Being a Father

Two Basic Responsibilities of a Father

To my daughter

 "Between the dark and the daylight,

When the night is beginning to lower,

Comes a pause in the day’s occupations,

That is known as the Children’s Hour."

[The Children’s Hour – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]

I am a relatively new father to my 1 year old daughter. I say relatively new, because, this is my first time to be a father and my only daughter is still very young. With this, I am not an expert on how to become a good father. But, I think being a father is beautifully captured and simplified through the excerpt shown above. In this blog, I will try to explain how that single stanza of a poem encapsulates the responsibility of a good father to his child.

For me, the stanza written above, points out two basic responsibilities of a father to his child and his family. Moreover, these two basic responsibilities are equally important - one cannot compromise one from the other. 

The first basic responsibility of a father is expressed in the line: "comes a pause in the day's occupations." Here it is clear that a father should have some occupations during the day - and he does these for his child or for his family. In other words, a father should work and provide for the material and other essential needs of his child and his family. Another important thing to note is, that this work should only be done during the day. Because, the night is intended for other important things - the children's hour.

The second basic responsibility of a father is expressed in the line: "that is known as the Children's Hour." Here it is clear that a father should have some time spent with his child. This time spent is the time that he is already at home after a whole day of work. At home, a fatherly love and presence should be felt, one way or the other, by his child and wife. This responsibility is, I think, the most taken for granted one - perhaps because of an exhaustive day at work. A father should never forget that everything he does is always directed towards his child and wife - his family - and a bonding time with his family is the most integral part.

So, those two enumerated above are the basic responsibilities a father has to his child and his family, beautifully captured in a single stanza of a poem. They are equally important which a father should always consider. There is a time for work and there is a time for bond. Work is essential for survival while bond is essential for love. Both are equally important to become a good father and to live a meaningful life.

Are you a father? Do you agree with my opinion here? If you are a father, what other things can you suggest that is about being a father?

Please let me know what you think about this blog in the comment section below. If, you have questions, don’t hesitate to comment them too. Let us discuss deeper and share insights about this blog.