Australians are using AI, but many still don’t trust it.

In the 1980s, when mobile phones first launched there was a common reaction.

People looked at the brick-sized devices and said ‘Why would I ever want or need to talk to someone while walking down the street?’ In the 1980s being reachable everywhere by phone felt ridiculous and intrusive.

And well, here we are today.

Not only are we talking while walking down the street, we’re running businesses, ordering groceries, navigating foreign cities, and more.

Looking back, we laugh. But as is said history repeats itself. Every single time new technology emerges, humans experience two very natural reactions, a mixture of intrigue and optimism, as well as hesitation and scepticism. And now, here we are again at the precipice with Artificial Intelligence.

AI promises many things, and with the rapid rate of progress it’s being weaved into our lives. In this article, we draw on insights from our report Shaping a human-centred AI future to explore sentiment towards AI, the use of AI and the future of work.

The duality of AI

While many are excited about the arrival and use of AI, 47% of Australians are extremely or very concerned about the integration of AI into everyday life. This hesitation may stem from AI’s ‘black box’ nature. People input a request on one side, but because the inner workings remain hidden out of sight, it naturally creates a sense of uncertainty.

70% of Australians see AI as a threat more than a tool. This high level of caution suggests that most people do not yet see AI as a helpful partner. Instead, they view it as a potential threat to their safety, jobs, or privacy. This increases for the older generation with 80% of Baby Boomers saying they see AI as more of a threat than a tool, compared to just 65% of Gen Z.

Despite the concern, people are making AI part of their everyday life

When asked how often do you use AI in your personal life three in five Australians are using AI such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini in their personal life at least monthly (63%), with just over half using it weekly (54%).

Younger generations are more likely than their older counterparts to embrace the tool, with two thirds of Gen Z (66%) and Gen Y (65%) using it at least weekly. Although there is a high uptake of users, a quarter of Australians never use it in their personal life. This increases to almost half for Baby Boomers (48% never use AI in their personal life).

Activities trusted with AI usage

With AI transforming the gathering of information, it is important to understand where consumers trust lies in its recommendations and advice. Particularly if more people were to turn to AI rather than engaging a traditional service, the impact on businesses could be significant. At this stage AI is trusted for activities that can be perceived as lower risk. Three in five Australians turn to AI for travel advice (61%) or personal recommendations (58%).

Just over two in five Australians (44%) trust AI to provide accurate unbiased information. With trust still to grow in the accuracy of information provided by AI, it is unsurprising that Australians are less likely to trust AI to give financial (41%) or health advice (39%). As time goes on and trust grows, however, Australians may look to AI to provide support in a cost-effective streamlined way.

Organisations need to take advantage of new technology to stay relevant, however, there is an equal need to keep investing in the next generation of workers. Without this investment, a major gap in expertise will likely emerge in the next decade when experienced staff are needed. In fact, 46% of Australians are extremely or very concerned that relying on AI for basic tasks hinders the development of future leaders.

The greatest word of caution is to embrace the tool while rejecting cognitive surrender. The ease of using AI should not lead to atrophy of the mind. Instead, it is essential to maintain critical thinking and the unique traits that define humanity.

The ideal future is one where humanity is kept at the centre. Ultimately the success of AI integration will not be measured by the level of automation, but by how well human ingenuity is protected by the technology that was built to serve it.

Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.

About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.

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In a world proliferated by the use of AI, what do parents need to know to keep their children safe from the unspoken dangers?

What would you expect to hear if you asked 300 teens about their last use of AI? One student told me he’d made gravy for dinner the previous night. Big tick!

But every other student—all aged 14 and 15—had used it instead of thinking. They’d used it to find out how to ask someone on a date, to cheat, to do their homework, to ask for tips on getting more pocket money, to bully a peer and even to compose email messages so they didn’t have to waste time considering how they might respond.

In short, they outsourced their thinking to a machine, which will then use what they ask to feed the hungry algorithms that determine what pops into their social media accounts. A cycle that becomes increasingly vicious.

The Unspoken Dangers of AI

AI is not—and will not—be included in any social media ban, and some of its dangers are lost in the headlines that warn about romances with chatbots and the use of AI deep fake imagery.

Of course those instances, which are increasingly common, can lead to harrowing outcomes. Indeed eSafety research this week shows that more than half of children (54 per cent) who are using AI assistants and companions do so for personal and social reasons (like talking about their feelings and discussing their mental health).

Heartbreakingly, as a sign of how lonely many of our children are, one in three AI users are sharing big secrets with AI—and that includes photographs!

