By Melissa Meehan
If you haven’t heard of Jarrad, Michael and Reid Duggan-Tierney you may have been living under a rock.
You might also know them as the Real Dads of Melbourne – an insta-famous family with more than 91,000 followers on Instagram.
Jarrad and Michael are one of approximately 6,800 same sex couples with a child in Australia.
And while their family dynamic is different to most, they share the same struggles navigating parenthood and finding the balance of routine, playtime, homework and a busy social life.
The social media influencers are gearing up for Christmas, and like many parents of inner Melbourne kids try to find a balance when it comes to gifts for eight-year-old Reid.
“Kids get a lot throughout the year,” Jarrad said.
“And we think Reid gets a lot during the year so he knows at Christmas time that he doesn’t get that much.”
Unlike many, the Duggan-Tierney’s are lucky enough to have brands sending them things to promote online – especially at Christmas, and it’s important for them that because of it, Reid doesn’t become entitled.
“We take a lot of that and give to charity – whether it be someone less fortunate or we will give it to our chosen charity,” Jarrad said.
“We don’t want him to be entitled, we weren’t brought up like that.”
Michael says that toys these days are pretty disposable and want to raise Reid to grow up with that in mind.
And even the gifts they keep – they roll them out slowly over the months following Christmas, so it’s not over the top.
“The unreliability of Australia Post actually works really well for us,” Michael jokes.
“It means that Reid gets presents dribble in right through January because we’ve got family interstate.”
As they prepare to put up their Christmas tree, the Duggan-Tierney’s are looking forward to reminiscing about years gone past.
Each year since Reid was born they’ve bought a special ornament.
“When we put up the tree we talk about the memories of where we purchased it and how old Reid was,” Jarrad says.
“We’ve got heaps of other decorations on the tree, including eight years of home-made decorations, but every year we buy a special glass one and put the date underneath.”
Reid has been involved in every choice, too, – even as a baby Jarrad and Michael would hold him up to the decorations and get him to choose a favourite.
“When we are on holidays throughout the year we will hunt for decorations to remind us of our experience and holidays,” Michael said.
“This year we went to Disneyland and bought an ornament of Mickey and Minnie Mouse kissing which is quite significant for us because we got engaged this year. So that will be our 2018 bauble.
“Reid chose that one out of the wedding themed ornaments and we love it.”
While they’re not sure where they will spend Christmas this year, they are still receiving tenders from loved ones, it’s going to be special.
Follow the Real Dads of Melbourne on Instagram.
