Commando Dad: Basic Training: How to be an Elite Dad or Carer. From Birth to Three Years

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Another example of Neil’s empathy and kindness shining through in his writing is this hugely self-aware paragraph: “learn to understand the role of sympathetic detonation – a chain reaction of emotions set off by you. The funny thing is, my friend and I know each other from the Royal Marines, where we both served as young Commandos.

In my experience, the first half of term is always the most difficult because it’s when the troopers are most tired, as getting back into a school routine can be a huge shock to the system.Chapter 5: Nutrition: an army marches on its stomach” explores teething, weaning and healthy eating for all the family. For example, being a dad aged 25 or younger, having a partner that is suffering from it, having a history of depression and/or anxiety and not being in a relationship with the child’s mother are all potential factors – but this list is not exhaustive and you may have all of these factors and still not experience postnatal depression. If you have more than one trooper, alternate who gets to pick the film to prevent any arguing which we all know can come easy in times such as these! Any dad in a rush or who doesn’t have the patience or desire to read hundreds of pages can still get the answers they need.

Now I know what readers are probably thinking, “Those military types are a close-knit bunch and this is probably a plug for one of their mate’s books”. There is nothing more off-putting than picking up a book that is 4 inches thick and has tiny writing. Written by ex-Commando and dad of three, Neil Sinclair, this manual will teach you, in no-nonsense terms, how to: Survive the first 24 hours Prepare and Plan to Prevent Poor Parental Performance Maintain morale in the ranks Feed, clothe, transport and entertain your troops Transport the troops successfully on manoeuvres Increase your flash to bang time and square away tasks along the way.The advice, approved by healthcare professionals, is quick to read, easy to understand and simple to digest, delivered in short, unambiguous bullet points and, no-nonsense rules – and, pretty unarguably, spot on. All of the material is visually accessible and the “Commando Dad Top Tips” are great for quick reference.

Written in a clear and to the point military style from simple how to's, planning schedules, and clear discussions of contested topics, I found it most useful - I still do, it's very easy to pick up when your baby reaches a new milestone or age. I’m less interested in the tips about entertaining kids in the library, and more interested in basic baby care at this point in my parenting journey.As a result, many women suffered through this challenge alone without any legitimate support from a doctor or support group, and perhaps not even feeling they could talk about it with their partner or friends. Featuring expert advice and carefully drafted mission briefs, these books for dad are perfect for teaching skills while making special memories. It demystifies pregnancy and childbirth; provides the essential back-up information men need to support their partners and prepares them for the radical changes to their life that a new BT (baby trooper) will inevitably bring. The woodland trust has a locator that can find your closest wood, just in case you’ve misplaced your OS maps: https://www.

One thing that we’ve been doing is several nights a week we will all sit down and watch a film together without any devices or other distractions which is a perfect way to spend a few hours between dinner and bedtime. I think it’s fair to say that these standards and rules are fabulous guidelines for any parent to live by. I believe that postnatal depression in dads needs to be recognised on a wider basis and every single dad needs to know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Like I say, it was the army theme that drew me to the book to begin with – rest assured it isn’t just the name of the book and the cover that is themed like this!

The author is a former Royal Engineer Commando, physical education teacher and security guard at the UK Mission to the UN in New York.