“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him.” – Clarence B. Kelland
A father’s love is equally important to a child just like a mother’s love. Sire, Dad, Abbu, Dada, Baba, Kaka, Bab, Genitor, Pater, Papa, Paw, Pops, Pita are beautiful and affectionate words for fathers used worldwide. Yes with the changing times, the male and female roles are reversing but for a long time, fathers have been the caretakers, protectors, financial supporters, guide for social and emotional behavior and much more to their children. A father is his children’s first superhero. Studies have shown that involvement of both parents in the child’s upbringing is vital for his/her cognitive development, social development, educational achievement, self-esteem and pro-social behavior.
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Parenting Role Reversal
Over the past several decades, father’s emotional involvement has increased dramatically. The increasing trend of women into jobs has changed the traditional roles of parenting. Women have financial power, so men are not the only earning, and hence, ruling power in homes now. Working mother being busy in her job has led to more open, flexible and undefined functions for fathers. The “mom” roles are not just for moms anymore – changing the diapers, feeding, bathing, rocking the child to sleep in the middle of the night. This has enhanced emotional bond between father and children.
Fathers Lead Children
A father’s relationship with his children affects all their relationships from especially those with friends, lovers, and spouses. Girls will look for men who hold the patterns like her dad. Boys will model themselves after their fathers. So, every father tries to bring out best in their child. There are some names that helped their children touch the skies and set forth examples. One such name worth mentioning is Mahavir Singh Phogat who is an amateur wrestler and a senior Olympics coach. He trained his four daughters named Geeta, Babita, Rita and Sangeeta; and his nieces Vinesh and Priyanka.
All the 6 girls are trained in wrestling by Mahavir. Geeta, Babita and Vinesh are international players; Ritu is a national champion, while Priyanka and Sangeeta have won at age-level international championships. The Hindi biopic Dangal is based on his life. The Indian government awarded Shri Phogat with the prestigious Dronacharya Award.
Not All Are Blessed Since Childhood
Evidently, father is a strong inner core resource. The sense of well-being & authenticity in children comes from a caring and loving father. Fortunate are those who are blessed with loving fathers. But, have you ever thought about those destitute children who lost their father or both parents? About the children whose poor parents sold them to earn money and those thrown into prostitution?
These children, mainly girls, are the victims of societal machinations that dis-empowered them from the right to live as human beings. We have no idea of the pain and miseries that they go through. Some people do realize the plight of the orphans and do charity. But what about those forced into prostitution?
From Eyes of the Unfortunate
A large part of the society neglects their mere existence. Some people have sympathy to offer, but help has still not reached them. In such a scenario, there’s someone has given his own name as the legal father. Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan, spiritual leader of Dera Sacha Sauda is a social reformer. To counter female feticide and gender based discrimination, Baba Ram Rahim has adopted the girls who were to be killed in fetus or are abandoned by parents as his own foster daughters. These children are rescued and sheltered in an air conditioned habitat named “Shahi Betian Basera” equipped with best of all facilities and they are provided education in modern, accredited schools. For boys, an ‘Aasra’ Ashram has been established that functions as a parallel platform.
Baba also adopts the girls entrapped in prostitution as his own daughters, gets them medically treated and rehabilitates them with the social mainstream by arranging their marriage, thus, creating a movement against prostitution.
Indeed, God is the heavenly father who cares for the unnoticed destitute by sending his messiahs, saints and noble people on earth.