The power of a vulnerable dad

When was the last time your son saw you cry? For many Aussie dads, the answer might be “never.” But according to Dr Billy Garvey, Victoria’s 2025 Father of the Year, it might be time to rethink that.

In a recent interview with the Herald Sun, Dr Garvey, a paediatrician and father of four, called on fathers to show their emotions openly in front of their children. “We’ve got a lot of generations of dads who didn’t know how to be emotionally available,” he said. “It’s not a fault, it’s a result of what they were taught.” Dr Garvey argues that emotional openness is not weakness – it’s one of the most powerful tools we have for raising emotionally resilient boys.

For generations, boys in Australia have grown up under the unspoken rule that “boys don’t cry.” The message? Toughen up. Push it down. Get on with it. But this outdated view of masculinity is being challenged, and rightly so. Mental health research consistently shows that emotional suppression can lead to problems later in life, including anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties.

When fathers model vulnerability – whether it’s shedding a tear, admitting they’re struggling, or simply talking openly about how they feel – boys learn that emotions aren’t something to be feared or hidden. They learn that it’s OK to feel deeply and express it.

More importantly, they feel safe to do the same.

As Dr Garvey told the Herald Sun, we need to “embrace the human experience with our kids,” showing them that being real and honest doesn’t make you less of a man. In fact, it makes you more of one.

So next time you’re feeling something big – sadness, stress, joy – don’t hide it. Share it. Talk about it. Let your son see that strength includes softness, too.

By showing up emotionally, we’re not just raising better boys. We’re raising better men.

Dr Billy Garvey’s Herald Sun article can be found here.

Brought to you by Brighton Grammar School