Jun 20, 2010

June 20, 2010 marks the Centennial Celebration of the Fathers Day and with modern fathers having come to play an equally dominant role along with the mothers in the upbringing of the children this Father’s Day assumes greater significance, more so in the centennial year.  Gone are the stereotypes of only the mother taking care of the children.  The media has played an all important role in changing the portrayal of men caring for their children and the advertising field has grabbed the opportunity to portray the doting fathers or stay-at-home dads much to the consternation of those for whom it is still traditionally unacceptable.  But who cares! As families have evolved and nuclear families becoming common, the modern day fathers have assumed their new role as caring and doting fathers which has become both a necessity and a reality.  With more and more women of the younger generation opting to work the young fathers seem to enjoy the new role of nurturing their role with élan and sharing this responsibility with their wives.

Father’s Day is a celebration which began in the twentieth century to complement Mother’s Day by celebrating fatherhood and male parenting.  The first Father’s Day is believed to be held on June 19 in 1910 with the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd of USA, who felt the need to recognize fathers by celebrating the day.  She wanted to celebrate this day to thank her father William Smart, a Civil War veteran who raised his six children following the death of his wife during child birth.  Since then the idea of celebrating this day has become an annual feature every year.  

Though the concept of celebrating fatherhood is somewhat new in our country, the very idea of having or celebrating Father’s Day (an import from the west) has taken fancy of the people and has come to be appreciated by many especially in metropolitan cities and urban areas which are increasingly exposed to western culture.   Every year the third Sunday of June is observed as father’s day, to make these fathers feel proud and to give the children an opportunity to express their love, happiness, concern, thankfulness and gratitude  to their doting fathers for all the nice things they have been doing for their little ones.   This day will be one of the wonderful occasions to remember and rejoice the interminable sacrifices fathers make in giving the best to their children. 

With the market forces trying every trick to make the best of this day launching aggressive marketing strategy to sell their products namely gifts, greeting cards etc., there is more awareness about this day and the celebrations is catching up smaller towns, cities and even rural areas where television has able to spread its aura.  While working mothers tight schedules might have compelled many fathers to don the role willingly and unwillingly it has to be accepted that there is an increasing breed of young fathers who flaunt their new found role and seem to enjoy it all the more. 

Research also has some good news for adoring fathers and their children.  According to latest reports researchers at the University of York have found that children who regularly talk to their fathers are happier than those who do not, which will surely make these fathers beam with happiness.  These results are based on the survey conducted among 1200 young people aged between 11 and 15.  These findings are believed to be significant as academic research has shown that a child’s well-being later in life depends on their teenage relationship with their father as well as mother.  This good news should goad more and more fathers to strike a special relationship with their fathers who play a significant role in molding the personality of the child. 

Fathers no doubt play a significant role in the upbringing of children being their protectors, caretakers, guide and ultimately as their friend.  They are fathers who have sacrificed their desires and luxuries of life just to fulfill the wishes of their children or to provide them the best of education. What is laudable is the fact that many young fathers do this without expecting anything in return.  The age old concept of “children will take care of us when we are old and grey” no longer dominates their mind when they carry out their fatherly duties side by side with their life partners. 

All said and done the Father’s Day should not become only an annual ritual.  It should not lose its significance in the deluge of market gimmicks adopted by companies just to lure the fathers and their children in order to sell their products.  It should be a day to salute the modern day fathers who have been very accommodative in adapting to the new responsibilities right from the day they become fathers.  While the celebrations can be an annual affair the respect and love should become a part and parcel of all fathers and their children in their daily lives.