10 reasons to love your father

HE MAY not wear a cape. And he will not leap off tall buildings in a single bound.

But he is dad, the man who will come to your rescue, dust away your fears and put you on a pedestal.

This Fathers Day, Starmetro pays special tribute to all men who have journeyed the challenging path of parenthood.

Here are 10 reasons why dad deserves to be called a superhero.

1. They bring out the best in us

Malaysian waterski champion Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah may only be 12 but she is already ranked first in the Under-14 tricks category by the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation.

She credits her father and coach, Hanifah Yoong, for the achievement.

“Dad taught me everything about water skiing,” she said.

The third of Yoong’s five children, Aaliyah follows the successful sporting footsteps of her famous elder brother, former F1 driver Alex Yoong.

In his Facebook page, Yoong, who is near 70, revealed a parenting tip.

“In our family we practise delayed gratification to develop patience, so they will not get into a habit of easy satisfaction or even make undue demands.

“This applies to sport as well. We do not subject them to undue pressure too early or too young, to avoid burn out.

“We tell them it is okay to fail sometimes as winning too much too early means you will win less at your peak,” he said.

Dads bring out the best in their children- Hanifah and Aaliyah feeling the wind in their hair at the Marina Putrajaya lake.

2. They teach you about life.

Despite her young age, Hanifah is already showing Aaliyah the ropes in the watersports industry.

But skiing is not all he wants her to learn.

“Sometimes I cannot be bothered if she does a good ski set or not.

“What I want is for her to gain as much knowledge as she can so that she can go far in life.

“I also tell her not to be self-centred but to help others,” said Hanifah.

They teach you about life- Despite her young age, Hanifah is already showing Aaliyah the ropes in the water sports industry

3. Dads (especially when they become grandpas) make great buddies.

As a former industrial arts teacher and hostel master at SM Tuanku Muhammad, Sukhdev Bakan Singh Nijar, 76, was described by his son, Baldeep, now 45, as a “hard’ man who put discipline first.

But now as a father to three working adults, Sukhdev has done a complete switcheroo and is his children’s best pal.

The avid golfer also likes to fuss over his grandchildren, Chirenjiv, 13 and Jasleen, eight months.

Dads (especially when they become grandpas) are also the best buddies to have- Sukhdev Bakan Singh Nijar, 76, enjoying a slow game of pass the football with son Baldeep, 45, (left) and grandson Chirenjiv, 13. (middle)

4. They are an inspiration

Sukhdev has survived a stroke and open-heart surgery.

Today, he continues to play golf, regularly and maintains his home’s 929 sq m lawn in Seremban, by himself.

Sukhdev not only shouldered the responsibilities of caring for his own children, one of whom is a special child, he was hostel master to over a 100 pre-teens as well.

What helped this much-loved teacher and doting father tide the difficult times was the firm belief that love would conquer all and in the end, family togetherness mattered.

An inspiration to his family- Sukhdev, 76, with grandson Chirenjiv, 13, grandaughter Jasleen, 8 months, eldest daughter Kiran 47, and wife Jaswant Kaur, 73. He has survived a stroke and open heart surgery. Today, he continues to play 19 holes of golf regularly and maintains his homes 929 sq metre lawn in Seremban by himself.

5. They are great entertainers.

After a game of golf, Sukhdev’s wife, Jaswant Kaur Cheemah, 73, says her husband would bring friends home for impromptu dinner parties.

“There were times when I was totally unprepared but he would tell me to cook whatever was in the fridge,” said Jaswant.

“My father loves to entertain. They tend to spoil their guests rotten,” said Sukhdev’s son, Randeep.

His children say that one more fun thing to watch was dad doing the bhangra.

It takes a good party atmosphere to get him going.

Dads are great entertainers- Sukhdev teaching his second child, Baldeep, 45, how to do the bhangra.6. Dads are also great handymen.

From fixing a light bulb to getting the air conditioner to work, dads know how to get things working again.

Even if they are not good with a hammer or screwdriver, they know how to fix the problem.

Trained in the subjects of woodwork, metalwork, electricity and power mechanics, Sukhdev’s children remember him making coffee tables, chairs and furniture for their home.

One coffee table he made at the school workshop, some 30 years ago, is now a cherished piece at his son’s home.

7. Dads makes you think out of the box

Designer Lim Nam Aik has impressed on his daughter, Grace, 19, to think out of the box.

While Lim’s wife, former Miss Malaysia 1973 Maggie Loo, is the one who snatches most of the limelight, Grace says her father was also as outstanding as her mother.

While Lim’s work has encompassed designing projects in fashion and products, his passion lies in making robot models from recycled plastic containers. This has inspired Grace to look beyond conventional career paths after graduating from her business course.

Dads makes you think out of the box- Lim Nam Aiks work as a designer has impressed on his daughter, Grace, 19, to look beyond the ordinary. Here, they poses with his robot models -made out of discarded plastic containers.

8. Dad, the ‘fashion consultant’.

“I have no problem following my wife and daughter on shopping trips, provided they don’t stay too long in one shop,” said Lim of his role as the family fashion consultant.

Grace says her father has a keen eye for fashion as he always gave tips on how she should wear a particular outfit.

This even includes pointers on accessories to go with it.

Dad, the fashion consultant

9. Dad, the know-it-all, always knows how to put a smile on your face.

Grace revealed it was uncanny how her dad always knew when something was not right.

“Call it unbelievable but he also seems to know what’s going through my mind! And what’s even more impressive is they always have the answer to all my questions, be it about law, academics or any topic,” she said.

Follow his advice or perish. But at the end of the day, you can trust dad because all he wants is to see your smiling face.

Dads always know how to put a smile on your face- Grace, 19, and her father Lim Nam Aik share a special bond.

10. Dad always has time to listen to your problems.

Lim admits that providing guidance to Grace was divided between him and his wife. “We handle different topics,” he said.

Describing her father as someone with a good listening ear, Grace admits that her father gave good advice though she may not always agree with him, at first.

But she makes a point to think through what he has said.

And he might not know it, but Grace does make use of his suggestions.

Dad always has time to listen to your problems.