Celebrating Dads in lockdown
Fathers share what they’ll be doing
Gaming with the boys, a spot of fishing, followed by a self-cooked delicious dinner of pan-fried salmon with lemon and dill potatoes is on the cards for Kamo solo dad Haami Phillips for Father’s Day tomorrow.
Haami is father to a nine-yearold daughter who lives in Kaikohe, plus he has shared care of three boys; his stepson, aged 10, and sons aged five and three.
The multi-talented father is a diesel mechanic by trade, as well as a former commercial chef but is using lockdown to study software development — that’s when he hasn’t got his hands full with boys.
“When you’re by yourself, it is full-on raising three boys and they’re all so different, it’s hard to manage all their personalities.”
He admits to turning to technology, as many parents do, to entertain the kids while he tends to matters around the house and said he can be a “grumpy dad” at times.
“You look at parents that don’t use technology and seem to always be out there doing things together and how much more they’re in their kids’ lives and it makes you feel like a stink parent at times. But when I’m working, it’s hard to find the balance.”
However, his mate Sonny Shelford, who nominated a reluctant Haami for our Father’s Day story, described him as a “working solo dad who does wonders above and beyond for his kids”.
“He’s a funny chap with a great heart.”
Haami’s lockdown bubble includes the boys’ mum, who lives just across the road and, when he’s not on dad duty, he’s studying. Their favourite lockdown activities include gaming together, playing rugby and helping their dad cook the kai in the kitchen . . . for about 30 seconds before they lose interest. Not that Haami minds: “I actually love cooking!”
Which is why he doesn’t mind rustling up his own Father’s Day dinner tomorrow night.
“Tomorrow we’ll do some gaming and, if it’s fine, we’ll probably go fishing, maybe Onerahi or at Urquharts. And I’ll buy the ingredients to cook my favourite kai; pan-fried salmon and lemon and dill potatoes,” he said, adding that he’d cook a separate chicken pasta for his fussy eaters.
Onerahi’s Darryl Smith will be experiencing his first Father’s Day as a dad in lockdown but he’s not complaining. He plans to get a level 3 takeaway and spend the day snuggling his baby son Bentley in front of the fire.
Wife Leah described eightmonth-old Bentley and Darryl as “the best of friends”.
“They enjoy watching Formula One together as well as Top Gear. But most of all they love to just cuddle up. Darryl always makes him giggle and does everything in his power to make sure his family have a wonderful life and we love and appreciate him so, so much every single day. He is a brilliant daddy to our son Bentley.”
Meanwhile, Max Badran is planning on taking his son Patrick, 6, on a real-life Minecraft adventure.
“As my boy is a big Minecraft fan, we are doing a real-life Minecraft adventure around Parihaka. It will include some quests that we are currently deciding. We will definitely go to the gold mine at the start of the Ross Track, and the pa¯ site off the Dobbie Track.”