It is widely accepted that only women or mothers are the natural caregivers of the children in the family. But father figures are more than capable of raising strong and independent women who look up to them. Why do we consider men harsh and incapable of nourishment? Here are three real stories by women whose single fathers and grandfathers broke stereotypes, keeping the family together and supporting their daughters.
1. When your grandpa is the real hero
My mother got divorced and was always working, trying her best to keep me happy. But as an actor, she had no guarantee on her call sheets. My paternal grandfather stepped in to be my best friend, my guide and my companion. He’d come every day to drop and pick me up from school. With a bottle of tender coconut water and a chicken sandwich, he did that for almost a decade – show up at every school event and even stood with me at the principal’s office, convincing the management I wasn’t a waste of their energy. So yes, he’s my super 80-year-old man and I will always love him for it.
– Anaina Kandrikar, Celebrity PR and Talent Consultant
2. Favourite human forever
There are many reasons my father is my favourite human. In more ways than one, he’s empowered me to never settle for anything less than the best. He’s shown me the world and introduced me to cultures beyond my wildest dreams. He’s instilled a passion for photography that’s shaped my entire future and he taught me to always reach for beyond the stars. My father raised me to be the person I am today, and I will never stop being grateful.
– Megha Vasudevan, Student
3. There is no love like a father’s
I have been working all my life and when I lost my best friend, my mom, it was a shock. I felt like I had lost a part of my soul. But my dad was always so strong. He sat me down one day and told me, “at least you have me, I lost my soulmate”. That was my turning point, I realised what he had lost after 30 years of marriage. But we both made an effort to bond. He started going out with me on coffee dates, movies, shopping, trying to play both the roles of a parent. My father has been with me through a change of job, a huge breakup and somehow always been my biggest strength. Every day with him has been a milestone, he even learned how to cook so he could make dishes that I like. He is amazing, and I still have my best friend around.
– Atreyi Goswami, PR Professional
GIFs: Giphy
