“You have been blessed with a daughter!” These are the most beautiful words I have heard in my lifetime.
As soon as I heard those words, my eyes were filled with tears and my heart was overflowing with love. After a couple of seconds, a tiny but annoying doubt popped up in my head – What about you? What if you are not happy? What if you have a sense of regret?
After an hour, when you walked into the hospital room, my eyes were looking at you to find any sign of regret as we were blessed with the daughter.
But, my heart skipped a beat when I realized your eyes were shining brighter than mine. You kissed my forehead and hugged me so tightly that I felt stupid of even having the doubt that you might not be happy being the father of a daughter.
The way you had taken care of me during pregnancy, I always knew you would be a good father. But now after years of being blessed with our angel, I can safely say both me and my daughter couldn’t have been luckier. You’re the best father she could have got in this world and I’m sure when she is old enough to realize it, she’ll say the same.
Because you are my perfect partner in parenting.
We live in a society, where mothers are held responsible for anything and everything related to kids. It does not matter whether it is simple or complex, it’s always the mother who is expected to solve it for the kids.
More so if it’s a daughter. But, you are like a fresh breeze.
You make sure that you are equally involved in everything and the opportunity to contribute to your daughter’s development is not stolen from you.
Do you remember how I was scared to hold her during the initial days of motherhood? I always used to feel that it would be better if my mother took care of her. But, you were so excited about being a father to the daughter, that you were ready to take charge of everything related to her.
Even the stinky diapers or night long cries of her couldn’t scare you.
When we welcomed her into our little world, our lifestyle changed a lot. The eating out get-togethers changed into the home parties; movies in theatres were replaced with Netflix and Amazon Prime. Our weekend mall hoping shifted to kid’s parks and our weekly shopping moved online. In fact, we became very careful about what we were talking in front of her so that she doesn’t pick up any bad words from us.
I felt it might scare you like the other dads, but you made me feel absolutely wrong about it. You embraced this change like you were born to be a father.
But, what surprised me the most is the way you have bonded with our daughter. The bonding between me and her is strong as she means a world to me but your bonding with her is completely different. It’s like you two are best friends who keep fighting with each other but yet are always the partners in crime.
Because you have your unique ways of teaching the best life lessons to her.
You have your own unique ways of teaching the lessons of life to her. I love the way you have designed different gaming sessions to encourage her to compete with you. It is amazing how you are able to research so much and find all these games that’ll help her grow into an independent, intelligent and mature woman. And you know what’s the icing on the cake – you appoint me as the referee every time to make sure I don’t feel left out.
Meal Games for gulping down the healthy veggies
It is truly amazing how your meal games encourage our daughter to eat everything that is served on her plate – whether it is deadly veggies or the lentils. She might express her dislikes but when you say: “Mumma don’t give her Bhindi, give it to me. I will become strong”, our 5-year old princess understands that Bhindi is what will make her strong and not the chocolate she was fighting for.
And boy, she finishes her Bhindi without me having to even tell her anything.
My Favourite “Helping Momma” Games
I still remember that day when our daughter came walking to me on her tiny legs and said: “Momma, Can I help you make breakfast”. I was really shocked as I had never heard of even a grown-up kid asking this from their mothers. And that’s when our angel told me how her daddy had taught her how important Momma’s work in the kitchen is, and she had always seen her daddy helping momma.
Through your helping momma games, you have shown our daughter that a family doesn’t only need to respect Papa’s work but also Mama’s work. The way you have always extended your support whether it be in the household chores or any help outside, teaches our daughter how the work is not gender-specific.
And, that’s the reason why when our daughter sees you helping in changing the bedsheet, she would try her level best to change the pillow covers. When you help me out with the weekend breakfast, she wants to help you in setting up the table.
Sports are not only for boys but for girls too
Thanks to your weekend football sessions, our daughter not only plays with dolls but has a strong interest in football too. I’m amazed how she wakes up at 6 am without any reminders for her Sunday morning football game with daddy. She’s not only learning active sports but also discipline and gender equality.
Because she is your world
I find it so amazing that you have blocked two dedicated slots each day for her. The walk to the school bus stop in the morning and the bed-time story at the night – these are like your sacred times. You won’t let me do these two things even if you’re not well, damn tired or not able to speak.
I still remember when you had a sprain in your ankle for a week and you would limp 500 m to the bus stop with her. And I know why you do that. During these two slots, you teach her the power of sharing. You make sure that our daughter takes you through her day, and you would take her through your and my day. The confidence and openness this has brought into our family is something I’m so proud of.
Because you know that you are setting an example in her life.
I still remember the day when we came home with our angel in your arms, after the delivery. You told me that raising a daughter is not for light-hearted and you would be setting the example for how our daughter should expect men to treat her, for the rest of her life. And I can’t be more proud of how you have been successfully carrying this responsibility for the last 6 years.
Every day, you not only teach her to expect respect, love, and loyalty from others but also express gratitude and apology through the magic words –“Please”, “Thank you” and “Sorry”.
Now before I again start crying emotionally, I want to tell you that our daughter is blessed to have you as a father.
There are a handful of brave hearts in this world who would love to raise daughters to be bold rather than perfect – who would love to give their daughters the wings to fly – and still be there to catch them if they fall.
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