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Meet the dads behind Ounass. Yes, they are one of the heroes of our offices, and yes, they are also the heroes of their families. The men behind the brand talk us through the ups and downs of the joyful role that is fatherhood, as they reflect on their childhood and share the moments that add definition on what it means to be a father.

SHOP GIFTING
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Every day I am fortunate enough to see my son reach new milestones; riding a bike, learning how to swim or score a goal in football, and these moments are what make me feel like the luckiest and proudest dad in the world. My career is my passion, and I try to find inspiration in everything I do. Part of this inspiration is my son — I see that passion growing in him and it shines through in everything he does. It takes away the conflict you have when trying to balance work and personal life. The idea of someone looking up to you as their role model might seem intimidating, but to me, it is the very meaning of what it takes to be a good father. Being the shaper and moulder for his little mind. On that note, fatherhood is not just a journey that outlines the importance of being a mentor and guide to your children, it’s also allowing yourself to learn and look at life from their perspective in return. My father had the amazing ability to remain calm and levelheaded whatever the situation. I think this served him very well over the years and is a characteristic that not only do I aim to embody, but is one that I will encourage my son to practice as he starts to experience the big wide world for himself. As your kids grow up, you begin to see a lot of yourself in them and this makes you a more conscious father, rethinking each step you take and wondering how it will affect them. I aim to take each moment of fatherhood in my stride, with a positive and calm state of mind, remembering that when the going gets tough, I can always turn to my trusted coffee machine and start over.

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The minute you find out that there is a mini-me about to embrace the world, an invisible contract is drafted up between that dad and society. It states that you are now responsible to bear the weight of your little one in raising them to be a good human being. And to me, being a father means just that. I need to be a better person in order to be a leading role in their lives. Your kids are a reflection of you; they will mirror your habits, your actions, your speech and even your thoughts. The fine print of this contract has the best clause: a “give all and expect nothing back” policy — it is love experienced in the purest form and that means you will do everything it takes to make your little one’s life a positive one despite the challenges. As I stepped into my role of being a father, everything my old man once told me flashed before my eyes and I knew both myself and my sons would be able to learn from that. The greatest advice that I can pass onto other fathers, and someday to my kids, is that time is valuable in ways you cannot imagine. Value the time you spend with your children, answer their questions, even the crazy ones, and embrace an open relationship with them so they know they can trust you beyond a blood bond. Befriend them early in life so you are more than just a role model to them, you are a companion.

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As children we are constantly told to never give up, to keep trying. As you grow into an adult, those words have a deeper meaning. And when you become a father, they become part of a mantra that repeats itself in your actions and thoughts. To me, the complex journey of fatherhood means erasing a selfish and individualistic mindset and creating a worthy and inspirational role model in its stead. One where you need to live by the advice that you expect your children to follow. Every morning, with a good cup of coffee, I remind myself that I am blessed to be responsible for providing my kids with a positive environment, lifestyle and education that will help shape them into an even better person than I am. A pro and con of being a father are embracing the endless line-ups of challenges. The con being that at that moment you’re not sure that you have the patience you need. The pro is that it will always be a positive outcome because you’ve set your mind to making that difference. The pandemic has been one of the greatest turning points for me in fatherhood — every role of being a husband, a father, an employee, a manager, all merged into one big, blurred identity. I had to learn to multi-task which is not a strong suit for most men, and I am proud to say that this skillset has allowed me to be a better father. Finally, as I continue to grow into this wonderful role, I have found that the value of the time we spend with our little ones is filled with moments we can never replace, memories we can never rewrite and feelings we will never forget.

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Some days being a dad means having to draw a fine line between friendship and parenthood; most days it means having to be the most prominent character in the story of the lessons that shape your children's lives. Curiosity is a key tool in obtaining knowledge, from adolescence to adulthood, and this tool must be utilized to its maximum potential — this is a lesson that helped shape me into the man and father I am today, it is what my father used to tell me and is a secret to life that I hope my children will fully understand as they get older. The greatest joy to witness as a father is to watch these little ones grow up and develop their personalities and interests. I’m so hopeful and excited for the future generations and what they’ll bring to society, but that also means having to balance between looking out for them without interfering so much so that they form their own experiences, even the inevitable negative ones. As much as I like to think of myself as the hero in my son and daughter’s lives, I owe it to their mum who without it would be impossible to successfully raise our kids to be responsible, loving, respectful and productive adults. The same way we steer our lives through the ups and downs of adulthood, fatherhood to me is ensuring that I provide mentorship, guidance, discipline and wisdom as my little (big) ones navigate their way through the challenging beauty that is life.