"Raw and unfiltered. This is what real dad life looks like.""As a single dad of two girls, this gave me hope again.""This brand has changed the way I show up for my kid.""This is a wake-up call for fathers.""I could have run through a brick wall listening to this.""No one else is speaking to dads like this.""Finished listening in one sitting. Bloody sensational.""Best thing I've read in a long time." "Raw and unfiltered. This is what real dad life looks like.""As a single dad of two girls, this gave me hope again.""This brand has changed the way I show up for my kid.""This is a wake-up call for fathers.""I could have run through a brick wall listening to this.""No one else is speaking to dads like this.""Finished listening in one sitting. Bloody sensational.""Best thing I've read in a long time."

Nobody prepares you for this part.

The part where you love your kids
more than anything...

and still feel like you’re
getting it completely wrong.

Still distracted.

Still short-tempered.

Still on your phone when you should be
on the floor playing Lego.

Nobody talks about
that part.

I always thought providing
was the same as
showing up.

It isn’t.

This book is a mirror.

And mirrors don’t lie.

This book will show
you
exactly who you
are
right now.

And exactly who you’re
capable of becoming.

Your kids are watching.

Be That Dad by Timothy Hodge

What's inside?

Part raw memoir. Part no-bullsh!t manual.

This is a story about breaking cycles, rebuilding yourself, and becoming the dad your kids will never forget.

This isn't a lousy parenting book written by someone who's never missed a bedtime or lost his temper.

It's the truth.

Written by a dad who's lived every page of it,
and built a global movement along the way.

Through heartbreak, humour, failure, and relentless self-improvement, I hand you the lessons that took me from surviving fatherhood to redefining it.

This book will prove one thing:

You don't get to choose the hand you're dealt.
You get to choose what you build with it.

This is for the man inside the dad.

The Heart of Fatherhood Building Your Foundations Thriving Beyond Family Redefining Fatherhood The Dad's Toolbox See Full Contents

The Heart of Fatherhood

Being a dad is the toughest, most rewarding gig out there.

Being Their Hero: Your kids don't need you to be fearless. They need to see you try.
Your Dream Team: What seven weeks in a neonatal ward watching my daughter fight for her life. And what it taught me about partnership that no love language ever could.

Prove it to yourself: Pick one kid. One hour. Just the two of you. They choose what you do.

Building Your Foundations

If you're not at your peak, you cannot be that dad.

Mastering The Clock: I broke my neck laughing at a joke.
Here's what five days on a hospital ceiling taught me about time.
Be The Hero Of Your Own Story: No rock bottom. No before-and-after photo.
Just the fitness story for dads who want to keep showing up.
Fuelling The Beast: I once survived eleven days in Whistler, Canada on $17.62.
Then I started eating for the father I wanted to be.
Money Matters: The exact money system my family runs on, with worksheets.
And why I measure my salary in time, not dollars.

Prove it to yourself: track every hour for seven days. You will be horrified.

Thriving Beyond Family

Your family doesn't just need you there. They need you thriving.

The Power of Progress: I failed twenty-six out of twenty-eight exams.
Then passed every single resit.
Why Me Time Matters: With it, I'm Tim and a dad. Without it, I'm just a dad.
The Bro Code: A best friend in a day on holiday. A chin-nod at school pickup.
This is the time to close the gap.

Prove it to yourself: schedule one hour for yourself this week.
Hold the line. Medical emergency or tsunami only.

Redefining Fatherhood

Forget the old-school fatherhood bullshit. Let's bin that outdated narrative for good.

The Main Event: A fold-out couch, a cold sheet, and a parking ticket..
Why? "Because you're just the dad." Not anymore.
Living With Purpose: You need more than just your kids to live a fulfilling life.
And they need to watch you chase it.
The Weight: Most men never go here. This chapter does.

Prove it to yourself: show up somewhere dads aren't expected this week.
And hold your ground.

The Dad's Toolbox

You can read every book on earth. None of it means a thing if you don't do the work.

Taking Back Control: The morning routine I've barely missed in four years, plus a one-week and a one-month plan that you'll keep coming back to.
The BeThatDad Pillars: The six daily pillars I rebuilt my life on, after a panic attack 1.3 kilometres underground.

Prove it to yourself: set your alarm thirty minutes earlier tomorrow. No snooze.
Be That Dad contents

Hi, I'm Tim.

I don't remember a time when I didn't dream of becoming a dad. Then I became one, and nothing could have prepared me for it. After years of figuring it out, I built my own way back.

