The blessings and lessons of being a dad
Published:Sunday | June 15, 2025 | 12:10 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Echoing lessons throughout generations, it is said that a father’s love is forever imprinted in a child’s heart. These unsung heroes provide undeniable value for their families, communities and the nation at large. So to celebrate Father’s Day, we have asked a few dads to reflect on the blessings and lessons of fatherhood.
For father of one, Kevon Richards, becoming a dad has brought about a powerful sense of duty and responsibility.
“Fatherhood has taught me to be patient and how to exercise self-control, all while helping me to focus more on becoming a more stable individual. Also, being a father has changed my perspective on life, in that oftentimes choosing my child’s needs over my own,” he told Saturday Living.
The best thing about being a girl dad, Richards highlighted, is seeing his daughter, “become herself, develop a sense of humour and face her fears. Coming home from work and she meets me at the door and calls out ‘Daddy’ or looking at me like I am her entire world is the greatest feeling. That love is unconditional. It can take away any stress I had that day”.
As a father of two, Raymond Simpson also agreed that it is the simple joys that makes being a father a worthwhile experience. “I love seeing them grow and explore new passions and interests. And much like my father, who has always been there to assist myself and my sister with just about everything, I try my best to provide that same unwavering support for my son and daughter. I must say, I enjoy coming home in the evenings and hearing ‘Daddeee’ especially from my little girl. Sometimes, my son will say ‘Yeah, Daddy is home’ and nothing in this world tops that.”
O’Dain Donegan shared that when his son was born, he was working a nine-to-five job in the corporate world. But in 2020, he switched careers to become a photographer, videographer and graphic designer. “The biggest challenge of being a father, so far, has been juggling working and spending time with him. Although my work hours are a lot less structured, I travel a lot and I’m less available, so I miss out on the smaller moments.”
He continued by pointing out, “I’m not very happy about the imbalance my job creates, given that I grew up without a father in my life. I want to be physically there for my son. But I also want to provide financially for him. So I do believe my career choice has negatively affected my role as his dad. He has just started high school and requires structure, consistency and stability. I’m grateful to his mom who does the heavy lifting to keep him focused. And I am always [present] when I get to show up, spend quality time and support him on his endeavours.”
When Ronald Henry first found out that he was going to be a father, he was over the moon about the life changing news. “I was so excited when I discovered I was going to be a father, because my wife– my girlfriend at the time – only had one ovary. I hadn’t had a child of my own as yet and she was worried that she couldn’t give me a child, which was something she said I deserved because she thought I’d be a good dad.”
Henry shared that he had told his soulmate they would be having a girl and had even started choosing her name in advance: “I told her that our daughter’s name would be Raine-Alexis, a name I decided on when I was 18 and prayed for my first child. Ever since the day of her birth, I promised myself that I would be there for her through everything. I would move mountains if needs be. She is my heart in human form and the culmination of the love shared by her mom and me. Seeing her smile makes me feel proud, because it means I’m doing something right. It’s a deeper love, and being her dad is a joy, never a job.”
As a dad navigating the early signs of the “terrible twos”, Jovaughn McConnell shared that the hardest – and most beautiful – part of fatherhood so far has been getting to know his daughter better.
“When I say it’s bittersweet getting to know my daughter, I mean, really knowing the many moods, her ever-changing likes and dislikes, the unique quirks that make her Sage. One day she loves bananas, the next she can’t stand the sight of them. One moment, she’s giggling uncontrollably, the next she’s inconsolable because her toy isn’t doing what she wants. It’s like getting to know a new version of her every single day. And while it can be rough at times, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
In hindsight, McConnell believes the most challenging moments are still to come, but he is ready to face whatever lies ahead.
“She hasn’t started school yet. We haven’t had to prepare for high school exams, discuss career paths, or navigate those first crushes and heartbreaks. We haven’t had that moment when she comes home crying because someone hurt her feelings or the day she asks for more independence and space. Those milestones are out there, waiting for us,” he shared, adding, “So, in retrospect, the hardest moments of fatherhood so far hasn’t been sleepless nights or diaper blowouts. It’s the beautiful, complicated, ongoing process of learning who she is and who I’m becoming as her dad.”