19 Malaysian Dads Share What They Actually Want From Their Children This Father's Day
No, it's not "nothing".
By Tiffany Tay — 02 Jun 2021, 02:38 PM
Looking for the perfect present for our dad or grandad can be tricky. Whenever we ask them what they want, they'll probably say: "I'm fine with anything" or "Don't need to buy me anything la".
Nevertheless, we still want to thank them for all they do for us, and each family has their own way of showering them with gratitude. Be it a nice Father's Day dinner, a heartfelt gift, or a few words of appreciation, we want to show our dads we love them.
This year, we asked 19 dads what they actually want from their kids for Father's Day. Some of their responses moved us to tears, and some made us go "LOL"! Here's what they said:
1. "I want my children to be RESILIENT, as daddy won't be here forever to cater to their needs and help them face the challenges of life"
"Being resilient is being able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
"To me, resilience is the ability to:
- bounce back when you fall,
- withstand hardship and pressures of life, and
- recover from tragedies in life.
"My prayer for my children this Father's Day is that they start learning these skills to be resilient from now on."
- JC, father of three.
2. "I want my son to spend less time on the Internet"
"I want my son to spend less time on the Internet or electronic gadgets, because the father wants to spend more time with the son."
- Moses Ooi, father of a son.
3. "What I want for Father's Day this year would be my children's time"
"I am a father of three, and it has been quite the journey for my wife and me.
"I want to be as much of an influence as I can for my youngest son, as he's growing up so fast. With modern-day technology and social media being so rapid, I hope I am still able to keep up with the times and always have that special bond with him. I hope to always be connected to him, as he’s always going to be my little boy.
"For my first-born son, I hope to see him flourish with his future endeavours. Things are so different for his time as compared to mine when I was his age. I am proud that he is the first of the family to graduate from university. I hope to see him go as far as he can, but still be near enough to spend time with, as he's always going to be my eldest.
"As for my only daughter, I wish I could have spent more time with her while she was around. She passed away at the age of 14, and the memory of my little girl running into my arms after school still runs in my mind every day. It has been almost seven years since her passing, and it has taught me a lot. I often cycle to ease my mind with the stresses of life. But it assures me to know that one day, I'll be able to see my little girl again, and that this family of four will become five again once more.
"My advice to working fathers and parents, in general, is this: No amount of money ever bought a second of time.
"So perhaps what I really want for this year's father's day, and for the rest to come, is this: I hope to be as much of a part of my children's lives as they are of mine.
"Happy Father's Day to all out there. Take care and God bless."
- Eddy Quay, father of three.
4. "I want my kids to be able to handle themselves in life and have a stable future"
"I want my children to be independent and support themselves later on. Their happiness is what matters most to me."
- Govin, father of two.
5. "I want to have a family vacation, and my kids to find partners and get married"
"My eldest daughter has been single for a long time. My only wish for her this year is to find a boyfriend and get married within three years."
- Ng, father of three.
6. "All I want for Father's Day is for my kids to be good and play nicely together so my wife and I can work in peace because we're both WFH"
"An added bonus would be if our two youngest would finally sleep in their own room throughout the night, instead of crawling into our bed at 3am to kick me out (literally) haha. Most of all, I just want them to be happy and safe."
- Haikal, father of four.
7. "I just want my whole family to have good health"
"Over the past two weeks, we've had two COVID scares in our immediate family. Thankfully, we all tested negative. This experience taught us the importance of staying healthy, and that life is so precious."
- Michael, father of two.8. "I want my daughter to be a leader"
"Solving the world's problems requires no prayers, revolutions of the kind that happened in France or Russia or the Middle East, nor the ballots.
"What is needed more than ever are tiny acts of courageous leadership that need to be encouraged and empowered. The crises in this world are not climate-related or political — though these are the by-products of it. The world is experiencing a crisis in leadership.
