By Jared Liddell

FATHERS are a pivotal part of a family; from being a provider and protector to being a comforter, the role of a father is vast and ever-changing. The Pepperpot Magazine reached out to several fathers to get their personal experiences. Many of these men have been working to provide for their families, even throughout the COVID-19 epidemic.

Fitzroy Sandiford, a vendor at the Bourda Market stated that he has been working at this stall which sells CDs, DVDs and occasionally fruits and has continued to operate throughout the epidemic to provide for his family. The father of four stated that for him, like many others, being a father is no walk in the park.

Sandiford explained that he knows there is room for error when it comes to being a father, explaining that there is no manual on how to deal with each child and their needs. He added that as a father you have to get up and make sacrifices for your children to ensure that they are provided for and taken care of, and given the best opportunities they could be given.

“Being a father is a challenging something, but remember now you can’t lay down and sleep, you have to do something, you have to give them what they want, and hope for them to do the best and not go astray,” he said.

Sandiford explained that his children are ages 40, 35,32, and 17, and says although his children are already adults, that does not negate the fact that he is still their father and still works to ensure that if they ever need him he is there to provide them with not only time, but also with as much guidance and protection as he possibly could.

“My advice to [young fathers] is that they must mine deh chirren them. Don’t let their chirren mine them. I know they get some wutless fathers that don’t care if Sunday fall on a Monday,” he said. “They don’t try to provide for their chirren, they expect that when the children get a little big they children must take care of them; but I want them to remember they are in their children’s lives to take care of and provide for them no matter how old they are.”

Another father of four, Mr. Trotman (only name given) who works as a taxi driver told the Pepperpot Magazine of his experiences with fatherhood, saying it is not something you can ever walk away from. He stated that he was not always a taxi driver, but due to the COVID-19 epidemic he had to make the necessary adjustments to be able to provide for his family.
“It is difficult having to deal with providing for the family while thinking about protecting them and not exposing them to the COVID virus, but it’s what is necessary,” he said. “My family has needs and I cannot just forget my responsibility or sit back and relax, so although I’m thinking about their safety and my own, I also have to think about providing for them.”

Trotman said he tries to balance the work and his home life, explaining that just being a provider does not constitute the characteristics of a good father. He said fathers have to invest time in their children, not just pay for them to get an education, but sit down and talk to them and get an understanding of how they are doing in school.

He further stated that fathers should not only try to find out their children’s academic performance, but that they must also build relationships with their children and ensure that their children can be open with them about various situations that they may be faced with. Trotman said he would advise other fathers to take care of their responsibilities as not just a male, but as a father to ensure that their children and their families are taken care of.
“Being a male in the home is always very difficult, you always have to provide and so on. Even now, I’m still providing for mine; my oldest is 26 and my youngest is 17,”he said. “I remember a piece of advice I had gotten from my stepfather when I first became a father. He said to me this is not something you can just chuck in, you have to put in the work. It’s a 247 job and you have to be committed to taking care of your children and your family and this is the piece of advice I’d give to any father.”