Father's Day is a holiday that honours fatherhood and paternal bonds and celebrates the positive influence that fathers have in society and in the family dynamic. Traditionally, in a mother-father partnership, the woman tends to take on the majority of the child care duties and household tasks, and even when both parents have jobs, the moms still do disproportionately more housework and child care chores than the dads. Several decades ago, many fathers were unwilling or unable to provide their children with emotional support or physical care. However, with the development of society, more and more fathers are engaged in the work of nurturing and parenting children, and dads are gradually becoming real parents - and not just mother’s helpers.

On this Father’s Day, we are proud to share the lovely stories of several Hape dads, and to take a look at their special journeys through fatherhood.

“Encourage your Little One to Explore the World by Himself” – Harry

“The first time I realised that there may exist some differences in raising babies between me and my wife, was the time when our toddler son tried to climb the stairs by himself. I still remember the moment when my son tried his first step. I was so excited to be there to encourage my toddler’s on his mission. In contrast, my wife was worried and nervous about the safety of the baby. I suppose this may be a key distinction between motherhood and fatherhood; I like to give my boy the opportunities to explore and feel the world around him by himself, since I believe that only through such experiences and feelings can he appreciate everything and become independent and empathetic when he grows up.” 

“Follow Children’s Heart and Support Them” – Zhong Songgang

“Honestly, I don’t have so-called philosophies when it comes to nurturing my child, but one thing I think highly of is that we need to respect our children’s will. Just take my three-year old girl as an example: her schedule is filled with various training courses which aim to improve different kinds of skills, such as dancing and calligraphy. Some people may say that I put too much pressure on my daughter - and I also think that these courses are too difficult for a three-year old child - but she told me that these are all her hobbies, hence, I have no choice but to respect her and support her in the best way I can. As she grows up, I will always accompany her and be her best friend of her - that’s what I think a father should be.”                                                            

“Be My Girls’ Most Powerful Supporter” – Tobias Vorbach

“It is my adorable daughters who light up my life and make my life more colourful and abundant. I became stronger and more responsible when my sweeties came into my life, and I want to be the most reliable father I can for them. Actually, I could in some ways be considered as a typical “working-father” who does not have enough time to spend with his children due to work - but I try to make-up for lost time when I get off work or on weekends. I love to try all kinds of wonderful activities with my daughters, such as camping, hiking and skiing, and I enjoy spending happy family times with my wife and daughters. Daring and fearless, I hope that my little girls can enter the challenges of life alike good open minds person, ready for all the challenges ahead. ”

“The Careless New Daddy Becomes the Most Reliable Father” - Adam Shillito

“I still remember the time when I travelled deep into the outback of Australia with my kids. I prepared food, water, fuel and everything we needed for survival in the wild. The funny thing was that I was too careless, and I forgot to pack the babies’ diapers…As the cache of parenting knowledge accumulated however, and my children gradually grew, I became their main carer and the most reliable of family members, dedicated to keeping them out of trouble and happy! I love to travel with my children, and to show them amazing parts of the world and open their minds. For me, I believe that we need a license to drive a car, but nothing to become a parent - and yet it's a huge responsibility and there are an awful lot of lessons to learn on the way towards being a good father. I want to be a reliable and fun-loving father for my children.”

Fathers play an important role in fostering children’s positive development, and we hope that more and more fathers can be involved in nurturing and raising their offspring and strive to make their own contributions to the great journey of parenting. Happy Father’s Day!