The photo project is dedicated to Father's Day, celebrated in Ukraine and most countries worldwide on the third Sunday in June. On this day, we would like to draw your attention to the importance of involving the father in the upbringing and care of children and the equal distribution of household responsibilities.
Eight responsible dads and grandfathers working in the city government system of Kyiv took part in our photo project dedicated to Father's Day. Despite their work, they always find an opportunity to spend quality time with their child take care of them on an equal footing with their mothers! The photo is a simple daily routine filled with incredibly touching moments - changing diapers, enjoyable leisure, shared hobbies, creating the most fashionable dad hairstyles. These moments help dads maintain a healthy relationship with the couple and emotionally warm relationships with children throughout life.
Mykola Povoroznyk, Demian’s grandfather
First Deputy Head of Kyiv City State Administration
For me, responsible parenthood is a willingness to take care of family and children every day and every minute. It is living the same life with them, living in one rhythm. It is trying to participate as much as possible in the lives of children, support them, protect them from mistakes, feel the joy of success, and support them in times of failure. It is also said that you need to hear your child. I would rephrase: you need to learn to communicate so that not only do you hear your son or daughter, but they also listen to you. Then everything works out!
After the birth of my grandson, despite the crazy schedule of life, I try to spend time with him. This is how we help young parents, as my parents and grandparents used to do. Time spent with a grandson is inspiring adds positive emotions and moments to life. And this time is priceless.
Why is it essential to be a responsible parent? Because this is my contribution to their future. Literally. No material goods can replace mutual understanding, support, and harmony in the family.
Serhiy Pavlovsky, Olena's father
Head of the Sviatoshynskyi District State Administration in Kyiv
Responsible parenthood is when you are present in a child's life, when, no matter what you do, you remember that they look at you and consider you to be an example for them, and also - when you realize that life is fleeting and, gradually, you will spend less and less time together. Hence, you need to enjoy every minute spent with the kids!
Of course, the father's role in raising children is difficult to overestimate. First of all, like the mother, he must show all the manifestations of love and care for the child so that they feel safe both physically and psychologically.
What helps me to be a responsible parent? First of all - the example of my father and his principles of upbringing: the child needs comments on everything that happens in their life, analyze their actions and behavior of others, model different life situations and learn how to behave in them, and clearly describe what is good and what is bad. In this case, the child will be ready for any situation and can do the right thing. Parenthood itself is inspiring - the feeling you have for your child provides resources of physical strength and patience to spend time together, despite the busyness and fatigue, and it is 100% worth it!
Ruslan Svitliy, father of Nikita and Daniil
Director of the Department of Social Policy of the Kyiv City State Administration
For me, responsible parenthood is, first and foremost, respect for my children. Not only infinite love but also care for the child as a person. That's why my wife and I always listen to our children, take their interests into account, never press but gently guide them, trying to protect them from mistakes.
I think responsible parenthood is extremely important because children are not our copies. They grow up, form, and become completely different people. And our task as parents is only to support and guide, to provide a wing to lean on, as in Vyacheslav Hursenko’s song “Falcons.”
For me, shared interests with children are crucial. My work requires total effort and takes up almost all my time. That's why I dedicate all my free time to my family and children. It is said that other people's children grow up quickly, and our own - even faster. And it's true. My younger son, Daniil, is now having an extremely interesting age - he is just learning about the world, forming his vision on everything around him. And it's inspiring for me, as a father, to explore the world with him. The eldest, Nikita, has entered an age of complex youthful changes, and I support him to the best of my ability. My boys and I are fond of sports - it not only develops physically and strengthens our parent-son relationship.
Bondarenko Volodymyr, father of Mark and Anna
Deputy Mayor - Secretary of the Kyiv City Council
Despite the busy schedule and lots of things to do, it is always necessary to find time for live communication with children and joint activities because this is how trust is born. I have a son and a daughter with whom I try to spend as much time as possible to form common interests and share experiences and skills in the process. It is essential that parents support their children, help them learn about the world, and socialize. It is my parental responsibility to raise my children to form their position in life, and each of them becomes an independent person.
