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by: Jonathan Dunn

Joy for Dads

Posted in: Our thoughts and feelings
A father and two children walking along a path next to a river.

Joy for Dads

Jonathan Dunn
A father and two children walking along a path next to a river.

When thinking about my primary source of happiness, I can only think of my daughter, Nora. Nora’s instinct for finding joy is natural, effortless and inspiring. Her aim in any given situation is ‘how can I make this more fun?’. I find that following her lead allows me to experience her joy in times when the busyness of life would often blinker my view.

I don’t feel that dads are naturally encouraged to be the ones to lead play with their children. Even in a significantly more progressive world than the one I grew up in, I still feel that being silly and playful with my child isn’t what’s ‘expected’ of me in my social role as a ‘father’. And when I can cast off these shackles of societal expectation, put down my work, and refine my focus to being purely present with Nora – I find so much more joy and happiness in my life.

I wanted to make these series of films to encourage other dads to follow their child’s lead – to play and reflect on this extraordinary source of joy and happiness, that can often be overlooked in amongst the stresses of life, the pressures of work and the exhaustion of living in a modern world. To slow down and be more mindful, and to be less self-conscious of having fun. To revel in the joy of being a dad.

Something in Nothing

Tim finds inspiration in his daughter Viola, and her gift for creating moments of joy out of seemingly nothing.

Stillness in Motion

Joey reflects on what his faith has taught him in finding moments of stillness in amongst the chaos of parenting.

Happiness in Fatherhood

Jake follows his daughter Daisy’s lead to find the most amount of joy in their daily lives.

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Two women preparing food together in a kitchen Dau menyw yn paratoi bwyd gyda'i gilydd mewn cegin.
Senior mother and her daughter watering plants together with a watering can
A senior man watering a tray of plants in his conservatory.
Woman taking a selfie at Henrhyd Falls