I buy two to three books every time I am in National Book Store.
Five months ago, I saw Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan’s Meet My SuperDad as I was looking for a new storybook that I can introduce to my children. Nicholas, the premier bookworm in Casa Ruffolo Uno, had been bugging me for new books because, to quote his words, “I finished reading every book in this house.” Please note that Nicholas is a three-year-old toddler. He can’t really read yet but he thinks he can read because he knows the story flow and he can recite most of them.
We have had several story books on mothers but we never had a storybook on fathers so I grabbed one copy of Meet My SuperDad and rushed to the cashier for payment.
Back home, I showed Nicholas and Antoinette the book and they immediately asked me to read it to them. For the next three days, every morning at 6:30 a.m. when they rush to our bedroom for the routine kisses and cuddles spree, they ask me to read Meet My SuperDad.
One morning, I was stressed out from grad school work and had to tell them that I cannot read the story to them.
Oh how they cried. Wait, they didn’t cry! They wailed! I told Jeff to kindly read the story to them while I was trying to finish a paper on fake news/post truths which was due to be submitted that day.
I haven’t read that book to the kids since then because Daddy Jeff did an excellent job in reading the story to them. I guess it had a lot to do with the fact that the story talked about a Super Dad and it was Daddy who was reading the story to them.
Laxa-Pangilinan’s story was told from the perspective of a girl, who thinks that her Daddy is a super hero because he is a good role model. He is sweet and kind to his wife, he loves his children, he fixes his daughter’s hair, he finds time for his family even when he is busy with work and he rescues dogs; a big difference from the fathers of the other children depicted in the story.
Jeff is a strict father.
It comes with being Italian, I presume.
But he is also sweet and caring and thoughtful.
I don’t know if I told you this but Jeff is the one who makes breakfast for the children and makes sure that they have their weekly treat at a playhouse in the mall.
My children used to be scared of Jeff. But I really saw how they look at him differently when the book Meet My SuperDad became part of our reading habit at home. Perhaps their young brains realized that Daddy only wants the best for them? Or maybe they now consider Daddy as their super hero even when he can be firm at times?
I always believe that we don’t need another Father’s Day to honor the men in our homes. Every day is an opportunity to show our children that Daddy is a hero, who works hard to serve the family, who loves them and makes sure that they live comfortable lives.
I like how Meet My SuperDad showed that fathers, like mothers, can be heroes too.
Several months of listening to this book being read at home made me realized that we need more books on fathers.
I might write one soon.