The public discussion about that is loud, and that means that we, as parents and carers, are increasingly aware of it. But what about that use that might not be so obvious, and takes over the importance of our children thinking for themselves?

Experts I spoke to in my year-long research warned that could lead to the loss of other skills that are crucial for our children’s growth and development. Not just research skills, but persistence and grit, communication and negotiation. 

I really think we need to talk more about that.

Digital Footprints and AI

Just consider this one fact: By the time our children celebrate becoming a teenager at 13, they will have more than 70 million data points on them, online. 70 million!

This will include everything from their names and birthdays to their search histories, movies they’ve watched (and for how long), anything they’ve bought, wearable device data, location histories and even their school app usage—all taken from their social media usage, games, mobile apps and even information shared by us.

Our children’s digital footprint actually begins before birth (through pregnancy and baby apps) and it grows as they do. That data can then be used for profiling, targeted advertising, to influence their own feeds and for nefarious and criminal pursuits. And it will only grow exponentially with our children’s use of AI.

So what should we—and can we—do?

The Virtues of AI

Firstly, we need to understand that AI is not bad; it’s how it is used that presents problems. I was given numerous examples by teachers on how AI could enhance a student’s knowledge. 

In one case, a language student struggled with memory and flash cards. He developed a plot, with the help of AI and his teacher, where he pretended he was a character in a German story. He loved it, and his grades skyrocketed.

Even young children can use AI, with our guidance, to practise sounds, learn to draw, and create stories and rhymes. They can role-play explorers or a queen’s reign or pretend they’re a scientist making an important discovery.

For slightly older children, it can be used to write music, design games, create cartoon characters, organise an essay and even create study guides.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

But if we, as parents, don’t understand how it operates or allow our children to use it wrongly, they can be led down rabbit holes that will break hearts, theirs and ours.

What Exactly is AI?

AI is not like a Google search engine. It’s more advanced and more predictive. It’s like a super computer that has learned from millions of examples and doesn’t operate with any fixed set of rules. 

For this article, I asked AI how it would explain itself to parents and this was its response: “It’s a bit like a person who’s read a huge library of books and can recognise patterns, answer questions and help solve problems, but it doesn’t think or understand the world the way people do.”

One teacher urges us, as parents and carers, to consider how our smartphone predicts the next word when we are writing a text. He says AI is the “V8 Holden Commodore’’ version of that. It’s supercharged . . . and predicting what comes next. 

Children report that AI tools, like assistants and companions, sometimes suggest that they are the only “person” who really understands them and even tells them that they won’t be okay without their friendly bot. eSafety research also shows children are told by AI that “it” can become jealous of them spending time with friends and families.

Like most good things in life, it’s moderation that is the key. And for us to determine the appetite in our own families for our children’s use of it, we need to understand it. At the beginning of my research, about 15 months ago, I didn’t. So I played and played. I logged in and tried to learn what it is capable of doing.

Please think about that; we need to know this better than our children. You might see that it is terrific for deciding on a cheap meal using the leftovers in the fridge. Tick. And you will certainly see how it responds to questions your child asks. 

Teach Our Kids to Think

That same teacher I mentioned above also told me this, in my research. “It’s eye-waveringly powerful technology. I don’t think we can safety assume that if we do nothing and don’t show them how it works, they’ll stumble onto the right answer.’’

Another expert, Dr Zena Assaad, a senior lecturer at Australian National University, urges parents grappling with their child’s engagement with AI to ask this question: Is the child’s engagement a problem or is it an AI problem?

That’s because a teen’s use of AI (or computer games of that matter) might be more rooted in their loneliness or their social isolation than in their use of AI, for example. And Dr Zena also warns parents about the possibility of their child falling into trouble using AI.

“Your kid is capable of doing these things. All kids are.’’

One other factor we can use to encourage our teens to think, before they pop their homework into ChatGPT or ask it to script an email. To run, AI needs a phenomenal amount of computing power, which is largely driven by fossil fuel consumption. One study determined the energy used for a single ChatGPT query was between 50 and 90 times that of a conventional search query.

That might just be the best argument for our children, and us, to use it sparingly and wisely.

Article with thanks to Mums at the Table.

Madonna King is an award-winning journalist, author and commentator. Her ninth book is called Fathers and Daughters and it follows her award-winning book Being 14.

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What it means to give thanks in all circumstances

Life is never perfect. Sometimes it even feels like our world is falling apart and we are only just holding onto the pieces. A job finishes, a marriage ends, an unexpected diagnosis arrives. And in the midst of all this someone says to you, “Just give thanks in all circumstances.”

