cObstacles do not block the path, they are the path\u201d. It was a real a-ha moment and exactly what I needed to hear. <\/p>\n It reminded me that the real growth or fun can be IN the obstacle. Particularly if you tackle it together. Such wisdom. <\/p>\n Can\u2019t wait to try that quote again soon on my three-year-old when I put her to work on my tax return.<\/p>\n Overall, you\u2019re not the traditional hapless dad caricature. You pull your weight around the house, you make a living for your family and you are a fun and caring dad. <\/p>\n Some would argue that you set an unrealistically high bar, but I like to see it as something for us dads to aspire to.\u00a0And if we do fall short, we\u2019ll still be miles ahead of \u201cDaddy Pig\u201d.<\/p>\n In closing, thank you, Bandit, for being the dad you are. And for gently showing us all the dad we can become. <\/p>\n Famously, you once said, \u201cI\u2019m not taking advice from a cartoon dog\u201d. Well, I think that was one of the rare occasions you were wrong. You rock! Happy Father\u2019s Day Bandit!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n First-time boy dad Sam Mac reveals baby trend he refused to follow<\/p>\n 2 min read<\/p>\n![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ef7c6028b9bd5c237d05a210cb6ddc70462941df.png\")
Sam Mac showed his love for Bluey when he came as the character to the Big Freeze in June, helping to fight against motor neuron disease. Credit: SevenThank you, Bandit<\/p>\n