A Celebration of fatherhood

News21 June 2022

To celebrate this year’s Father’s Day, Wavemaker Family, one of our many employee resource groups, organised a panel to discuss how fatherhood has and continues to evolve, how it has transformed people’s lives and how it has impacted their identity. The discussion touched on topics such as the necessity of self-care for parents, shared parental leave, returning to work, and parenting equity.

On the panel, moderated by David Morton from Men’s Health magazine, were Wavemaker’s Rob Jane, Global Chief Talent Officer, Andy Baldwin, Global Client Partner, Greg Shickle, UK Head of Activation, and Nielsen’s and Don Amaechi, Agency Lead.

Toby Jenner, Wavemaker’s Global CEO, opened the event with some personal stories and experiences as a father.

One of the most challenging aspects of parenting is juggling multiple things at the same time. Every parent must accept that they will not always be able do things perfectly as life itself is not perfect. I hope that at one point in time, our kids would come back to appreciate what we do as fathers.

Having 4 incredibly proud dads with different backgrounds and experiences on a panel steered up an interesting debate on what fathers can do to ensure parenting is a joyful experience, despite the inevitable ups and downs of raising children.

Below are some key sentiments and takeaways for fathers, step-fathers and parents of every kind at Wavemaker and beyond.

Focus on quality family time. One of the panellists suggests the “The technology box” trick to make this achievable. The technology box is a box where every member of the family keeps all their gadgets locked away to allow for crucial bonding time.
Perfection in parenting is a fallacy. Don’t be too hard on yourself or feel guilty of what you are unable to accomplish.
The golden rule: there is no right way to parent, embrace the parenting style that works for your family.
Give yourself a break; be kind to yourself and make peace with your choices.

Being a father is the most enjoyable part of my life and one that has really shaped me into the man I am. Parenting is described as the act of caring for a child rather than the biological connection to a child. I think we are all built for this in one way or another and I have been fortunate enough to have adopted and fostered, and both have had huge positive experiences. Don Amaechi, Agency Lead at Nielsen

Teamwork makes the parenting dream work. Ensure you work with and seek the support of partners, relatives and friends when necessary.
Parenting evolves from day to day, week to week – it’s important to roll with it as a team
Be consistent! Consistency is key and reassuring for little ones.
Above all, being a parent comes first – that is the life we live for.