His Excellency President Anthony Carmona is calling on fathers of disabled children to find a way back into their lives.
He said abandoning the disabled child to the sole responsibility of a mother’s love and affection was wrong and unfair.
In his Father’s Day message, Carmona said, “There is, however, one demographic that bleeds our hearts on this very special day and this pain we have personally experienced interacting with the family members and caregivers of differently-abled children.
“When we speak of differently-abled children, we do not speak of children with broken limbs but children with broken spirits, broken hearts, starved of fatherly love.”
He said very often the daily routine of the disabled child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, the visually-impaired and the hearing-impaired were borne solely by mothers.
He said many fathers have abandoned their disabled child to a mother’s love and presence through skewed and misplaced notions of manhood, masculinity and shame.
“Fathers, please find a way back into the life of the differently-abled child who craves your love, care and affection.”
Carmona said in a society confronted with many afflictions, a simple yet defining solution may well be a father’s love, guidance and presence.
He said quite often, the role and significance of a father are downplayed and seen as the lesser of the parental influences when in fact it should complement the role of the mother in the home.
“Today is indeed a celebration of fathers, father figures and fathers who run single-parent households and contribute to the progression and upliftment of generation next.
“Father and father figures, continue to be that glimmer of hope with your disciplined love, mentorship and presence.”
Carmona said while children will be inclined to give their fathers material things, there was no greater gift than the gift of love, deep appreciation and dedication “and that gift is one that daddy will always cherish and remember.”
He also gave a “hail up” to grandparents who have taken the place of delinquent mothers and fathers, imbibing love and affection in an unparalleled way.