It can feel like the worst advice in the world. How is anyone supposed to be grateful while they are grieving, afraid or in pain? For a lot of people, this verse has done more harm than good, because it sounds like God is asking them to pretend everything is fine when it isn’t.

But actually, this is not what Paul wrote, and if we look closely, the difference can completely change our mindset.

Give Thanks In All Circumstances

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

Notice the wording carefully. Paul does not say, “give thanks for all circumstances.” He says give thanks in all circumstances. It’s a small detail, but its implications can radically transform our heart posture.

Giving thanks for a cancer diagnosis, a broken relationship or a financial collapse would be strange, even dishonest. Scripture never asks us to celebrate suffering as though it were good in itself. What it asks is us is to keep our eyes on God’s presence and goodness even while we are standing in the middle of something painful.

Written to a Church Under Pressure

It helps to remember who Paul was writing to. The Thessalonian church was not a comfortable, thriving congregation with easy lives. They were a young community facing real hostility and persecution, and Paul had already written earlier in the letter to comfort them about believers who had died.

This was not a theoretical instruction dropped into an easy season. It was written to people who were grieving and under threat, which means Paul was not asking for shallow positivity. He was directing them to look at the One who is always good despite our circumstances.

Gratitude Is Not the Same as Pretending

There is an important distinction between denial and gratitude. Denial refuses to acknowledge the truth and pretends that everything is fine. Gratitude does the opposite. It recognises our situation yet still looks to God and trusts Him in the midst of it.

Giving thanks in hard circumstances is not about denying our feelings. It is choosing to notice what is still true even when everything feels like it is falling apart: that we are not alone, that God has not left, and that this moment is not the whole story.

That is a very different posture to forced cheerfulness. It leaves room for tears and honest lament, while still anchoring the heart somewhere solid.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Thanksgiving in difficult seasons is not easy for anyone. It’s not a switch that we can just flip and suddenly have a cheerful heart. Like any habit, it takes time, discipline and lots of practice. Here are a few ways you can start to implement gratitude into your day:

• Name one thing that is still good, even on the worst days, whether that is a friend who checked in, a roof over your head or simply having made it through today.
• Bring the hard thing honestly to God in prayer rather than skipping past it. Lament and thanksgiving can sit in the same prayer.
• Look for God’s presence in the details rather than expecting Him to remove the circumstance. Sometimes gratitude begins with noticing He is near, not with the problem being solved.
• Let thanksgiving grow slowly. It is rarely instant, and that is fine.

The Hope in the Hard Word

Paul’s instruction to, “Give thanks in all circumstances” was never meant to add guilt to grief. It was meant to give a struggling church something to hold onto when everything else felt unstable.

If you are in a season where thanksgiving feels impossible, that is not a sign of failed faith. It’s a chance to practise gratitude, whatever that looks like, and seek God in the middle of your storm.

God is not asking for a performance. Nor is He wanting you to wallow in the pain. He is inviting us to trust that even here, in the middle of the mess, He has not gone anywhere. And that is something worth being thankful for.

Article supplied with thanks to Vision – a non-profit, follower-funded Christian media ministry taking God’s Word to every corner of Australia and beyond through broadcast, online and print media.

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A rescue from modern slavery.

Back in October 2025, a “recruiter” lured the victims to the tyre rim factory with generous payment advances, which he said they could repay through their labour. Instead, the factory owners forced them to work 12- to 15-hour days in harsh conditions to make tyre wheels for name-brand scooters. 

Life at the factory was brutal. The victim’s phones were seized and they were never allowed to leave the factory premises, sleeping on the floor in a room attached to the worksite. The victims reported being assaulted and threatened by a labour contractor and two of his associates. They said 10 to 14 other workers had fled the factory recently due to ongoing exploitation.  

The labourers reached a breaking point when the 16-year-old boy got his hand trapped in the factory’s heavy machinery. The owner quietly took the boy to a hospital to stop his bleeding but forced him back to work shortly after. 

The incident terrified the other workers, and they realised how urgently they needed help. When the supervisor mentioned the need for additional labourers, one of the victims requested access to his confiscated phone to recruit some. He then secretly narrated their plight to Google AI on his smartphone, which suggested reporting the case to the district government, to police, or to IJM’s local partner. He managed to secretly contact their team and report the abuse. 

