Fathers prove they can also be mothers
Sitting on a stage among mothers waiting to receive garlands from their children during a primary school's Mother's Day celebrations, Chuchai Nijtrairat was a lone father whom his young daughter wanted there.
You might deem it weird that a girl brought her father along to a mothers' festival, but Chuchai believes he is "a good mother", as good as any belonging to the biologically appropriate sex. "When I split from my wife, I decided to raise my three-year-old daughter myself, because I was confident I'd do it better than her mum would have done," the 43-year-old father said. In a society with a growing divorce rate, Chuchai is one among many dads who literally mother their children. Many of them have done an incredibly good job, despite serious hardships. Kittichai Thongsombatpanit, 47, has raised his three children all by himself for about nine years. His eldest daughter is only a primary-school student and his youngest son only one. "I never knew how I was going to do it. I only thought since they were my children I'd do everything for them," he said. Kittichai had to say goodbye to his social life and even parts of his job. Most of his time since then has been dedicated to cooking, washing, housework and looking after the kids, in short everything that mothers do. The children have never cried on Mother's Day for the mother that left them but instead come to Kittichai and give him jasmine flowers, representing the love of children for their mums. "However, I can't say they did not miss anything," he says. "Their conception of a family is distorted, but I tell them love and responsibility are the most important things in a family, even if it is broken." Supachai Sukroj, 37, divorced his wife nine years ago. He agreed with her that he would raise their son, then only two years old, on his own. He had looked after the boy, afflicted with a heart disease, since he was one year old, after all. Despite giving permission for his ex-wife to visit the boy occasionally, this is the fifth year that the boy has not seen his mother. "It makes me feel I have to love him more to make up for what he lacks," Supachai said. He decided to quit his job and began teaching cooking at home to spend more time with his son. Supachai and Kittichai have joined a single parents' network created by the Family Network Foundation.
Chatrarat Kaewmorakot The Nation
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