It’s Thursday morning, and David Campbell’s eldest child, Leo, is practising the piano.
The Today Extra host sits beside him, listening as his son talks to him and plays the keys.
While a moment like this is seemingly small for David, it’s everything.
“I like to watch my kids try things. It’s not about cheering them on because you want them to be great. It’s like, I just want to see their light,” he says to Now To Love.
David and his beloved wife Lisa share three children; Leo and twins Betty and Billy.
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David with his wife Lisa.
(Image: Instagram)Together they work hard on being present and guiding parents, which is a choice the presenter made from day one through learning from his own childhood.
“I didn’t have a dad for the first ten or so years of my life, it was a very formative time,” he shares.
“I know how important those years can be. And if you’re in a position, and not most families are, of being able to parent or co-parent, however, you do, I want to be deeply involved in that.”
Alongside the adjective ‘devoted’, David sees himself as a parent who balances the fine art of being soft and firm.
“I love the everyday stuff. I love making the sandwiches in the morning, parenting the kids, and sometimes I am the tough parent. I can look fun on social media, but I can be a very tough parent, I can be very strong with them for manners and stuff. That is really important to me,” he explains.
“Boy, I would love for my children to see your face as a mother.”
(Image: Instagram)His Instagram proves to fans that he is the most loving dad dedicated to seeking out the next adventure. But the 48-year-old credits his wife for their joyful brood.
“I think my natural instinct is to be like my cup is not filling up, but she’s always like ‘no, it’s full, it’s great,’ so she takes a more positive spin on things, and she’s super adventurous and super like ‘let’s dress up, let’s play,” he gushes.
Lisa and David’s love story is quite a whirlwind affair that began when they met in a Melbourne theatre green room.
They were in each other’s pockets for three weeks, but because Lisa was from England, she had to go home. But the night before, David didn’t let her go without professing his feelings.
“There is something about having them near me. That’s really comforting.”
(Image: Instagram)“The night before she left, I think I verbalised it. We were very deep in our cups, having a wonderful night, being emotional, and I said, ‘Boy, I would love for my children to see your face as a mother’,” he reflects but quickly jokes, “That should be a bit of a red flag.”
Lisa’s Instagram handle reads Lisa Luckiest, but one may be interested in asking, how did David get so lucky? If you ask, he will tell you, “I don’t know.”
“I’m really insecure, so I don’t think I deserve it at the same time. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I am and I ain’t letting go.
“She should have listened three weeks in. It was a red flag,” he says.
It comes as no surprise to discover in the Campbell household, they encourage the kids to make gifts for Mother’s and Father’s Day.
“We try and do stuff that’s a bit more creative. I may buy something I think she may need or want. But from the kid’s perspective, I know that for us, we always like when they make something for us,” explains David.
The proud husband has already organised his homemade goodie for Lisa.
“She’s obviously British, big tea drinkers. So, we may make mugs this year, and we may take goofy photos and then go down to Officeworks and print them on the mugs there,” he shares.
Naturally, Lisa and David’s busy lives raising three children with demanding careers brings a host of good and bad days, but a happy life is simple for the performer.
David and his son Billy.
(Image: Instagram)“A happy life. It means everybody is safe. It means everybody is close to where I can see them and cuddle them.
“One of my kids will come sit next to me on the couch and if they sit close enough to me, I can fall asleep in like five minutes. I can just nap. Because I know they’re there, they’re safe,” he says.
“There is something about having them near me. That’s really comforting. I think I’ll miss it when they’re gone, when they grow up, and they don’t want to touch, they don’t want to come near you and touch you ever again, that period.”
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