One for the Dads

This morning I was brought to my knees -- literally -- by an acutely distressed, screaming, crying child. Welcome to the world of parenthood, mate... I can see some of the fathers thinking.

Yes, but this bellowing child wasn't mine (that one's a few months away) -- and my guess is it's a lot harder when the child's not yours. This morning's remedy? Cuddle the child. Speak soothingly to them. Pray. Get someone to call the mother on her mobile.

Twenty minutes to half-an-hour later, mum came (I was still standing there cuddling the child); about an hour later the child was sufficiently calm to go to class. And this was just the first hour of the morning.