Whether Pops is a man of few words or the life of the party, there’s no denying that dads play an indelible role in our lives. This Father’s Day weekend, we chat with five cool dads (well, at least in our eyes) about what they’ve learnt from their old man and how fatherhood has changed them.
Who: Better known among his peers and industry insiders as Has, the DJ, director and co-founder of Telok Ayer Arts Club is a new dad to five-month-old daughter Romi Mei.
His sense of style: “Jazzy, eclectic and fresh always.”
What he learnt from his dad in terms of style and grooming: “I’m keeping the tradition of having a moustache in my 40s.”
Best life advice from his dad: “’Easy come, easy come’. The best things in life are indeed free.”
How being a father changed him: “I realised that time is really of the essence and sleep is a luxury. And somehow I have never felt so special until becoming a dad.”
What values he hopes to impart to his kid: “Humility and smart work will guide them well.”
Who: The multiple-award-winning creative director of advertising agency Kinetic is the father of two teenagers – 18-year-old son Renn and 15-year-old daughter Aira. The Lims are possibly best known for their colourful musings on their 10-year-old famzine Holycrap (@holycrap.sg) which they jokingly describe as a “rubbish famzine and more mom ramblings”.
His sense of style: “I am not sure if I have a personal style. But when it comes to creative aesthetic, a beautiful piece of work needs to be thoughtful, insightful and beautifully crafted while meeting the objectives.”
What he learnt from his dad in terms of style and grooming: “One of the people who has influenced me most in my life would be my late dad, but not in the area of style or grooming. More importantly, he has thought me to ‘do everything properly’. He advocates making sure we put our very best efforts into the things we do and love.”
Best life advice from his dad: “He never failed to remind me to be righteous in everything I do, to never forget the people in our lives who have helped us and to help others whenever I can. These lessons will stay with me always and I have also passed these teachings to Renn and Aira.”
How being a father changed him: “I don’t see any huge change other than paying more attention to my health. In order to be a father, I need to be around for as long as I can. So I try to exercise daily and watch what I eat most of the days.”
What values he hopes to impart to his kids: “I started the famzine and family art collective in 2011 so that my wife Claire and I can regularly guide our children, and have more quality family time collecting and archiving precious memories in the form of art and design. We love using this platform to teach the kids and remind them how we have to be committed to a project from beginning to end. Once we start it, we must try our best to complete it with pride.”
Who: Yazid was previously a hair salon owner who decided to take a break because of the pandemic. Today, the guy holds a full-time job as “house daddy” to his three-year-old daughter Mia Maryam.
His sense of style: “I’m a very minimalistic person and I’m not trendy in that sense, but I do appreciate things which don’t appear to be part of the norm.”
What he learnt from his dad in terms of style and grooming: “My dad used to bring me for a haircut twice a month when I was much younger, as I had a huge obsession for hair. That’s probably why I ended up as a hairdresser. Also, great shoes are equally important for an individual as part of your character.”
Best life advice from his dad: “Keep it real and be yourself.”
How being a father changed him: “For the first three months, life was haywire! It took me quite a bit of time to properly settle in and get used to the new life and routines. It made me become a much softer person in general with a lot of patience.”
What values he hopes to impart to his kid: “Do your best, otherwise don’t do it at all. Go big or go home. “
Who: This cool dad is a restaurant manager at Indian tapas and cocktail bar Flying Monkey. He has a four-year-old son Sasti.
His sense of style: “Probably hipster − I just wear what I feel comfortable with. And what I think will make me stand out from others.”
What he learnt from his dad in terms of style and grooming: “Wear what you like and what makes you comfortable. Don’t ever worry about what people think of you.”
Best life advice from his dad: “Love the life you live, and live the life you love. And don’t worry about the ‘success rate’. Just do what you love and eventually, people will forget about your mistakes. I use this advice throughout my life to never get discouraged in everything I do.”
How being a father changed him: “Once a baby comes into the picture, you begin to see his needs more so than yours, and you calculate the risks before making decisions. You now think about the effect of your actions and how they will impact the life of your child.”
One of the most obvious changes will take place in your calendar. You’ll start plotting schedules for the whole family − for your partner and your kids. There will be less me time, but in the long run, you will realise that every moment spent with your kids is worth it. Of all the titles I’ve been privileged to have, ‘dad’ is always the best.”
What values he hopes to impart to his kid: “To be anti-racist and to love with all their hearts. Also, being kind to others by lending a helping hand is all it takes to brighten up someone’s day. I also hope to teach him to speak up and stand up for himself, and uphold values like honesty, good manners, curiosity, accountability, determination and respect.”
Who: The creative director of hair salon Hairloom at Marina Square is a father of two boys: Zane, 12 and Lex, 10.
His sense of style: “I am very versatile and adventurous. However, I believe fashion staples like basic and timeless pieces are a must.”
What he learnt from his dad in terms of style and grooming: “Sadly, my father passed away when I was eight. However, in my image, he is smart and clean in his grooming and style.”
Best life advice from his dad: “My best life advice from him will be to always enjoy quality time with family instead of just being present.”
How being a father changed him: “Fatherhood transformed me in many ways. I left my hometown of Malacca at the age of 17 for Singapore and had a very carefree personality. But ever since becoming a dad, I am more selfless and have grown wiser in making decisions.”
What values he hopes to impart to his kids: “I realise there are no fixed values for a child. Every child is unique and there are definitely different lessons and advice for them at different ages. However basic life values like empathy, honesty, responsibility and respect should be imparted when they are young.”