Highlights
- Daddy Blogs are normalising the idea that a father should be hands on
- This region in particular needs to open up to the beauties of fatherhood
- In this new age of parenting, dads are very present in the lives of their children
Moms are all over social media, dishing advice on how to balance life, sharing breast feeding pictures and showing off their baby’s latest outfits. They have been going strong on social platforms for years, some even living full time off being a mommy influencer. They are invited to speak on parenting panels, they get to try out the latest baby and child products and some of them are even invited on all expenses paid trips to family friendly hotels so they can review them for their followers. The mommy bloggers have it good. But what are they really showing us that’s different? Are they showing us that they can be full time moms, who also dress well, raise their kids while also working full time? It’s 2018. Seeing a mother who has it all, although praised, supported and heavily followed, is not something new or surprising.
It’s the dads that we need to take a closer look at. Daddy bloggers are on the rise and they are 100 per cent something we need to see more of on Social Media.
Dads have always been out there, but only a few of them are openly sharing their journey of fatherhood for the world to follow. There’s not many Daddy Bloggers out there, but the ones that are active, have pleasantly curated Instagram feeds with nicely styled photos of their cute kids, the places they visit and of course selfies…lots of them. These are the dads that address nappy rashes, meal prepping, children’s toys and balancing how to be there for them while working full time. They are committed to being in their kids’ lives as much as they can.
Saber Farooqi, a father of two in Dubai, behind the Instagram handle Dad_About_Dubai said “I do believe and hope that we add some social value by breaking down stereotypes. Personally, I just want other dads and parents to know that they’re not alone - parenting is not easy and no-one is perfect.”
The older generation was used to their fathers coming home late from work, giving them a kiss on the forehead, then sitting down to have a quiet dinner. In this new age of parenting, dads are very present in the lives of their children. They want to be there when their child wakes up, before they go to bed and as much as they possibly can in between.
"I believe that moms and dads have very different relationships with their children and also very different perspectives and experiences" said Paul Baker, a dad blogger and panelist for Baby&Child Magazine, told Gulf News.
"I think that it is great for dads to read other dads view points and learn from them but also for moms to get a better insight into what parenting is like for dads. You are also finding that most of the dads who are blogging are very involved, which is different to when I grew up where the role of the dad was primarily as a provider for the family. I've been fortunate in my job that I get to spend a lot of time with my son Jonathan and am very hands on. This is always my recommendation to new dads is simply to be present, both for your new child but also your wife and other kids.
Most fathers today understand the importance of living a more balanced life. Some regret not spending enough time with their own fathers, so they make up for it by trying to see their children every day.
Andy Curtis, soon to be father of twin girls and owner of Instagram Handle TwinDadDubai, started his page to share his journey from being a husband to becoming a father.
“I am a British man living in Dubai and feel this region in particular needs to open up to the beauties of fatherhood. I’ve noticed that dad's in the region don't like to express themselves when it comes to their kids and feel that being a Dad is a very private thing. It’s important that most Dad bloggers that are in this region focus on the emotional side of parenting and try to tap into the love. I myself am planning to speak more about real life parenting issues, little tips and challenges that I face along the way. At the moment I set up the account to share stories with friends and family at home. But until them I have had a few messages of support from both mums and dads. So as I get nearer the big day I'll start focusing more on creating content and sharing my real life story of being a Dad here in Dubai.
While some may scoff at the idea of having yet another category of blogger/influencers, (like we need any more!) Daddy Blogs are normalising the idea that a father should be hands on. Traditionally men have not been too vocal about parenthood, not publicly at least. Everything out there celebrates motherhood, but dad bloggers are encouraging fathers to take an active part in the life of their child. They go for walks, they feed the kids, they even change diapers, something that many dads actually don’t know how to do. These dads who share their journey of fatherhood and show the world the happy moments on social media could perhaps inspire a father to be better.
