Daddy diaries

One of the biggest luxuries of this lockdown has been the unlimited quality time men have got with their kids, participating in all their day-to-day activities something their otherwise busy work schedules never allowed before.

While new-borns have a paternal aura around them, teenagers with their unending dramas have their dads to help them deal with those.

Suddenly, dad is available to help with home-schooling, regularly play a sport, enjoy mealtimes together and just bond better. Some men might even consider this lockdown a staycation, in which they can enjoy family-time without worrying about hotel bills, shopping budgets, restaurant tabs and airline tickets.

Even in Bollywood, with no hectic shooting schedules, promotions or other work commitments, actors and filmmakers are reconnecting with their paternal side. Actor Saif Ali Khan, for instance, we hear, has been spending time teaching his young son Taimur gardening skills.

Filmmaker Karan Johar also seems to be constantly hanging out with his twins, Yash and Roohi, all about which he regularly updates his Insta followers using the hashtag, #lockdownwithjohars.

Nachiket Barve, fashion designer

I had already been planning on taking a couple of weeks off around the time of my baby’s arrival and had planned my work accordingly. Even as the unexpected lockdown put an absolute standstill to all manufacturing activities in the country, the baby chose to arrive a few weeks early, quite serendipitously.

The best part of this situation has been the amount of time I’ve been able to spend with her. From being on feeding and diapering duties to being able to just spend quiet time watching her with the hush of a quiet city is surreal.

Many a time, our professional demands cause a dilemma in parenting duties. More so for dads! I am grateful for this opportunity so I can be present physically and take it all in. I’ve been photographing her and capturing these moments for posteriority.

Rajiv Krishna, Advisor to Govt of AP (Investments & Industries)

Before the lockdown, I used to meet my 10-year-old son practically once a week, given both our timings. Moreover, I was usually out about 5-6 days a week. Obviously, it was hard.

Since the lockdown began, however, I still have official duties but only for 2-3 days a week. So, the rest of the four days of the week I get to completely spend with my son. In that sense, it has been great. He and I spend a couple of hours a day together while he’s with his schoolwork.

I also spend a day teaching him random stuff he does not usually learn in school and spend about an hour a day playing with him, be it soccer in the garden, board games, etc. So overall, it’s been great, and I’ve had some very good quality time with the family.

Mohammad Kaif, cricketer

This is the first time I’ve got so much quality time at home. The kids are loving having both their mum and dad around them 24×7. My son Kabir is eight years old while my daughter Eva is three.

The whole day goes in either playing with them or being completely focused on what they are doing, be it dance, music or art. My daughter is up by 7:30 am and is in my room to wake me up. She naps in the afternoon and I put her to bed then as well as at night. The kids and I are together at mealtimes, too, now.

Before the lockdown, even if I was home, I’d have been working or socialising in the evenings. Now, it’s just family time, and I am capturing all these moments by taking tonnes of photos and videos.

Dr Surakshit Bhattina, Indigo Women’s Centre and Cosmetic Gynaecologist

As a doctor, the best part about this lockdown for me has been the time I get to spend with my daughter now. Before the lockdown, we were both simply too tired when we got back home from our days. Now, we have so much more time and we have a closer bond.

It’s a constant discovery each day about the other. I feel fathers must be as hands-on as mothers. That way, your kids get to have two role models. This quarantine has taught me how beautiful the father-daughter bond can be too.”