They make their children feel special

Visakhapatnam: When life takes new twists and turns, they strive to overcome challenges and march ahead. For many children, they mean the world. From just essaying the role of a 'breadwinner' to leading an unconventional path, dads have long moved ahead to not only make time for their children but also be a wonderful friend for them. Slipping into diverse roles with ease, fathers shower unconditional love on their children and yet, know pretty well when to draw a line and be protective.

With the third Sunday of June being celebrated as Fathers' Day, some of the dads share their experience of what parenting means to them. Two decades ago, when Venkat Rao's wife passed away due to an illness, the responsibility of taking care of his mentally-retarded daughter Prasanti fell on his shoulders.

From cooking to helping, Prasanti change sanitary pads during periods and taking her out to her favourite spot beach road, Venkat Rao has been the rock for his daughter to lean on in the toughest times.

"Though my wife had trained my daughter well in terms of maintaining health and hygiene, I ensured to provide quality life to her after my partner's demise. Today, I feel glad that she is quite independent in taking care of herself and loves my company," shares the retired railway employee, who is supported by his sons.

When 67-year-old P Pundarikaksham lost his wife to cancer, he wielded the ladle in kitchen and took care of his two daughters well. "When life fails to work as expected, it is better to accept it as it is and move ahead.

When I was working in a private organisation, I made sure that I was there for my daughters whenever they needed me. I decided that my daughters should not miss their mother much. Now, they are well settled and take good care of me. What more could I ask for?" elaborates the resident of Abid Nagar.

No matter how busy the current generation dads are in making a mark in today's highly competitive world, they ensure to take time for their kids. Adept at multi-tasking, they spend quality time with their children, striking an effective work-life balance.