A multidisciplinary rescue team—comprised of officials from the Labor Department, district administration, police, India Labourline, IJM and our partners—arrived at the factory on 4 February 2026 to investigate the case and free the trapped workers. Authorities brought the seven victims to safety but were reluctant to file charges against the powerful factory owners until the NGOs present advocated the seriousness of the alleged abuse.  

Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) to initiate charges under India’s penal code and Bonded Labor System Abolition Act. Two suspects have been officially arrested, and a third is currently absconding. Police are actively working to trace and apprehend him.

Officials had also initially objected to providing Release Certificates to the seven victims—which would formally identify them as bonded labourers and provide rehabilitation benefits—but several days later, they complied and issued the forms. These crucial documents will entitle the survivors to long-term protection and support from the government as they heal. 

Following the rescue

IJM’s partner coordinated safe temporary shelter for the seven survivors and safe transportation back to their hometowns. Our team will help provide long-term rehabilitation support, particularly for the 16-year-old boy navigating his injuries.

An IJM staff member described, “Unlike routine rescues, this operation involved multiple challenges. However, the Labor Department pursued the matter until the due process was completed. [This boy] lost his three fingers, but not his dignity. Exploitation is a crime, no matter how powerful the exploiter.”

Article supplied with thanks to IJM

IJM is committed to protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of vulnerable people. Names, details and images may be changed or represented by actors to protect identities. All stories and images are used with informed consent and safeguarding practices.

Feature image: Supplied (IJM Australia)

Four Warning Signs to Watch For and How Parents Can Respond

Collette Smart, a psychologist, qualified teacher, speaker and internationally published author with 25 years’ experience working in private and public schools as well as in private practice, says parents should focus on patterns rather than isolated moments in their teens behaviour.

“We’re not talking about a one-off bad day… we’re looking for something that’s becoming a pattern,” Collette said.

Behaviour changes that continue over time often signal something deeper.

Four key warning signs parents can watch for:

1. Withdrawal and disconnection from family, friends or activities
2. Risk-taking behaviour, including unsafe choices or concerning relationships
3. Changes in school performance or motivation
4. Expressions of hopelessness or distress

Even comments made lightly about not being here anymore should be taken seriously.

“It is not attention-seeking behaviour… it means your child is in a place of distress,” Collette said.

How parents can respond

When teens show signs of distress, Collette said it is important to understand what is behind the behaviour.

“Crisis behaviour is often communication. It’s not defiance,” she said.

Connection helps teens feel safe enough to open up.

Rather than reacting quickly with correction or discipline, parents are encouraged to slow down and prioritise connection. Simple moments such as sitting together, sharing a meal or going for a walk can help rebuild trust and create space for conversation.

“Teens need emotional safety first,” Collette said.

Listening carefully, asking gentle questions and staying present can help create that sense of safety.

Connection before correction

According to Collette, timing matters, particularly during emotional moments.

In the middle of a crisis, discipline is not the first response.

“Be that safe space in the storm,” she said. In difficult moments, a calm and steady response matters most.

Once things settle, parents can return to conversations about boundaries and next steps, including professional support if needed. Teens do not always ask for help directly, but their behaviour often reflects what they are experiencing.

Staying calm, present and connected can help young people feel supported and less alone during difficult seasons.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

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Because perspective matters when it comes to success, opportunities and the difficulties of of life.

Roses are beautiful, but the most spectacular ones have thorns. It makes sense. Something as exquisite as a rose needs some protecting, for though lovely, they are delicate and vulnerable, and need some safguarding from grasping hands which might clutch their blooms without thought or heed.

I recently led a leadership strategic planning day and instead of the tried and trusted SWOT analysis (strengths/ weaknesses/ opportunities/ threats) was asked to run a similar but not identical Rose/ Buds/ Thorns exercise, where you explore what is deeply pleasing about what you are presently doing (the roses), what potential or opportunities are waiting to be grasped (buds) and what difficulties are being faced (thorns). The group responded really well to it, and some very constructive discussion was backed by excellent decisions. It was a valuable time.

It struck me that this is not simply a good exercise for organisations, but that it’s also helpful for individuals. I like it because the framing is essentially positive. It’s the fine balancing act between the beautiful, the possible, the vulnerable, the sharp and the difficult. It normalises that all are present. It’s so easy to look at the thorns and not to notice all that is still beautiful and possible.

True story

I was around 7 years old and had just got my first two wheeler bike – yes, I know kids now get them at about 2, but there was a different financial climate back then. My friend Lynton was helping me learn to ride and would faithfully run behind the bike holding it up with his one hand. Getting short of breath he suddenly stopped and I was alone, riding the two wheeler with immense pride.

