Familial Ties (Father Special)
Father Figure
Modern-day dads have more variant roles and responsibilities on their platter
to carry out. Read on…
My daddy’s strongest…. This oft-quoted tagline of a popular health drink commercial rings true like never before. What once became a household mantra and was perfectly mouthed by every Indian kid is now a reality to reckon with. Whether it’s a single guardian or a couple in partnership, a caregiver ought to have a finger in every pie.
No Longer a Distant Star
Today’s gym-hitting dads are not just
deliciously grooming-conscious but self-proclaimed domestic gods too.
No wonder, the videos posted by
celebrity dads mingling with their children always invite an ‘awwww’ reaction
from star-struck fans and admirers going gaga over their gestures and poses.
One day, he could be that party-hopping
stylish hunk, while on the other, he might be your pot-bellied, roly-poly gift
fetcher — playing the secret Santa — who comes calling every snowing Christmas
with a bagful of goodies.
The 21st century paternal goals are set with an agenda brimming with teeming accountabilities to shoulder. The present-day dads love to don many hats and how!
Today’s fathers no longer wish to orbit
around their familial cocoon like a faraway twinkling star — looking after only
bread and butter issues. Rather they eagerly look forward to plunging deep into
its fabric and actively participating in the matters of ‘home and the hearth’
like a strong support system.
Sensitive Soul
“I just don’t want to remain a funder to
my near and dear ones sponsoring their needs and demands with my ATM or a
credit card. Instead, I want to forge a mental connect with my immediate family
and emerge as an indispensable homemaker who bonds best with his loved ones
like no other,” declares yoga expert Diptam Ghosh. The gentle side of a father
believes in nurturing life and embracing the spirit of togetherness.
Papa, the Best Mate
Young ones from broken marriages and
fractured relationships always have a bumpy ride ahead. Societal barbs and peer
bullying constantly hound them. “But then one has to be strong enough to turn
around and take the bull by the horns,” bluntly responds a mature teenager who
stays with her divorcee father. “My pop is my happy space and the best pal I
could ever ask for from God,” she acknowledges with pride.
Daddy Cool
“I confided in dad when I had my first crush
on a guy from the same batch in my MBA coaching class. Later, we became thick
friends and sparks flew off only to flower a romantic relationship. But
honestly, what attracted me to him initially was his simplicity that ditto
reflected my dad’s characteristic quality,” recalls banker Anwesha Banerjee
whose validation underscores the fact that daughters expect their future
husbands to be as loving and giving, and sensitive as their fathers.
“I have always looked up to my father as
my true hero. He is still my role model now that he is a granddad and continues
to inspire us all unabated,” claims marketing professional Sourav Das. “My
fixation for chess board game and solving Maths puzzles as well as Rubik’s Cube
came from him. My wife says I’ve inherited his cerebral genes,” he gloats
ahead.
Amateur theatre actor Pradip Raut said: “After fathering a child myself I felt as if I have stepped into my dad’s shoes and that experience was surreal to say the least.” With an afterthought, he adds: “I was never a delinquent brat but a happy-go-lucky person at heart for sure. Suddenly, I could fathom a mountain of responsibilities loaded on my plate and my world got wrapped around that little finger of my baby boy. He is now the centre of my universe. I miss my dad’s physical presence as he’s no longer with us but I know for a fact that he’s up there somewhere in spirit and blessing us from the clouds above like a guiding beacon.”
Net-savvy megastar dads pander to
critics and play to the gallery to serve up enough fodder in virtual media for
the netizens to dig into. This could be an aggressive PR exercise, a planted
publicity stunt. But that’s how the rules of the ‘name, fame and moolah’ game
are written these days. The
role of a father changed from his yesteryear passiveness to a hip and happening
livewire. The modern-day dad is more chilled out than before and his equation
with his kids is now more flexible and elastic.
Rightful Hiatus
The government
offices in India allow paternity leave while the private sector is yet to take
a call on this.
Life
coach Vasudha Jha supports
the idea of men sharing their wives' pregnancy and forging a bond with the baby
in its prenatal stage. “Yes, definitely! Unless the sabbatical is extended to
both parents, the objective of enabling women to be part of the workforce
without compromising on their newborn’s needs will not be successfully
achieved. Active involvement of fathers during the early years of child-rearing
positively impacts infants’ cognitive development,” she opines.
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