CASE STORY: Learn to become a daddy

Vu Dinh Duc is a young father of two sons in Nong Truong Village, Thuong Bang La Commune, Van Chan District, Yen Bai. He became a father at the age of eighteen, thus he had no knowledge or skills about childcare. Thinking that he could rely on his wife, mother and mother-in-law, he was lazy in studying and practicing taking care of small children.

His life turned upside down when the two grandmothers left after five months (they lived far away and only supported his family in a short time after the child’s birth). “Starting to take care of the baby with my wife made me spin like a pinwheel. There are too many tasks in a day such as feeding, bathing, comforting the baby when he cries, etc., that make me all messed up”.

Everything has gradually improved since his family was selected to participate in the Caregivers’ Club at preschools, under the Building Brains for Brighter Future (BBBF) project implemented by Save the Children (SC). “My wife asked me to learn how to be a father”, Duc shared, “At first, I was very conservative, I thought that a man sitting with nursing mothers listening to such things is inappropriate. Thanks to the encouragement of the facilitators and my wife, I actually participated in the club”.

“From the first session, with the sharing, advices and instructions of the facilitators, I found it interesting and eye-opening. After each session, I applied the building brains (BB) techniques, knowledge and skills to my son at home immediately. Everything is easier to me now,” said Duc.

Since then, he started to pay more attention to his son and even spent time to make toys for him, what he had never done before. “When I made a toy myself, I felt extremely happy - the feeling is hard to describe that I have never had before”. From a man rarely being in the kitchen, Duc can easily cook porridge for babies. Instead of being afraid to look after the children like before, now he can feed, bathe, or sit and talk with them all night without getting bored.

Duc participated in not only group sessions to gain knowledge and skills but also communication and advocacy activities to share experiences and inspire other caregivers in the community. “Being a father is not easy. Such a simple task as playing with babies can be extremely difficult if you do not know how,” Duc said with great joy in the project dissemination workshop, “Thank project BBBF and SC for helping me become the Nation’s Daddy – the title my wife gave me. I hope that the project will be expanded to many other villages and communes so that other fathers like me can have the opportunity to learn a lot of useful knowledge in taking care of their children. Thank you very much.”