02/09/2026
Father's Day is this Sunday, and for a lot of families it will look like burnt toast in bed, a walk somewhere green, and lunch at the local cafe.
For separated families, the day can carry a bit more weight. Whose weekend is it? What time is the handover? What if Dad's day falls on the weekend the children are not with him?
If that is your household this year, a few things tend to help.
Sort the details early and put them in writing. A short text confirming time, place and who is driving takes five minutes and removes most of Sunday's tension.
Help the children mark the day for both parents. A card made at the kitchen table for the other household costs you nothing and tells your child they are allowed to love both of you.
If Sunday is not your day this year, choose another one. Children remember the pancakes and the bushwalk, not the date on the calendar.
Keep the handover for the handover. Sunday morning in the car park is not the moment to raise school fees.
And if the same argument surfaces every Father's Day, every Mother's Day and every school holiday, that is usually a sign the parenting plan needs consideration or revisiting, rather than a sign anyone is being difficult. Family Dispute Resolution is a calm, confidential way to work through that with an accredited practitioner, without going near a court.
I am Kelly Neighbour, an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and mediator based in Sydney. Our mediations are held online, which means we work with families right across Australia, wherever you happen to be.
Wishing all the dads, stepdads, grandads and father figures a lovely Sunday.
General information only, not legal advice. Please seek your own independent legal advice.
kannenmediation.com.au
For more information or to book a free phone consultation, please click here https://kannenmediation.com.au/parenting-arrangements/