{"id":5596,"date":"2022-06-05T09:30:18","date_gmt":"2022-06-05T09:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/?p=5596"},"modified":"2022-05-31T18:20:38","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T18:20:38","slug":"geranium-dads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/geranium-dads\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Dad\u2019s Special Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"As we prepare to celebrate Father\u2019s Day and share thoughts and advice from a few of our Geranium dads, we\u2019d like to begin with a chuckle from someone who knows father best \u2013 a mom.
\n\u201cOur kids enjoy growing up with their dad more than growing up with their mom because you match their mental levels the best. Happy Father\u2019s Day dear husband<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vimal \u2013 Senior Director, Land Development<\/strong>
\n\"\"As Geranium\u2019s Senior Director of Land Development, Vimal admits that one of life\u2019s biggest challenges is balancing life with the commitments and pressures at work, social engagements, etc. However, doing little things like walking the kids to school each morning, going on evening walks and bedtime reading with the kids is a great way to catch up on the highlights of their day.
\nAs a father of two he\u2019s learned many things about raising kids, but when asked what he felt was the most important lesson he\u2019s learned since becoming a father he shares this advice \u2026 \u201cChildren are like sponges and emulate you from a very young age. You can verbally tell them what to do and what not to do, however, you must practice what you preach. I\u2019ve learned that once you heed your own advice children typically follow whether it’s lifestyle or food choices. However, I still can\u2019t get them to enjoy eating broccoli or going to bed early. I\u2019ll let you know if I ever figure that out<\/em>.\u201d
\nWhat\u2019s Vimal\u2019s favourite part about being a dad? After a busy weekend enjoying bike rides, exploring hiking trails, rock climbing, skating, etc. he admits, \u201cputting my kids down for naps so I can nap too and being able to act like a kid when I play with my daughters!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank \u2013 Site Superintendent<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/strong>For Geranium Site Superintendent, Frank, balancing work and home life is simple. Work is work and home is home. And home is where this proud father of 2 boys is quick to share, \u201cThe most important lesson I\u2019ve learned as a dad, is time. When I was younger, time was never an issue, but watching my boys grow, I realize how fast years go by. They taught me to absorb the little things. Regarding their dreams, I just tell them to be true to themselves and not follow the path of least resistance. Don\u2019t do something ju<\/em>st because it\u2019s easy.<\/em>\u201d Frank and his family share a love for food and cooking, and he admits that while nothing is off the table, we try everything. One of their favourite family activities is picking a spot from TV\u2019s \u201cYou Gotta Eat Here<\/a>\u201d and then hopping in the car for a family foodie road trip!
\nWhen asked what similarities there are between him and his boys; \u201cWe\u2019re a lot alike but the most obvious is the stubbornness (as my wife reminds me every day). But if I was to offer a parenting tip it would be to stay out of their way; our responsibilities are to guide them not mould them<\/em>.\u201d
\nIs it harder today to be a dad than in years gone by? \u201cEvery generation is different and has its challenges,\u201d he says. \u201cI am sure every generation has said they hav<\/em>e it harder. In my opinion my grandfather\u2019s and father\u2019s generations had to sacrifice a lot more than my uncles\u2019 and my generation<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clement \u2013 Project Accountant<\/strong>
\n\"\"As a Geranium Project Accountant, Clement feels blessed to have the opportunity to be part of his child\u2019s life and believes that it\u2019s important for parents to guide their kids to be the best version of themselves \u2026 comforting them when they are sad, smiling with them when they are happy, directing them when they are lost, and just being in the moment.
\n\u201cI always remind myself: time is valuable and is the one thing in life you cannot buy. No amount of money in the world can bring back time lost with family. You don\u2019t have to be the richest or smartest person; you just need to show up and be there with them. Embrace who they are and always be supportive.<\/em>\u201d
\nWhen he was young, Clement wanted to follow in his father\u2019s footsteps and become a chef, so it\u2019s not surprising that the family shares a love for food whether it\u2019s cooking ramen, pasta, or trying new things together.
\nWhat kind of advice could he give to parents today? \u201cTake every opportunity to teach them things. Don\u2019t forget to take care of yourself and make time to re-energize. It is OK to fail if you learn from your mistakes and try again. Put in the work and try your absolute best at everything you do.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Tony \u2013 Chief Financial Officer\"\"<\/strong>
\nWhen it comes to balancing work and home life Geranium\u2019s Chief Financial Officer says, \u201cthere are challenges, but the rewards are incredibly special.<\/em>\u201d He points out that you need to enjoy every moment to the fullest because they grow up too fast.