Read my story.

Trusted by dads in more than 40 countries.

Here's What Dads Are Saying About BeThatDad.From readers of the original BeThatDad blueprint.

This Changed My Mindset As A Dad

"I didn’t need another lecture on how to be a great dad. I needed something that would help me take action. I didn't expect it to come from this book.
But to my surprise, it did."Jake (USA)

First Time I’ve Felt Seen As A Father

"We always hear about how hard mums have it, and they do. But this is the first thing I’ve read that actually spoke to what it’s like being a modern dad. Real, raw, and genuinely helpful.
I needed this book. Thank you."Robert (UK)

Navigating Fatherhood Without Losing Yourself

"No one prepares you for how easy it is to lose yourself as a dad. This book helped me reclaim my mornings, reconnect with my values, and show up like the man I always wanted to be.
Powerful stuff."Joel (AUS)

A Book Every Dad Will Benefit From

"This isn’t just advice. It’s a guide that helps you reconnect with who you are and want to be as a father. I picked it up expecting some self help junk but from the first chapter I couldn’t put it down.
Every dad should read this."Averill (CAN)

Finally, A Book That Actually Helps Dads

“This book is direct, concise, and easy to pick up again whenever you’re ready for a new burst of insight. Unlike most self help books, this book gets straight to what we need as dads. Practical and real. 100% recommend.”Steve (AUS)

A No-Nonsense Guide Every Dad Needs

“Be That Dad is a straight-talking guide that gave me the structure and permission to work on myself without feeling selfish.
Honest, sharp, and exactly what I needed.”Andrew (USA)

Frequently Asked Questions

Need help finding an answer to your question?
Email me at: hello@bethatdad.co

What formats is the book available in?

Hardcover, paperback, ebook and audiobook. Pick one or grab a bundle.
Every one comes with bonus material.

What's the difference between the Book, the Bundle and the System?

The Book is the book in whichever format you choose: ebook, audiobook, paperback, or hardcover delivered to your door. The Bundle adds the audiobook. The System includes everything, plus the BeThatDad 30-Day Challenge, where you actually put the book into practice. All options come with the same bonus material.

What's in the bonus material?

Three things to take the book off the page and into your week:

The 7-Day Morning Reset Guide: seven mornings, thirty minutes each, to get your day back before the house wakes up.
The Dinner Table Deck: thirty questions for family dinners, so everyone's actually there, talking and laughing.
The 7,000 Hours Tool: an interactive tool. Put in your kids' ages and see roughly how many hours you've got left with them, plus thirty ways to spend an hour together.

How do I get the ebook and audiobook?

Instantly. As soon as you check out, you'll get an email with your download links.

How long does shipping take?

Every book is printed fresh for your order at the plant closest to you, and dispatched within 2 to 10 business days. Delivery time on top of that depends on where you are and the shipping option you choose at checkout. The ebook and audiobook arrive instantly.
For more information, check out the shipping page.

What if my book arrives damaged or misprinted?

Email me a photo at hello@bethatdad.co within 30 days and I'll send you a new one, free. Keep the damaged one, or pass it on to another dad and help spread the message.

I'm a single dad. Is this still for me?

Yes. I was raised by a single mum, so I know how tough it can be. This book is for you too. Being that dad has nothing to do with whether you're in a relationship.
(Maybe just skip the chapter on partnerships.)

I barely have time to sleep. How am I meant to read a book?

You've got time. You're just spending it somewhere else.
Start with Chapter 3, or grab the audiobook and listen on the commute.

Is this only for new dads? My kids are 12 and 16.

No. BeThatDad is for any dad who wants to show up better, whether your kids are six days old or sixteen. I wrote this book when my kids were six, four and newborn, but the lessons don't have an age limit.

Can I buy it on Amazon or in a bookshop?

Yes. It's available through most retailers worldwide. Without a publisher's sales rep behind it, you probably won't find it on the shelf, but any bookshop can order it in for you.
It's on Amazon too, but Jeff Bezos already has a yacht.
You only get the bonus material when you buy it here.

I've read the book. Now what?

Now you do the work. This book told you what to do. The BeThatDad 30-Day Challenge is where you actually do it: thirty days of the pillars from Chapter 14, every single day.

Want something lighter? Join Sunday School for Dads, five raw, honest thoughts on fatherhood, straight to your inbox every Sunday. Without the religion.

And if the book helped, tell another dad about it, or leave a review.
That's how it gets into the hands of the next one who needs it.