By Nethmi Dissanayake
The third Sunday of June is marked Father’s Day 2021 in most countries of the world to celebrate fathers and father figures. The day was founded in the US by Sonora Smart Dodd in honour of her dad, who was a war veteran and single parent who raised six children.
Families come in all shapes and forms, and to mark Father’s Day, Brunch spoke with some remarkable fathers.
Becoming a dad was very special, it’s happiness that can’t be explained: Prasanna Karunathilake
Self-professed “girldad” Prasanna Karunathilake, a doting father of three girls, opened up about his journey into fatherhood, saying: “My first time becoming a dad was very special, it’s happiness that can’t be explained. You feel lucky and proud to be a father and thereafter, you only plan how you would look after your child and provide her with the best you can.”
He also shared the things he has learned from raising three daughters: “I learned to tolerate things for the sake of my daughters, for their benefit. Patience is also something I learn from having three girls; and all the new tech-world things, and all trends and gossip from their Gen Z world. Each one of my daughters teaches me something new and different from the other each day.”
Prasanna went on to add: “The hardest thing about being a girldad is ensuring their safety and protection at all times, and being the only male in the family gives you a very special feeling. Your daughters always look up to you for almost everything and it is your responsibility to set a good example for them on how they deserve to be treated by men in all aspects of life. You have to protect them all the time against everything going on around us. I have never been intimidated by the women around me, only empowered, as I learn something new every day from my children and my wife. I am proud to be a small part of the things they have achieved in their lives, and I will continue to cheer for them from the sidelines.”
While society can be full of dangerous people, Karunathilake shared that it is important to still give your children freedom, and let them become confident adults, while of course, keeping an eye on them, especially online where they can be approached by anyone.
He concluded by saying: “The best advice that I can give is to treat your daughters with love, kindness, understanding, and respect, and most importantly, to be a friend more than being a dad and to be there for them every step of the way. Once they become adults I think you need to let them chase their own dreams, go on their own path once they are ready physically and mentally, and let them stand on their own two feet. But always teach them to adhere to family values, to respect their culture, religion, and country.”
I never considered her to be a ‘step child’, I consider her to be my own daughter: Christopher Pieris 
Christopher Pieris, a father who shares a great bond with his daughter, shares how he “step-ped” into the role of a father, explaining that becoming a father figure is all about understanding that your child will look up to you. “When I first met my now-wife’s kid, I remember she was sitting in the car and her feet didn’t even reach the floorboard. This tiny curious cute little girl just won my heart. And I never considered her to be a ‘step child’, I consider her to be my own daughter.”
Pieris met his wife at 26, and had no hesitation starting a family. “I don’t think that there is any difference between marrying a single woman and then having a child and marrying a single mom. I believe if you truly, genuinely love someone, you should embrace her past and just her as a person whole heartedly. Everything else will fall into place eventually. I completely accepted that my now-wife (then-girlfriend) had a daughter. Honestly, I was rather excited to be a father but it took us 10 years to finally get married and settle down,” he added with a laugh. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though, and Pieris shared it took his daughter a while to warm up to him, though eventually they became very close. “I didn’t try to become her dad and I still am not, she has her father, and I think that helped us in building our relationship because we are comfortable enough with each other to share everything. We do have our ups and downs and fights but at the end of the day, I love her and she is my daughter,” he added.
“Some advice I would like to give a fellow stepdad is, you have to respect the equation she has with her biological father and respect the past and relationship your wife has with him. You should love this child and treat him or her with respect and try to be their friend and understand them.”
‘Every kid needs their mother. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t raise my daughter’
As Sonora Dodd founded this day to honour her father who was a single father, Brunch spoke with an incredible single dad of our own. “I am a dad of a 19-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. I have been a single parent for the past eight years. I find setting my ego aside and listening to my children, communicating with them, to be the hardest part of being a parent,” this dad, who asked to remain anonymous, shared. “The biggest challenge I have had to face as I was entering this world of ‘single dad’ was, realising that however hard it might be, it is one of the most important responsibilities of your life.
“When it comes to balancing my work life, children, and my personal life, it’s a matter of setting priorities. Balancing work and children is quite easy for me, as on the work front, I work from home. Once the kids are off to school, it gives me time to set myself a routine and work to a set plan. This allows me to spend time with my kids in the evenings and weekends. We study together, read, and play together.
“I think I felt proud of myself as a dad whenever I saw both my daughter and son achieving the goals they set for themselves, with guidance from all quarters. My scariest moments as a parent have been when these kids get into mishaps in the sports field. Those are testing times and emotionally challenging.”
