Three days ago my wife made a delicious dinner that included rice for our family; nothing unusual here because she is very talented in the kitchen.
Because there are seven people in our family, we each have a day of the week that we are assigned to say the families prayers. With 5 children ranging from age 4 to 12 the type and quality of prayer varies from day to day; but we persist because it’s a moment to unify in gratitude.
Before we prayed that day, I took a moment to reflect with my children more deeply.
Too often we sit down and begin eating before realizing and recognizing the many hands that made the meal possible.
The loving hands of a mother to cook the rice. The strong hands of a store employee to unload heavy bags of rice and stack the shelves. The steady hands of a truck driver who maybe hasn’t seen home in weeks who drove the rice across the country. The skilled hands of a farmer who planted and grew the rice and labored over the crops for months.
The truth is we need so many others; people we may never meet, to make and enjoy a meal around our family table. We all warm our hands by fires we did not build and harvest fruits we did not plant.
From my home,
Matthew
Founder, DADS™— Dads Against Devices™
The First DAD
The First DAD.
Hello. I’m Matthew, and I’m grateful you’re here because I believe that together we can help each other as men, husbands, and fathers.
I started DADS™ because I am a man, husband and father of five young children who is concerned about the outcomes I am hearing and seeing in men, families and children today — dysfunction, divorce, disease, and despair to name just four, and I want something better for me and for mine.
I am far from perfect — and I am certainly not claiming to have all the answers — But I’m determined to be the best man, husband and father I can be, and to help others when and where I can.
At an event on June 21, 2025, I turned to a friend and asked, half-jokingly, if he would join me in not giving our kids smartphones until they turn 18. I said, “We’ll be Dads Against Devices.” It was my wife who noticed the acronym: DAD. And that’s how DADS™ got started.
Whilst I am concerned about technology and its impact, when I started creating DADS™, it was always going to be about more than just devices. It’s mostly about inspiring and encouraging all of us to be more present, develop character and create real connection. It’s also about encouraging husbands and fathers to lead by example and instruction in their own homes; so that the world and all our lives might be a little more joyful, peaceful, and hopeful.
What I Believe.
I love my family and believe that presence, character, and real connection are at the heart of the human experience and central to living a life of meaning, purpose, and joy.
I believe that everyone should strengthen their bodies and nurture the deeply human attributes of love, communication, empathy, kindness, gratitude, humility, forgiveness, critical thinking, imagination, discipline, patience, integrity, resilience, courage, wisdom, and faith.
I believe that being a husband and father is among the most noble pursuits.
I believe fatherhood is absolutely essential to the wellbeing of children.
I believe that fathers should lead their families by example and instruction in unity with mothers — supported by mentors and caregivers.
I believe that fathers have a solemn responsibility to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.
I believe that family life and childhood should be protected from social media and unlimited, unmonitored, and unrestricted screen time, gaming, and the internet.
I believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ provides the best framework for families, couples, and individuals to be successful.
I believe that the most important and unifying identity we each share is ‘Child of God’.
I also believe that the traditional nuclear family is the fundamental building block of a healthy and functioning society.
This is why I strive to live my DADS™ pledge.
My DADS™ Pledge
I will lead my family by example and instruction to be present, build relationships, strengthen the body, build character, and nurture love, gratitude, faith, and other deeply human virtues.
What I do
I strive to live my pledge in my own home, then invite others to join me.
I ask questions and start conversations around manhood, marriage, and parenting.
I share my knowledge, experiences, and resources to help other DADS™.