"True leadership is acknowledging each person's leadership qualities, nurturing them so that they can then lead in nurturing the leadership qualities of the next generation.
"My wife and I aspire to do that with our five-year-old daughter so that she grows up and inspires others to become leaders. I am extremely proud that Malaysia actually has young leaders the likes of Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam who has and will inspire younger children, specifically girls.
"I aspire for my daughter to champion the oppressed, assist the vulnerable, and creatively discover solutions to make Malaysia a highly intelligent nation in the world.
"It takes baby steps, and it starts with us."
- Sukhbir, father of a daughter.
9. "I want a Rolex watch, one that's expensive and good looking"
"I want the most expensive Rolex watch. Can ah?
"All jokes aside, I want my daughter to learn the realities of the working world, and continue working hard to make a better life for herself."
- Ling, father of two.
10. "Suggestions only ahh? I have a few:"
2. Cordless power drill 24V
3. Once in two months' supply of fruits
4. Scrapbook of memories
5. Smartwatch
6. Bluetooth earphones
7. RM100 gift vouchers
- Paul, father of three.
11. "I want to have a nice dinner with my family, and for us all to be healthy and safe"
"I have a simple request: To have a nice family dinner, and for my family to be healthy and safe. That would make me very happy."
- SG Kek, father of two.
12. "I would like a new pair of sports shoes"
"I like running, and often participated in marathons with my daughter before the lockdown. My current pair of sports shoes have worn out, and it'll be nice to have new ones so I can go running with my daughter again."
- Michael, father of two.
13. "I would love to have a new phone"
"I would love a new phone. The one I'm using now is old, and sometimes has problems. I'd be very happy if I can get a new phone this Father's Day. However, I don't really want anything from my children, as I don't want to trouble them. But I know they love me, and that is enough for me."
- Abd Rahman, father of three.
14. "To receive simple notes of appreciation, and for my sons to know that I love them"
"My wish is to receive simple notes of appreciation from my children. Knowing that they will always remember me as their father who loves them unconditionally will bring joy to my heart."
- Mr Tay, father of two.
15. "It would be fantastic if the kids can auto-cruise with the house chores"
"During the lockdown, everyone is working or studying at home, and the house can get pretty messy. It would be nice if the kids can help clean the house."
- Terry, father of three.
16. "My wish is for the whole family to be together, and to live happily"
"During the pandemic season, our family has not been able to gather in the same house, as some of us live in different countries. My wish is just to see my whole family reunited safe and sound, and for everyone to live happily."
- YH, father of two.
17. "I wish to have a cool dinner with my family at the beach"
"The first reason is that we want to enjoy fresh seafood! The second is that, throughout this pandemic, we really miss and appreciate the beauty of our country, especially all the islands we have."
- Ian, father of a daughter.
18. "The most important thing for me is to have a family gathering"
"Personally, I think the most important thing is to have a family gathering. In today's world, there's a lot of disconnect between families.
"It's more about spending quality time with our family and children. On birthdays, we sit down, have fun, and eat a birthday cake together. Father's Day is almost the same thing.
"Maybe fathers don't expect anything in return *laughs*. During the pandemic, we cannot travel, so quality time is what matters most."
- Abdul Aziz, father of five.
19. "My wish would be for them to be comfortable and secure in life, and to be independent human beings"
"What I want for Father's Day from my children is really simple. My wish would be for them to be comfortable and secure in life, and to be independent human beings.
"I hope they know that I do not expect or want them to repay me for anything I've done for them, because they are my children, and it is my role as a dad to provide and care for them.
"As a father, what I really want from my children would be to continue to grow and learn to play a vital role in society."
- Mr Ho, father of three.
At the end of the day, every dad desires to put their children's well-being above their own comfort. For this reason, they are our heroes who deserve to be appreciated every day of the year.
Children, spend more time with your father. Every moment spent with your family is precious, and you'll treasure these memories for the rest of your life.