He expressed his views on how society views single fatherhood, saying: “It indeed has come a long way in comparison to when I first became a single father. But I believe people have not yet adjusted to the idea of a father raising a daughter. I remember people asking me this question on how I was going to raise a daughter; and that a daughter needs her mother. Well yes, every kid needs their mother. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t raise my daughter. Even if you are not a single dad, you need to be educated and be informed and be there for your daughter
“My advice to give fellow single dads would be, if you are divorced, don’t let your divorce affect your children. Be an adult about the situation and think about it from a parent’s perspective rather than that of a man or woman. Enjoy your time with your children, make memories, make time for them, and if you decide to move on in life, involve your kids in the decision-making process, as they should be your priority. Children are little people, so always be ready to set your ego aside and listen to them. It’s also important to have a great support system around you.”
The bond between me and my girls is stronger than I could ever have imagined: Dharshana Keerthichandra
Adoption is a powerful way to build a family, and many of us cried when Chandler and Monica from the TV show Friends came home with their adopted babies in the series’ last episode. Dharshana Keerthichandra, who adopted his daughters, spoke to us about how he and his wife Lisa built their family.
“The best thing after visiting orphanages was knowing we’d be able to give our girls opportunities they probably would not have had a chance of receiving if they had remained there. The hardest thing was finding out how appalling the mentality was of some of the people in charge of the adoption process. And knowing we were helpless to help the many other thousands of children.”
Keerthichandra shared that he and his wife chose adoption mainly for medical reasons, and they are very open with their daughters about them having been adopted. “We’ve been giving them small bits of information from day one, so it’s not a complete surprise and shock when they are old enough to fully understand. My advice to other couples who are thinking of adopting is, do it! You won’t regret it. You’ll be making a huge difference to children that may not have had any real chance in life to succeed. And the love is real. When we first decided to adopt, I was nervous, as I wasn’t sure what kind of connection I would have with the girls. Would they accept me? Would I see them as one of my own? It was all an unknown quantity in my head. But now, two years later, I can happily say the bond between me and my girls is stronger than I could ever have imagined. And I can’t even describe my feelings towards them, and the love I receive back from them is also indescribable.”
A parent’s love transcends all bounds, and regardless of how a family is made, those bonds of parent and child still form and stay strong. On a day that recognises fathers everywhere, here’s to all our fathers, however they have come into our lives, for all the strength, care, and love that they give to us.
Self-professed “girldad” Prasanna Karunathilake, a doting father of three girls, opened up about his journey into fatherhood, saying: “My first time becoming a dad was very special, it’s happiness that can’t be explained. You feel lucky and proud to be a father and thereafter, you only plan how you would look after your child and provide her with the best you can.”
He also shared the things he has learned from raising three daughters: “I learned to tolerate things for the sake of my daughters, for their benefit. Patience is also something I learn from having three girls; and all the new tech-world things, and all trends and gossip from their Gen Z world. Each one of my daughters teaches me something new and different from the other each day.”
Prasanna went on to add: “The hardest thing about being a girldad is ensuring their safety and protection at all times, and being the only male in the family gives you a very special feeling. Your daughters always look up to you for almost everything and it is your responsibility to set a good example for them on how they deserve to be treated by men in all aspects of life. You have to protect them all the time against everything going on around us. I have never been intimidated by the women around me, only empowered, as I learn something new every day from my children and my wife. I am proud to be a small part of the things they have achieved in their lives, and I will continue to cheer for them from the sidelines.”
While society can be full of dangerous people, Karunathilake shared that it is important to still give your children freedom, and let them become confident adults, while of course, keeping an eye on them, especially online where they can be approached by anyone.
He concluded by saying: “The best advice that I can give is to treat your daughters with love, kindness, understanding, and respect, and most importantly, to be a friend more than being a dad and to be there for them every step of the way. Once they become adults I think you need to let them chase their own dreams, go on their own path once they are ready physically and mentally, and let them stand on their own two feet. But always teach them to adhere to family values, to respect their culture, religion, and country.”
I never considered her to be a ‘step child’, I consider her to be my own daughter: Christopher Pieris
Christopher Pieris, a father who shares a great bond with his daughter, shares how he “step-ped” into the role of a father, explaining that becoming a father figure is all about understanding that your child will look up to you. “When I first met my now-wife’s kid, I remember she was sitting in the car and her feet didn’t even reach the floorboard. This tiny curious cute little girl just won my heart. And I never considered her to be a ‘step child’, I consider her to be my own daughter.”
