FROM DATELINE TO DAD!

The SBS presenter says journalism has nothing on fatherhood!

As Dateline returns to our screens, so does its host, Darren Mara, who has been off for three months on paternity leave, caring for his son Jude.

“Stepping back into the office after that experience was a bit of a reality check and trading goo-goos for Zoom meetings has certainly been a gear change,” the 40-year-old tells Woman’s Day of his return to the hard-hitting news program.

“But paternity leave was such a privilege that helped me grow closer to my son and appreciate the hard work my partner put in for nine months.”

For the journalist who has travelled the world, nothing compares to the challenges that come with raising a child, he admits.

“Managing my gag reflex has certainly been a challenge, as has food prep. I’m what you’d call a spontaneous eater, so sticking to a baby food plan didn’t come naturally,” he laughs.

“But the best thing about life right now is the smile on my son’s face when I walk into his room first thing in the morning.”

Darren, who shares his one-year-old son with his partner, ABC journalist Lia Harris, encourages any father who has the opportunity to step away from work and capitalise on those entitlements.

“It has the potential to give men a very different understanding of the rigours of raising a child and can help their partners maintain their own career momentum,” he says.

At this stage, Darren and Lia are happy with their “small clan” and aren’t discussing having more children, and he’s ready to throw himself back into his work, promising the upcoming season of Dateline is the best yet. “We’ve got a brand-new format that focuses on the big stories that really matter to Australians.” DATELINE Tuesdays, 9.30pm, SBS