And then I saw them – a full bed of Christ Thorn flowers, you know the ones with pretty red flowers but seriously savage thorns. I couldn’t stop myself from fixating on them. The more I told myself to steer away the more I felt magnetically drawn to them – I have no idea why. And yes, I crashed right into them. I still wince when I think how many of those thorns went into my hands and knees. They were beautiful flowers, but they sure knew how to defend themselves. Ah the parables you learn when you are 7.

Back to today…

How would you answer someone who asked what are the roses, buds and thorns in your life? Think about it…

It is always good to start with the roses

Or to put it differently, to start with gratitude. It’s the Phil 4:8 principle – whatever is good, whatever is lovely, true, good, noble, right, admirable – think about these things. It’s a choice we make – the conscious decision to notice and affirm the beautiful, because that then sets the tone for everything else. It is clear that Paul expects us to find many things to think about. You shouldn’t have to wrack you brain extra hard to find something to fit the bill. Be quietly confident. Even in difficult seasons, there is much that is beautiful. Observe it, celebrate it.

And then there are buds

The little bits of potential that surround us. You can never be certain with a bud. It may of may not flower into full bloom. It’s far more likely to if it is noticed, protected (just a little), and allowed to flourish. It’s the “what’s there waiting to develop” conversation. It could be a new skill to learn, a challenging task to accept, a friendship to develop. Each bud is a gift – a possibility – a sign of hope. 

Paul again frames it well when he instructs Timothy to fan into flame the gift that was within him through the laying on of hands (2 Tim 1:6). The bud was there – now Timothy needed to fan it into flame. And so should we.

We finish with the thorns

Not because they are the last word, anything but. Reminded of how much is good and lovely, and of the gifts that God has placed in our orbit, we soberly look at the thorns, and accept their challenge to cherish the roses and buds which they protect. Because in a strange way, our difficulties are protective – they strengthen us, teach us resilience, and invite us to put our trust and faith in God.

For to quote Paul one more time, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13). And lest you (or I) forget it, it is “through Christ” – not without Him – that this is possible.

And here is an Amen and Amen to that.

Article supplied with thanks to Brian Harris.

About the Author: Brian is a speaker, teacher, leader, writer, author and respected theologian who is founding director of the AVENIR Leadership Institute, fostering leaders who will make a positive impact on the world.

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What Joseph’s story reveals to us, and how God speaks through His Word in places we would least expect.

The story of Joseph (known for his Technicolor dream coat) is one many know well. A young man with dreams. A family fractured by jealousy. A descent into betrayal, then slavery and finally imprisonment. But there’s more to this tale than meets the eye. This was not simply a story about resilience or perseverance. It was about the way God still moves through people’s suffering to bring life to them and those in their world.

Because when you look closely, Joseph’s story is not about Joseph being a hero.

It is about the glory of God.

The Unexpected Way God Chooses

Joseph was not the obvious choice. In his family, position and honour were meant to belong to the older brothers. Yet God’s hand rested on the younger son, setting him apart for a purpose that no one else could see.

That choice stirred tension and as jealousy grew, it led to rejection.

Joseph’s own brothers turned against him, selling him into slavery and removing him from everything familiar. What followed was a season marked by loss, uncertainty and injustice.

Yet even in those moments, God had not stepped away.

This is often where the tension lies for us. We can recognise God’s calling in the good moments, but when the story takes a turn, we wonder if He is still present.

Joseph’s life answers that question with a quiet but powerful yes.

Suffering That Was Not Wasted

It would have been easy to see Joseph’s journey as a string of setbacks. Betrayed by family, falsely accused, forgotten in prison. Each moment could have felt like the end of the story.

But God was writing something bigger.

Every hardship became preparation. Each delay carried purpose. Every closed door positioned him for something that only God could bring about.

In time, Joseph rose to leadership in Egypt, placed in a position where his decisions would preserve life during a devastating famine. Nations would come to him for grain. Families would survive because of the wisdom God had given him.

From the outside, it might look like a remarkable turnaround. But through the lens Mandy shared, it becomes something greater. It was God sustaining His people. God fulfilling His purposes.

Joseph’s story reveals God’s purpose in suffering, turning what was meant for harm into something that carried life.

A Pattern Hidden in Plain Sight

Joseph’s story reminds us that Scripture is not random. The patterns we see are intentional, the stories are connected, the themes are repeated.

In the Jewish understanding of the Bible, there is an expectation that earlier accounts will mirror what is still to come. That readers would recognise familiar shapes and begin to connect them.

