Father Knows Best

Today’s daddies are a far cry from the strict authoritarians of yore. They’re supportive of their wives, caring of their children, and are generally good guys all around.
Of course when it comes to fatherhood, dads know best. Here, we ask fathers of different occupations to share the best advice they’ve ever received as well as the one that they’d love to give to fellow dads.

KAIZER DE GUZMAN, photographer, professor, father of two
Best advice I’ve received: This partial quote from Kahlil Gibran. Our children are not our property, they are their own persons. My four-year-old and four-month-old each show different personalities this early.

On Children
Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.

Best advice I’d give: While you try to take care of your wife and kids, make sure you set aside time for yourself. You need to keep fit and make your body and mind healthy, in order to be present in their lives longer. This is advice I also need to follow myself.

MELFRED HERNANDEZ, doctor and dad of three
Best advice I’ve received: Treat your kids equally, but you can never treat them the same. Each and everyone of them is a different individual with different needs and different quirks. If you have to pay more attention and time to one over the other as the need arises, then so be it. But that doesn’t mean you love one more than the other, or less.
Best advice I’d give: The best gift that you can give your children is your time and your youth. They deserve the best years of your life. You owe it to give them the best that your youth can offer. Invest in them and give them all the time in the world.

ERIC RAMOS, editor and dad of one
Best advice I’ve received: Show up. Be there for all the big and small moments because your child is growing up every single day.
Best advice I’d give: The world will no longer revolve around you, but you’re gonna love it. Enjoy!

KIRBY SIEVERT LLABAN, author and father of four
Best advice I’ve received: Love is best shown by spending more time with your kids.
Best advice I’d give: Who you are and what you do are what you teach your kids. Modeling is the best form of training.

WENG TRASPE, contractor and dad of two
Best advice I’ve received: Don’t try to change your children. Let them find their path. Just guide them within that path.
Best advice I’d give: The advice I can give to soon-to-be-fathers would be to get involved with whatever their children will go into only as a spectator. This way, their children will get used to making decisions themselves. Same as the advice I got, just be the railings on the road. Dont dictate their path.

KOOTS ALIGNAY, bank sales manager and father of two
Best advice I’d give: Don’t forget to take care of your wife. Then, get dirty. Change your baby’s nappies. Learn how to burp them. Bathe them. Learn baby massage. As they grow older, be their positive influencer. Drop the video games, you’ll need energy taking care of your little bundle of energy ball. Read them stories. Always make time to play with them. Then take care of your wife.

BRYAN NEIL ALEJANDRO, dad of two
Best advice I’ve received: To be a responsible provider to the family
Best advice I’d give: Try to be present in everything that’s involved in raising the kids. Your wife didn’t make that kid alone.

Featured photos by Stanley Ong