Pieris met his wife at 26, and had no hesitation starting a family. “I don’t think that there is any difference between marrying a single woman and then having a child and marrying a single mom. I believe if you truly, genuinely love someone, you should embrace her past and just her as a person whole heartedly. Everything else will fall into place eventually. I completely accepted that my now-wife (then-girlfriend) had a daughter. Honestly, I was rather excited to be a father but it took us 10 years to finally get married and settle down,” he added with a laugh. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though, and Pieris shared it took his daughter a while to warm up to him, though eventually they became very close. “I didn’t try to become her dad and I still am not, she has her father, and I think that helped us in building our relationship because we are comfortable enough with each other to share everything. We do have our ups and downs and fights but at the end of the day, I love her and she is my daughter,” he added.
“Some advice I would like to give a fellow stepdad is, you have to respect the equation she has with her biological father and respect the past and relationship your wife has with him. You should love this child and treat him or her with respect and try to be their friend and understand them.”
‘Every kid needs their mother. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t raise my daughter’
As Sonora Dodd founded this day to honour her father who was a single father, Brunch spoke with an incredible single dad of our own. “I am a dad of a 19-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. I have been a single parent for the past eight years. I find setting my ego aside and listening to my children, communicating with them, to be the hardest part of being a parent,” this dad, who asked to remain anonymous, shared. “The biggest challenge I have had to face as I was entering this world of ‘single dad’ was, realising that however hard it might be, it is one of the most important responsibilities of your life.
“When it comes to balancing my work life, children, and my personal life, it’s a matter of setting priorities. Balancing work and children is quite easy for me, as on the work front, I work from home. Once the kids are off to school, it gives me time to set myself a routine and work to a set plan. This allows me to spend time with my kids in the evenings and weekends. We study together, read, and play together.
“I think I felt proud of myself as a dad whenever I saw both my daughter and son achieving the goals they set for themselves, with guidance from all quarters. My scariest moments as a parent have been when these kids get into mishaps in the sports field. Those are testing times and emotionally challenging.”
He expressed his views on how society views single fatherhood, saying: “It indeed has come a long way in comparison to when I first became a single father. But I believe people have not yet adjusted to the idea of a father raising a daughter. I remember people asking me this question on how I was going to raise a daughter; and that a daughter needs her mother. Well yes, every kid needs their mother. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t raise my daughter. Even if you are not a single dad, you need to be educated and be informed and be there for your daughter
“My advice to give fellow single dads would be, if you are divorced, don’t let your divorce affect your children. Be an adult about the situation and think about it from a parent’s perspective rather than that of a man or woman. Enjoy your time with your children, make memories, make time for them, and if you decide to move on in life, involve your kids in the decision-making process, as they should be your priority. Children are little people, so always be ready to set your ego aside and listen to them. It’s also important to have a great support system around you.”
The bond between me and my girls is stronger than I could ever have imagined: Dharshana Keerthichandra
Adoption is a powerful way to build a family, and many of us cried when Chandler and Monica from the TV show Friends came home with their adopted babies in the series’ last episode. Dharshana Keerthichandra, who adopted his daughters, spoke to us about how he and his wife Lisa built their family.
“The best thing after visiting orphanages was knowing we’d be able to give our girls opportunities they probably would not have had a chance of receiving if they had remained there. The hardest thing was finding out how appalling the mentality was of some of the people in charge of the adoption process. And knowing we were helpless to help the many other thousands of children.”
Keerthichandra shared that he and his wife chose adoption mainly for medical reasons, and they are very open with their daughters about them having been adopted. “We’ve been giving them small bits of information from day one, so it’s not a complete surprise and shock when they are old enough to fully understand. My advice to other couples who are thinking of adopting is, do it! You won’t regret it. You’ll be making a huge difference to children that may not have had any real chance in life to succeed. And the love is real. When we first decided to adopt, I was nervous, as I wasn’t sure what kind of connection I would have with the girls. Would they accept me? Would I see them as one of my own? It was all an unknown quantity in my head. But now, two years later, I can happily say the bond between me and my girls is stronger than I could ever have imagined. And I can’t even describe my feelings towards them, and the love I receive back from them is also indescribable.”
A parent’s love transcends all bounds, and regardless of how a family is made, those bonds of parent and child still form and stay strong. On a day that recognises fathers everywhere, here’s to all our fathers, however they have come into our lives, for all the strength, care, and love that they give to us.