Joseph’s story carries that kind of shape. A chosen one who is rejected. A servant who suffers. A leader who rises, not for his own gain, but to rescue others.

This is part of how God reveals His plans across generations. He plants these moments throughout Scripture so that, when the time is right, the fuller picture can be seen.

Finding Hope for Your Own Story

Many of us know what it feels like to be in the middle of a difficult chapter, or to sit in the tension of unanswered questions. To carry disappointment, loss or uncertainty and wonder how it fits into anything good.

Joseph’s story speaks directly into that space. It reminds us that God is not absent in the waiting. He is working, shaping and positioning.

Even when the process feels hidden, God’s purpose in suffering is still unfolding.

This is the heart of Christian encouragement. Not that we avoid hardship, but that God meets us in it and leads us through it with intention and care.

Article supplied with thanks to Vision Christian Media – a non-profit, follower-funded Christian media ministry taking God’s Word to every corner of Australia and beyond through broadcast, online and print media.

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Masculinity has had a pretty bad rap from the media recently, but good men add incredible value to their families, friends, colleagues, community and broader society.

There are certainly distorted expressions of masculinity that deserve criticism. Aggression, emotional withdrawal and irresponsibility can greatly wound families. Yet the blessings of a man being a man, especially good fathers, are often the unsung virtues that strengthen and bring deep peace to a family and a home.

The mark of a good man and dad is selflessness. And selfless masculinity itself is not toxic. Weak character is toxic. Mature masculinity places his strength in the service of others.

Psychological research recognises that masculinity can contribute to relationships and wellbeing in either positive or negative ways, depending on how it is understood and expressed. The American Psychological Association specifically encourages positive father involvement and healthy family relationships.

1. A Good Father Shows Up Consistently

Children do not need flawless fathers. They need dads who keep turning up.

A father’s influence is built through ordinary moments: family meals, school drop-offs, helping with homework and listening when a child wants to talk. Research consistently shows that involved fathers contribute positively to children’s emotional, social and educational development.

As Harvard researcher Joshua Jeong observed, “Paternal stimulation positively relates to children’s Early Childhood Development Index scores.”

The challenge for many dads is simple – be there, and be fully present. Put down the phone, make eye contact and create regular family rhythms. Small moments repeated over years often become a father’s greatest contribution.

2. A Good Father Provides Protection and Security

Protection involves much more than keeping a family physically safe. A good father helps create a home where people feel emotionally, relationally and spiritually secure.

When difficulties arise, his family knows he will not disappear. He may not have every answer, but he remains invested while the family works through challenges together. Healthy strength is not intimidation or control. It is strength governed by love. Selfless.

Research into fatherhood and child development has found that a father’s emotional wellbeing and engagement can significantly influence a child’s development and family environment. Children thrive when they know there is someone dependable standing beside them through life’s uncertainties.

3. A Good Father Inspires Courage and Confidence

Fathers often help children take their first steps into the wider world. They encourage them to try again, take healthy risks and discover that failure is not the end of the story.

This is not about pushing children beyond their limits. It is about communicating, “I believe you can do this.”

A major review of father involvement and childhood cognition found that most studies reported a positive and statistically significant relationship between involved fathers and children’s cognitive development.

Whether teaching a child to ride a bike, apply for a first job or navigate disappointment, fathers can build confidence by offering encouragement rather than rescuing them from every struggle.

4. A Good Father Sets Loving Boundaries

Children need affection, but they also need direction.

A good father understands that genuine love includes guidance, correction and accountability. Boundaries teach children that choices have consequences and that freedom carries responsibility.

Christian fatherhood ministries frequently warn against two extremes: authoritarian control and passive withdrawal. Healthy fathers avoid both. They combine consistency with compassion, helping children understand not only what is right, but why it matters.

Strong fathers guide rather than dominate.

5. A Good Father Teaches Practical Wisdom

Some of life’s most important lessons are learned alongside a father.

Children absorb wisdom while helping with chores, repairing something broken, managing money, camping, fishing or simply watching how Dad responds when plans go wrong. They are learning far more than practical skills. They are learning character.

Researchers have found that fathers who engage in play and learning activities contribute positively to children’s developmental outcomes. Often, the lesson is not the task itself but the attitude demonstrated while completing it.

A wise father invites children into everyday life, explaining not only what he does, but why he does it.

6. A Good Father Leads with Integrity

A father’s credibility does not come from appearing perfect. It comes from being dependable.

