Q&A with Louis Davis author of The Modern Dad
- Allen & Unwin
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Read our interview with The Modern Dad author Louis Davis.
If you've spent any time on TikTok or Instagram, there's a good chance you already know Louis Davis. The NZ TikTok Creator of the Year is one of Aotearoa's most popular storytellers, with more than three million followers and viral videos about fatherhood, fishing and whānau life that have been watched by millions around the world.
But behind the viral videos, Louis is a stay-at-home dad with several young children who, like every parent, sometimes feels like he's making it up as he goes.
We sat down with Louis to talk about his book The Modern Dad and what he's learned about raising kids, being a good partner and finding your own version of being a good man.
A&U: You write that no one is ever really ready to become a dad. Looking back, what was the biggest surprise that nobody warned you about?
LD: You realise how much time you had. So much of our twenties is just filling time with friends, hobbies, beers, travel, hanging out after the gym, walking home slowly, hungover Sundays, potlucks, we are sooooo available for everything. You just don’t really know that until it’s over. 😂
A&U: Social media often shows the highlight reel of parenting. What's a moment in fatherhood that was messy, chaotic or humbling — but ended up teaching you the most?
LD: Every parent loses sleeps, gets shit on, spewed on, has no idea how to console a coughing baby at 2am. The trenches don’t discriminate, and we’re all in there.
A&U: What do you think makes a dad "modern" today?
LD: The big one? We’ll be defined by the way we scrap with the beast of technology. Scary time for our kids. My hope for parents now is that we’re softer, more present, on our hands and knees being dinosaurs with our kids while taking an active interest in the things they love.
A&U: If you could give every new father just one lesson you've learned in fatherhood, what would it be?
LD: Your life has to change. The less it does the more that will change for your partner. You can’t carry on the same with beers, golf, footy, fishing… Embrace your new life.
A&U: What's one small thing every dad can do this week that will make a bigger difference to their kids than they probably realise?
LD: Be a dinosaur. Get on your hands and knees and be in their world.
A&U: Father's Day can come with a lot of pressure. If you could give dads one piece of encouragement this Father's Day, what would it be?
LD: Be as useful as possible… Be in service of your partner and children. You’ll love being a dad so much more.
The Modern Dad
by Louis Davis
Millions know Louis Davis for his funny, heartfelt and wildly popular videos about fatherhood and whānau. Now the NZ TikTok Creator of the Year brings that same warmth and honesty to a refreshingly real guide to being a modern dad.
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