Gerringong Public Schools Parents and Citizens' Association (P&C) hosted an event to help fathers become more hands-on with parenting.

Held at Stoic Brewery in Gerringong on September 5, the night featured popular parenting expert Maggie Dent, whose warmth and insight encouraged meaningful discussion. 

Stu Brunsdon, a P&C member, participated in the event in an effort to get fathers more involved and proactive in their parenting roles. 

"I think sometimes, Dads don’t dive into the key issues around raising kids, and often, that burden falls on mums," says Brunsdon. "We want to change that narrative and get more dads involved." 

The event marked the second ‘Dads at Stoic’ gathering, and Brunsdon observed that while the fathers were timid at the beginning of the night, Maggie Dent's charisma gradually helped them open up.

"Maggie can hold a crowd so well—she’s funny and very knowledgeable," says Brunsdon.

"At the start, it's a little quiet, and the dads are a bit standoffish, but by the end, some are laughing, some are in tears, and they’re asking amazing questions. The conversation

really starts to flow." 

By the end of the evening, the dads were sharing stories about their children, discussing books and podcasts they’d been reading or listening to, and exchanging parenting ideas. 

"They’re all talking about modern-day parenting, sharing both successes and failures," Brunsdon adds. 

The event has proven to be a success, as Brunsdon has noticed a positive shift in how dads are engaging with their children. 

"I definitely see more dads stepping up—not just coaching soccer, but doing the pick-up and drop-off, and handling other day-to-day parenting tasks," says Brunsdon. "It’s even becoming a topic of conversation, with people saying, I read that book, or I tried that podcast." 

Participation in events hosted this year grew significantly, with more dads contributing by asking questions and offering ideas. 

“One guy talked about organising screen-free activities like board game nights, another mentioned gardening projects with his kids, and someone else wanted to plan a camping adventure," Brunsdon says. "In a world full of risk assessments and declining school camps, it was great to see so much enthusiasm for these ideas." 

All money raised from the event went toward the Gerringong Public School and Brunsdon hopes the event will continue to grow in the future, building even more engagement and conversation around fatherhood.

He concluded by thanking the dads who attended and Maggie Dent for donating her time, encouraging other fathers to get involved. “If you’re a dad wanting to engage more with your kids and connect with other parents, join your local P&C, look out for events like this, and check out Maggie Dent’s podcast, Parental As Anything."