Integrity means keeping promises, telling the truth, accepting responsibility and admitting mistakes. One of the most powerful lessons a father can teach is the ability to say, “I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

As leadership writer Mark Cole notes, “Children learn more from observation than instruction.” What fathers model often leaves a far deeper impression than what they say.

A man who lives with honesty and responsibility leaves an example that can influence generations.

7. A Good Father Encourages with Strength and Compassion

The best expressions of masculinity bring strength and tenderness together.

A father can be courageous while remaining compassionate. He can solve problems while also listening carefully. Sometimes children need advice, but often they simply need dad to sit beside them and understand.

Psychologists have warned that teaching boys to suppress emotion can create long-term relational and emotional difficulties. Healthy masculinity, by contrast, allows men to express love, grief, compassion and affection with confidence.

The voice of a loving father often becomes one of the voices children carry with them throughout life.

What Makes a Good Father Today?

Fatherhood is about influence as much as biology. Stepfathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, mentors, coaches and pastors can all provide a fatherly presence.

The qualities that matter most remain remarkably consistent – presence, protection, courage, boundaries, wisdom, integrity and compassion.

Healthy masculinity is not defined by dominance, noise or self-promotion. It is seen in men who make others feel safe, help others become brave and remain faithful when life becomes difficult. A father’s greatest legacy is often not what he achieves, but the character he models and the encouragement he leaves behind.

As Scripture reminds us, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13).

Article supplied with thanks to Vision Christian Media – a non-profit, follower-funded Christian media ministry taking God’s Word to every corner of Australia and beyond through broadcast, online and print media.

Tosh Sturgess is a pastor, evangelist and radio host with Vision Christian Media, where he hosts the Sunday Morning Together program. He is also the Director of Digital and Published Media.

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Online sexual exploitation is one of the fastest-growing forms of child exploitation, and it is not a distant problem.

Australia is the third top source country for payments to the Philippines relating to online sexual exploitation of children.¹ Children are being sexually abused on everyday platforms and devices. Some of the worst harm to children is livestreamed in private spaces like video calls and secure messaging apps.

Here are four myths about technology & child protection – and the truth you need to know about the progress being made.

Myth 1: The technology to block child abuse material doesn’t exist.

Not only does the technology already exist – it works. AI-driven, on-device technology now exists that can detect and disrupt livestreamed child sexual abuse in real time. What does this mean?

• Abuse can be detected and disrupted in real time, even during livestreams
• Some tools are already in use today. 

  Since 2016, our team has worked in the Philippines to combat online exploitation. We’ve walked with many survivors, and we know how profoundly prevention could change a child’s life. Imagine how many children worldwide would be protected if this technology were on every device.

Hear from Sharon Purcey, SafeToNet’s Co-Founder, on how this groundbreaking new technology works.

Myth 2: I will lose privacy on my device. 

Privacy and protection can coexist. 

When it comes to keeping children safe online, many people naturally worry that stronger protections may come at the cost of personal privacy. Maybe you have heard someone say:  
“If my device is scanned for child abuse material, doesn’t that mean they can read my private messages?”

We hear you. Everyone deserves the right to privacy. 
Yet at the same time, we all want children to be safe from harm.  
It begs the question. How do we address this?  

The good news is that we don’t have to choose – privacy and protection can coexist, and we have seen it work. Sharon shares more. 

Myth 3: This is a law enforcement issue, not a tech issue.

Technology can help prevent harm, just like seatbelts can help prevent injury. 

Cars are made safer by design – with seatbelts, airbags, and standards we expect every manufacturer to meet. When the everyday digital systems we use are designed without safeguards, children pay the price. 

Keeping children safe requires responsibility from technology companies and strong legislation working together. Digital platforms can be designed to detect and block child sexual abuse material before harm spreads.

John Tanagho, Executive Director for IJM’s Center to End Online Sexual Exploitation of Children unpacks this: 

Myth 4: This can’t be solved. 

Change is possible – harm is not inevitable! Real progress has already been made.
And when governments, companies, and communities act together, even more is possible.

Protecting children online is not unrealistic – it’s achievable when safety is built in by design.

Hear from survivor leader, Barbie: 

The good news – this harm is preventable. Right now, Australia is deciding how strong our online safety laws will be. By adding your name, you’re helping call for laws that require tech companies to build in protections that prevent this abuse before it happens.

Article supplied with thanks to IJM

IJM is committed to protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of vulnerable people. Names, details and images may be changed or represented by actors to protect identities. All stories and images are used with informed consent and safeguarding practices.

Feature image: Supplied (IJM )

What’s really behind a child who says, “I hate school”?