\n\u201cBeing a dad completes me as a person,<\/em>\u201d Tony continues, \u201cbeing there for them, being supportive, and creating a family structure which is supportive of core values.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Comparing his boyhood to his fatherhood, he believes that parenting challenges are different today, but the rewards are the same. His role as a father is to nurture growth and personal development, but also to allow them to be who they are.
\nAs a young boy, Tony wanted to grow up to be a firefighter. And when it comes to his daughter pursuing her dreams, he offers these three words \u2013 Never give up.
\nWhat\u2019s Tony\u2019s favourite Father\u2019s Day meal? \u201cI like to grill<\/em>,\u201d he says, \u201c\u2026so, for me it\u2019s burgers or steak!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Moshin \u2013 Director, Planning & Financial Analysis<\/strong>
\n\"\"Taking the kids to the park and playing basketball or soccer, building puzzles, riding bikes or just playing in the field, finding that perfect balance between work and home life is good advice from Moshin, Geranium\u2019s Director, Planning & Financial Analysis.
\n\u201cI try to be home at a reasonable time so I can spend a couple of hours with my kids after school each day,\u201d he shares. \u201cI am laid back and reserved; I see that in my son. I am also curious and like taking things apart and putting them together; my son has similar traits, he enjoys building robots and Lego models. My daughter on the other hand is like my wife, she is caring and very friendly. She is independent, confident, and enjoys being around friends, which is like me.<\/em>\u201d
\nMoshin strongly believes that kids are precious and perfect in every way, and their upbringing will make them who they are. He admits that since becoming a parent he\u2019s learned to appreciate his upbringing and the struggles his parents went through.
\n\u201cAdvice I would give my children when pursuing their dreams is to work hard, don\u2019t give up, stay humble, and respect those around you.\u201d And for parents, \u201cI think it is harder for parents in this age due to technology, social media and negative online influences. So be there for your kids, listen to them, spend time with them and be their friend.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Luke \u2013 Business Systems & Process Director<\/strong>
\n“Patience, let the little things go and don\u2019t take things personally<\/em>.\u201d It\u2019s what Geranium\u2019s Business Systems & Process Director Luke admits is the best advice he can give to other fathers.\"\"<\/strong>\u201cWhat I have learned most is patience, letting things go \u2026 and always listen to my wife,\u201d he shares. \u201cShe is not only my best friend, my source of stability, but the best mother I have ever seen. She understands when to push, when to be more patient and understanding, when to dig in and when to let things go. When it comes to parenting, she is right 9.5 times out of 10<\/em>.”
\nFor this father of one, taking great pride in his work and even greater pride in being a good husband and father, is something that he consistently battles with.
\n\u201cThere are only so many hours in a day and it feels like some days, no matter what, there is no easy way to balance work and family time,<\/em>\u201d he admits. \u201cWhen I figure out the right balance, I\u2019ll be sure to let you know, but right now it\u2019s a work in progress!<\/em>\u201d
\nLuke makes the most of the time he has with his son, sharing in everything from reading, colouring, playing sports, going to the park or, now that his son is of age, video games. \u201cI also feel it\u2019s important to mix in household\/life activities like laundry, dishes, house cleaning, etc. However these are few and far between in comparison to the ‘fun’ activities.\u201d
\nWhen asked if today\u2019s fathers have it harder, easier, or just different, Luke replies, \u201cIt\u2019s different, definitely different. Education, technology and societal norms\/pressures have changed how you parent; however, I think I can speak for most fathers in that you just want your children to be safe, happy and healthy.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a father or a father figure, and they call you father, pop, pappy, pa, old man, or just plain old dad, from all of us at Geranium we would like to extend to you best wishes as you celebrate dad – Happy Father\u2019s Day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we prepare to celebrate Father\u2019s Day and share thoughts and advice from a few of our Geranium dads, we\u2019d like to begin with a chuckle from someone who knows READ MORE ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,192],"tags":[70,984,71,14,986,985],"class_list":["post-5596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-geranium","category-geranium-cares","tag-dad","tag-dads-day","tag-fathers-day","tag-geranium","tag-geranium-family","tag-tips-from-dad"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5596"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5596\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5612,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5596\/revisions\/5612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}