Father’s Day Special

Fathers, too, make the world go round. On the occasion of Father’s Day this month, we give single dads some simple but much-needed advice to get through life. By Kalwyna Rathod

Parenting isn’t easy, and undertaking the journey alone is undeniably tougher. And, while we often laud single moms for doing it all effortlessly, single dads, too, deserve appreciation – and support and guidance. If you are a single dad or looking at being one, read on for tips that will help you tackle the challenges in your path.
Dad

Image: Instagram
#1 Take Your Time
Actor-producer Tusshar Kapoor opted for surrogacy to become a father to son Laksshya Kapoor. He said in an interview that the bigger challenge came before he became a father – he had to first navigate his own doubts and work through them.
Whether you’re still planning on becoming a single parent or trying to navigate your way through the chaos, relax, take your time to figure things out before you rush into anything or make important decisions.

Image: Instagram
#2 Take Help
Just because you’re a single parent doesn’t mean you have to face challenges alone. Director Karan Johar, who is a doting dad to twins Roohi and Yash, is ever so grateful for his mom Hiroo Johar’s constant and continued support. In an Instagram post, Karan shared how Hiroo co-parents the kids with him and how he could never have taken such a big decision without her by his side.
Be it relatives or friends, you know the people who truly care about you, so turn to them when you need a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or help of any kind – babysitting, meals, you name it – instead of being hard on yourself.
#3 Take It Easy
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to be a superhero – sure, you want to be able to do it all, but it’s okay if you fall short at times. The trick is to plan better, switch to a schedule that works for you and your child, get finances in order, delegate tasks, and prioritise chores and commitments.
#4 Take A Break
Children are intuitive, and seeing you stressed all the time isn’t going to help you or them. David Code, author of Kids Pick Up On Everything: How Parental Stress Is Toxic To Kids, points out that studies suggest that parents’ chronic stress can significantly impact a child’s development – not just their disposition, but also their very makeup, impacting the risk for mood disorders, ADHD, autism and addiction.

Image: Shutterstock
Yes, we know it’s impossible to stay calm and happy all the time. Plus, kids need to know that negative emotions such as stress, frustration and sadness are a part and parcel of life. But what they also need to know is that these emotions need to be dealt with in a healthy way. If you let your stress build up, it will eventually affect the way you interact with your child, keeping you from being a nurturing parent. So, take a break from your worries, especially when it’s time to share meals with your child, read them a book, watch a movie together, or spend time doing fun activities. And more power to you!
Work It Out
If you’re looking to request a schedule change at your workplace, these pointers will help:
- Take your current schedule into consideration and determine what exactly it is that you want to change. Do you want to log in to work earlier and log out early, do you want to come in later, or do you want to work split shifts because you need some time off during the middle of the day?
- Make doubly sure that the change you’re requesting will meet your needs. And be realistic. If you know you won’t be able to wake up an hour or two earlier to clock in at work, don’t even suggest it; doing so will only add stress to your life.
- Ask yourself if your request can be considered reasonable given the kind of work profile you have. Fine tune it accordingly.
- Be ready to state your case should your boss question how you will meet your work goals with the revised schedule.
- If all goes well, great. If it doesn’t, consider whether you need a change. Perhaps you and your child would do better if you had a job that allowed you to work from home or had flexible work hours.

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