Being Father...

BEING FATHER …

By and large most of us men are never so eager to have kids. Probably we men do not want to take on responsibilities of raising a child… and today in times of nuclear families where the responsibilities are equally shared by man and woman, that’s even scarier for a man.

Will I be able to care for a child, change nappies, attend the baby’s open house, will I be able to handle the baby’s tantrums, will I be able to sing lullaby: such and more questions haunt a man till finally the child is born.

But Oh! What a feeling it is to see your child just delivered and those tiny fingers pointing nowhere; you hold them with yours and that soft gentle touch vanishes all those innumerable doubts of your being father….

You start taking delight in the inputs from a dozen relatives and friends, trying to guess who the baby resembles… Eyes are like grandpa, nose is like aunt … and you smile looking at that little angel, taking pride in the fact that it is so very much like you.

You change nappies, sing lullabies and give bath to this new found meaning of life. No traces of doubts in the mind of being father.

You select toys for your baby and play with it too, you watch cartoons and enjoy it too, never thought it would be so much fun … being father.

You make a list of your baby’s friends, arrange a party for them, attend the open house regularly, you surprise yourself…it’s a delight…being father.

You see your bundle of joy in pain and you are in tears, your baby cannot sleep and you are restless too. The baby wakes up the next morning, smiles and kisses your closed tired eyes, what a revelation it is … being father.

When my little prince was born, I remember, my wife telling me “Sweet heart, the child’s open house and the child’s visit to the doctor are two places we should always go together.” Thanks to my wife for sharing this wonderful feeling of raising a child with me and relishing the joy of … being father.

I remember the day when on one of the teacher’s day I was called at his school to attend his everyday class. I was so very excited and very stupidly thinking I would be the only father attending this unusual event.  As I drove towards the school my son briefed me some instructions… “Say please may I come in teacher, before you enter…remove the shoes outside the class …have you carried your tiffin box?” and so on…

I reached there and to my surprise there were four other fathers already present before me. Thanks to this day which made fathers feel as important a part in parenting as mothers.

On the annual day seeing all those lovely cycles my son kept asking me, “Is that cycle for me?”  I said, “No baby; your attendance has not been hundred percent but mom and dad’s attendance, at the open house, has been hundred percent, surely we shall win something for you today…”

And there you are; you win the Parents of the Year award… truly it is so rewarding…. Being Father

this was an article in my elder son shahen's school magazine 2005-06 when he was in junior k.g. much before he started homeschooling ...

now he blogs and i must say he has a bigger following then me ... 

just another proud moment ... of Being Father.