In the recent Dads for Life “The Joy of Being There” Contest, we saw 109 entries as fathers exchanged their battle stories with each other. Through their anecdotes and real-life experiences, the Dads for Life team discovered that:-

Fatherhood is a worthy pursuit and a richly rewarding experience, even for those who had felt terribly unprepared for the role

I used to say I will not want any children. That it’s crazy to have kids in Singapore, with the financial and academic stresses, and all. But when my wife and I had our first child, he turned out to be such a joy and delight! The birth of my baby boy is the most beautiful and wonderful experience in my life…
– Quek Hong Choon

When we discovered we're having a baby, my heart stopped and I felt the whole world crashing down. Then, I had first-hand experience of my baby coming into this world. It was amazing! When Isaiah's cute little eyes opened and looked at me, all my worries simply disappeared. Nothing else mattered anymore.
-Terence Tan

Right up to the moment when my wife was in labour, I still had doubts as to whether I’ll be a good father. But once I held Xavier in my arms, and he looked at me for the first time, all doubts were cast aside. My fatherly instincts kicked in naturally.
Xavier is 20 months now. He’s been such a joy to have. I can't imagine life without him.
– Vincent Lee

Having children to come home to brings joy that strengthens men to cope with challenges of work and life.

Moments when they run to welcome me at the door after coming back from work, compete to ask "how's your day?", jump on me while I lay on their beds, queue to be carried to bed, to be read bedtime stories, run towards me to be hugged over and over again… Moments when they fight over who gets to sit on my lap, and which of them will get to "marry" me when they grow up. These are moments where I know I am cherished and loved. – Dan Lim

Day after day, she will call me "Papa". This word penetrates me like a rocket and energizes me to look after her. Magical, right? - Peter Lim Hock Bin

When I open the door and see my princess running towards me calling me 'Papa', wow! That warmth and love completely erases the stress, tiredness and whatever bad experience I have had. It's like a dead battery instantly recharged.
- John Khoo

My daughter’s response to me brings back memories of when my own father would come back from work. I’d rush to give him a big hug and I wouldn’t care if he was dirty or smelly, or if he was carrying lots of stuff. I still remember the big smile on his face. Now I fully understand the joy my dad felt. – Alex Koh

What a joy to hear the words "Daddy!' each day when I arrive home from work. - Ed Palmer
Every time I come home from work, I will look forward to spending time with my two precious jewels. They never fail to brighten my day. I want to be able to hug and kiss them even when they are all grown up. – Triston Yeo

When they call me Daddy (爸爸), I am the happiest man. – Andy Lee

Whenever I feel down or stressed with work, I will browse through my iPhone's album that contains thousands of Jade's photos. This gives me the motivation to push on. Jade and my lovely wife are the ones who light up the path when the going gets tough. - Justin Ng
After a long day of work, I’ll be so tired. But the moment I come through the door, four distinct voices will sing “DADDY!” all at once. And just like that, all the pressures of my day will be gone. – Mackymarc Maayo

Men may not be aware of the resilience in them, until they have been driven by crazy passion and love for their child.

When my daughter was five months old in mummy's tummy, she was diagnosed with Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation (CCAM), a developmental abnormality of the lung. One thing we’re sure of, Valerie will be fighting strongly against the abnormality and that’s what her name means - Strong one!
– Poon Man Sham

Life was going swimmingly good for me until five months ago when I was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. I am incurable and inoperable, with controlling tumor growth and spread as the only option. Yet, something beautiful happened these last few months. When this deadly cancer arrived, another cancer died -- the cancer of the rat race. Now I get to spend ample time with my wife and two young children. "Getting to know" my children all over again has kept my spirit up. These are precious moments and memories.
– Bernard Chan

Little Qi En was born three months early with under-developed lungs. During the three months that she was in the Intensive Care Unit, my wife at home would dutifully express breast milk which I would pack into a refrigerated container and deliver to the hospital after returning home from work. It was really tiring but the love I felt for my daughter and the joy of seeing her kept me going.
- Wong Kum Yew

Two years after Joel was born, Jenson, arrived and turned our world around. I was not prepared for the diagnosis of his rare congenital condition, Potter’s Syndrome. His heart, kidneys and lungs were not functioning properly.

On top of that, this deeply affected Joel as my wife and I spent a lot of time in the hospital. He became insecure and less confident so I began to devote more time to him and tried to uncover his interests and talents. I exposed him to all kinds of sports and encouraged him to go into triathlon when I discovered he had potential in this sport. This year marks my second year as a private trainer for my son. He’s building his confidence and focus, and I am proud of his achievements!

The last nine years had been difficult. The ordeal had enriched my life in a way that I would never have experienced otherwise. Looking at my two sons, I am glad for each one of them, who are very special and dear to me.
- Joel Yuen

Fathers simply enjoy being in the presence of their children, and are fiercely proud as they watch them sing, laugh, dance, develop and grow.

The joy of being there just to watch your baby walk his first few steps and playing with his siblings is simply priceless. I hope to always be there every step of the way in each of my five kid's lives. -- Ismail Ahmad

It gives a special feeling when you see your kids, kind of a mirror image of yourself when you're at their age. - Norhisham Noh

 

Submit your own dad story here and we will do our best to publish it.

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About the Author: The Dads for Life Resource Team comprises local content writers and experts, including psychologists, counsellors, educators and social service professionals, dedicated to developing useful resources for dads.

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