I always wondered what is the significance of various days like Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day or Father’s Day.  Perhaps from a point of view of the West, it is an occasion to acknowlegde each other. However, from an Indian context where families are already close knit, every day is a special day to exchange greetings with each other. 

My day usually starts with a Whatsapp voice message to my son.  He used to chide me for that! (I don’t blame him because I used to send several in a span of ten minutes just to irritate him!)

I demand my granddaughter’s photo to be sent by my daughter, every day. I love to see her cute face and watch her grow, even though she may live far away.

I never wait for my son or daughter to call me. I call them when I feel like talking to them. There exists neither formality nor distance in our relationship.  Until a certain age, they are our children and afterwards they are our friends. That is how I look at them. Now we have a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law and also a granddaughter - our family (friends) circle is complete I would say!

When I sat down to write this article, I asked my son and daughter for some ideas and I have summarised a few here.

We used to live in the UAE for a long time and that gave us the opportunity to visit various countries without the constraints of a tight wallet!

Countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Egypt and several European countries have been in our travel list all visited when my children were young. These trips, I would say, were not hurried ones where one simply hops from one place to another but, done in a leisurely manner enjoying every bit.  It was a time of fun and enjoyment but only when my son pointed out, I realised that it must have been an educational experience as well.  We have preserved these videos and when watching today brings back lots of nostalgic memories.

I grew up in hostels, after my school days and that enabled me to think and act independently. My son and daughter were all along with us until they moved to the USA. However, I made sure that they develop their own thinking and simply not follow my footsteps. When they wanted to study abroad, there were neither questions nor advice given, except to participate in their thought process.

Like me, my children love books and usually tell me after they order a book and only when I have to pay!  But these books, I am glad, are a big contribution to their growth.

When my son was not sure which path to choose after his Masters, he himself came up with a solution and now, he is an accomplished SAP professional.

My daughter, though now on a sabbatical attending to her new born child, was able to make a mark in a Clinical Research Company.  It will be a false statement if I say; I guided her here because it was all her own decision. 

I know, the inner strength they gained during their formative years, helped them in making their own decisions and to choose their career path.

So, this is what I have to say as a conclusion to my article:  As a dad, (Father sounds too formal!), give your children the necessary environment and encouragement so that they become strong in their own way. Do not force your thoughts on them; do not try to make them someone that you aspired to become. Allow them to take risks with the full confidence and knowledge that you will be there for them to lean back on in case things go out of hand. Just be a Dad always and be proud of their achievements.

Happy Dad’s day!