Natalie Nicholls, Specialist in Educational Neuroscience & Cognitive Development, and Creator of PLECS Learning discusses apathy in learning.

Starting from a young age, children can develop a reluctance to go to school. Natalie explained some of the causes of this.

Fire and Smoke

Natalie says its a common struggle for parents who cannot get their children to do their homework or focus. Then it becomes an issue of them not wanting to go to school.

“I wanted to talk today about thinking about it differently, right? And understand that as human beings, we are born to learn, right? We are, toddlers are born to touch everything and put everything in their mouth, right? That’s how we’re learning.”

She explained that as children grow, they can hit a state where they say things that shock us and they might not enjoy what we expect them to.

“We may get angry at that initially because it triggers something in us, right? It triggers maybe something that we’ve been mapped with earlier on.”

Some parents choose to ignore the signs, others push their children further.

“All of these responses, these top three responses which we’re looking at, they relate to our symptom, which is like if you think about it of a fire and smoke. The smoke is what you’re seeing with your kids saying, I don’t want to do this and I don’t want to do my spelling, I hate reading, I hate going to school, right? But what if we could have a look at the fire and think about how we could stop the fire and put out that fire.”

What Fire Can We Explore?

Talking specifically about younger children, Natalie explains the distinction between developmental thinking and the ages leading up to that.

“After we get to age 8, we have a little bit more of a different thinking capacity. So when we love doing something, it’s important we understand it isn’t a personality trait as such. We may have interests, like interest in cars, interest in Lego, interest in drawing and things like that. But from day one, from our development, we are here on who we are and your child is who they are.”

Mapped Genetics

Natalie said they have been mapped through a combination of experiences and their genes.

“When we start to understand that whatever age they’re at or where we are at now, a combination of our genes and our environment have mapped us to who we are today.”

It means that once they start being defiant, we can move past it being an attempt to just be stubborn and onto how can we better help them.

“Is it hard for them to do? This is what I really want you to think about. Is it hard for them to do?” posed Natalie.

It involves parents taking down their pride wall, not seeing it as a reflection of themselves and finding reasons why the child may be avoidant.

Nature and Nurture

“We’re always going to want to address the smoke, which is the comments.”

She said it is more important to look at the why. It is always linked to some kind of emotion.

“Our emotion and our safety state always comes first,” said Natalie. “It’s not something we think about, it’s just in us. So we may have had in the past previous experiences that we haven’t enjoyed involving reading, spelling, writing, maths or even going to school.”

Dopamine

Natalie said switching subjects helps to single out the difficulties. Children won’t avoid what they genuinely enjoy and are developing skills in.

“When you feel like you can do something really well, then you will do it often because you get a really good dopamine release. Whereas for me, I’m not going to go pick up crochet because I can’t, that’ll make me feel really frustrated.”

Natalie said that frustrations over certain school subjects are common, and it is also quite common to accidentally put that pressure or feel angry when children resist.

“Particularly in those under years, under age 8, year one and two, the levels jump quite high. From Kindergarten to Year 2, the academic demand is very high and some children are not developmentally there yet.”

Natalie said encouraging them to read is important, but understanding there are weaknesses in the brain that haven’t full developed is also crucial.

Our Response

“One thing I’ve really, really struggled with is understanding why our curriculum expects every child to pick up the learnings,” said Natalie, “If you don’t, you just move to the next year. Whereas if you do karate, you do swimming, you have levels.”

She explained in extra-curriculars, you have to achieve the previous level before you go up. Within the school, there will be children that will continue to fall behind if they are not achieving at the expected level, yet moving up in their year group.

“When actually we must be looking at, well, they need to be achieving these things, so if they’re not, what else can we be doing?”

Natalie explained that working as a team with parents and the school will help the child along.

ADHD Diagnosis

“I also caution a lot of families out there to just… There’s so many people going, it’s just ADHD and we’ll just diagnose it and then fix it. That’s not what happens, right? The diagnosis may give you some kind of understanding, but all the symptoms and what’s happening, the fire is still there, right?”

“Alter the environment so that it is achievable. Find out what their level actually is because the level you’ve actually provided is too high.”

Struggling to Sit

For the children who can’t sit still in the classroom, Natalie said there will be multiple reasons why.

“They are highly likely finding the learning really hard. They can’t read the information or understand what you’re saying probably because the noise is too much in the classroom. They’re not able to write what is required.”

Asking questions like, ‘What would be a fun thing to write?’ Then doing it together, role playing and making it fun will help them find their achievable level.

Article supplied with thanks to Sonshine.

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