It is necessary to establish communication with children. Thus, it is essential to be patient, listen to your children, and find common topics for discussion. It would be best to forbid or establish the only position when it comes to parenthood because children do not always understand why it is necessary to do so in this situation and not otherwise. You always need to justify your position step by step. For example, children spend a lot of time online, but we can not prohibit gadgets. Therefore, it is necessary to build a dialogue with children, to explain that these gadgets can be used not only for entertainment but also to obtain new information, new knowledge, education, and expand their worldview.
Raising children is not easy: a parent must be both a demanding teacher and a good friend - this is the basis of family well-being and a sense of trust.
Georgy Kunakh, father of Timur and Arseniy
Director - Kyiv City Center for Assistance to Participants in the Anti-Terrorist Operation
For me, responsible parenthood is essential because the more I invest in my children now, the easier it will be for them later in life. Since the world is cruel, and children do not understand the truth, falsehood, lies… I try to explain it to them, to invest in them more positive than negative emotions.
Is it difficult in today's world to be a responsible parent? Yes, indeed. One needs to work a lot with children and find contact with the child. Therefore it is necessary to admire the children, to pay attention to their interests. And I try to bring up my children using myself as an example.
Children are an essential part of my life. For example, I don't want them to go through what I went through - in war. I want them to understand how to live how to get out of difficult situations. It all depends on the parents. If parents put the right things in their children, everything will be fine: both in Ukraine and worldwide.
Valentyn Mondryivsky, father of Bohdan and Maria
The father is the authority who will teach everything and always support if needed. When children trust their parents as friends, are proud, respectful, and follow our example, it inspires and creates a good foundation for them to grow up independent and strong.
I would like us all to pay much more attention to our children, listen to them and support them as much as possible every day. After all, our parenting directly determines what our society will be like and what our city and country will become in the future.
Valery Tantsyura, father of Artem and Anna
Head of the Service for Children and Families - Kyiv City State Administration
It is crucial to help a child find their way and make them independent as soon as possible to think, make plans, and achieve them. It is important not to prevent the child from growing up. Yes, you need to help, support, teach, but most importantly - you need to do it using yourself as an example. It is useless to talk read notations to a child, if you do something different, the opposite - the children see everything. They only trust you when your actions do not differ from your words.
The interests of my children may not coincide with mine. Nevertheless, I do everything to make it easier and better for them to do what they do: for my son, it is some hardware, a camera, because he is interested in blogging; for a daughter who is interested in dancing - new costumes, participation in festivals, etc. I always support my children, support their aspirations and interests. Sometimes we are interested in something at the same time.
The main thing is to love the child, to understand that the child is not you, and you cannot force the child to become who you have not evolved. Every child has their way, you simply need to help the child find it and stand on it.
Yaroslav Laguta, father of Anna and Bohdan
Head of the Darnytsia District State Administration in Kyiv
Let us do everything in life responsibly, and parenting in particular. That's because our future and the future of generations depend on how we raise our kids, as children will pass on their attitude to their children. Therefore, I support responsible leisure: everything should have, if not educational, then at least educational components, no matter what you do.
It is crucial to forming common interests with children. Of course, each generation will have its hobbies, tastes, and idols, but responsible parents, in my opinion, are those parents who do the right things with their children, thus forming an understanding of what is good and what is wrong.
Of course, when facing the realities of life, each child makes their own decision. However, forming a certain foundation and basic correct perception - worldview, value system, attitude to people, to the environment - that’s what parents have to do.
Organizers: UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine and Kyiv City State Administration under the “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence” programme, funded by the European Union, implemented jointly by UN Women and UNFPA.
This photo project was created with the financial support of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of UN Women and UNFPA and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
