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A father changing his son's clothes is nothing special, Sharmila Faruqi tells Iqra Aziz

A father changing his son's clothes is nothing special, Sharmila Faruqi tells Iqra Aziz

We need to stop celebrating men doing the bare minimum when it comes to raising their own children.
04 Sep, 2021

Instagram is a place where we celebrate personal success and achievements — both large and sometimes very, very small — and often see other people's posts and sigh in reluctant jealously. Well, that isn't the case for Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sharmila Faruqi who isn't having any celebration of the bare minimum.

She commented recently on a post by actor Iqra Aziz and made that clear.

Aziz posted a picture of her husband Yasir Hussain changing their newborn son Kabir on Instagram.

"A pamper and clothing change session before leaving for work," she wrote. "PS he changed Kabir’s clothes for the first time, I am so proud of you Yasir Hussain, you’ve helped me so much in this new phase of my motherhood from pamper changes to holding him while I rest for a bit, and making me breakfasts," she wrote.

And while all of that is very lovely, it didn't really impress Faruqi, who is also a mother.

"I’m so glad your husband is hands on but it’s nothing to be proud of or anything special. All good, involved fathers do this for their kids. My husband bathes, changes diapers, feeds and takes our son for his pre-school if I’m at work or unwell. And he loves it," she wrote.

We understand what she's trying to say. Parenting is a job for two people, not just the mother. In our society, fathers often take the backseat when it comes to the actual parenting bit, therefore when a father does step up, it's seen more as help, not a shared responsibility. But if it takes two people to bring a child into the world, the responsibility for raising and caring for the child should also be shouldered by two people.

Changing a diaper isn't a revolutionary act, nor should it be seen as such. As Faruqi pointed out, all good and involved fathers do this for their kids. They don't deserve a pat on the back anymore than mothers do for raising their children.

While we're glad Yasir Hussain is also taking responsibility for raising his child, that's the bare minimum. Instead of praising fathers doing one of the thousand things mothers do for their children every day, perhaps we should start normalising fathers taking a more active role in rearing their children. That goes for all father, not just actors.

Comments

M. Saeed Sep 04, 2021 01:10pm
Why advertise the most essentials of coexistence as compatible parents?
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Sheraz Ali Rizvi Sep 04, 2021 01:13pm
Sharmila Farooqui hit the right spot. Nothing special Mr Hussain is doing
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A. ALI Sep 04, 2021 01:15pm
for once I agree with Sharmila Farooqui, well said.
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NoVoice Sep 04, 2021 01:15pm
Its so sad that these pathetic actors are always being highlighted. They were not geniuses or pioneers of something that they should have such importance. In fact, their profession requires or judges them on how good they fake emotions on screen! So professional fakers are not exactly people we need to be listening to outside of a tv show. Its like asking a plumber for his views on everything else.
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Chrís Dăn Sep 04, 2021 02:16pm
Sharmila is very right.
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Parvez Sep 04, 2021 02:16pm
Totally agree with Sharmila Faruqi .....I changed diapers when they were made of cloth and held in place with a big safety pin.....today the task is a breeze and also its a bonding process for the father that's very, very necessary.
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Khalid Sep 04, 2021 02:18pm
Shireoaks please focus on improving life of people living in Sindh, instead of commenting on showbiz
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Khalid Sep 04, 2021 02:19pm
Shirmila, please focus on improving life of people living in Sindh, instead of commenting on showbiz
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NYS Sep 04, 2021 02:29pm
Till then wait Hussain's next post
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Jay Sep 04, 2021 02:39pm
For once these celebrities need to stop highlighting basic human stuff and making a huge deal out of it. I’m sure her husband helps her out but isint he supposed too? It ll be a news if he doesn’t.
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AJ Sep 04, 2021 03:03pm
I guess wives can't praise their husbands in the post-modern world? No one raises objection when all men are vilified and demonized throughout the mainstream media. What if someone comments about not glorifying the bare-minimum that mothers do for their children? Why the double standards?
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H Sep 04, 2021 03:19pm
Seriously these guys have too much time on their hands
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Faisal Ahmed Sep 04, 2021 03:21pm
Come on guys its an era of freedom, if Iqra gets happy by sharing this with others then What's the problem with Sharmila? We should mind with our own businesses.
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Zak Sep 04, 2021 03:35pm
Sharmila Faruqi is right. Nothing wrong, in the west where women work and there are no servants or nannies, men do it happily for their children.
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R syed Sep 04, 2021 03:43pm
To be honest, a better response to all of these Social Media posts would be no response. Nothing special here... Moving on...next time, keep your day to day,rather mundane acts to yourself, dont expect a pat on the back... Most celebrities operate on an "all publicity is good" mantra - which emboldens them comment on anything and everything.... Give it the silent treatment and hopefully they will get the message.
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Salman Ahmed Sep 04, 2021 04:01pm
This is the first i am throughly agree with sharmeela well there is nothing special to be celebrated all men do this job with out showing and publishing on social media
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WASEEM MALIK Sep 04, 2021 04:02pm
Sharmila, pay attention to your zero performance in politics instead.
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Art Sep 04, 2021 05:42pm
Why is this man in news everyday, give us a break! Enough is enough
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Hamid Sep 04, 2021 05:52pm
Sorry I completely disagree. Such a responsibility should not be burdened on all the fathers. Sharmila with her Filipino maids and maids from the village has no right to comment us common folks on such matters. These are things that should not be irresponsibly forced upon couples and should work things out as per situation and as per resources available as it is an unforgiving world. Remember five fingers are not the same.
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TruthMatters Sep 04, 2021 06:07pm
Way to go, Sharmila! Why are you so bothered by one woman’s desire to share how her husband helps her?! Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if more men helped their wives in rearing their children but there’s no need to vilify the good men (who already do), especially if their wives consider it worthwhile to share their decent qualities. ‘Live and let live’ should be our motto.
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Ali Mehdi Sep 04, 2021 06:23pm
When u come under a spot light it not only shows your good things but it also highlights your things which you may never want to be seen by others. Some people don’t know how to carry themselves when they are flooded with lights. Yasir n Mrs one glaring example of such ppl.
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Ehsan Sep 04, 2021 06:32pm
Both are correct. Sharmila for stating what should be normal and iqra for reinforcing what should be the norm
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ST Sep 04, 2021 06:59pm
Iqra pls let us know when Yasir will do what. Such a big news .
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Sher Khan Sep 04, 2021 07:09pm
Agreed more than 100%, if it was so necessary then, why he pictured, shame.
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Tuk Sep 04, 2021 07:17pm
Tell me after this work is divided equally. Fathers have always helped once in a while.
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Art Sep 04, 2021 07:43pm
All this jargon is nothing new, I stand with sharmila farooqi! The couple needs to grow up
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Anonymouseee Sep 04, 2021 08:16pm
This is nothing to showboat about. Why have women become to petty. If your husband is helping you with stuff, you don’thave to post it on Instagram for the whole world to see.
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ak4pk Sep 04, 2021 09:16pm
@Chrís Dăn : it’s true Sharmila is right but this phenomenon is not a common sight in Pakistan, such husbands are far and few on the ground. More need to be encouraged. If Iqra’s post could nudge a few more in this direction, we’ll and good.
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FAZ Sep 04, 2021 10:55pm
She belongs to a party that rules a province where in rural areas women work. Only women. No men. They do business by selling the crop "their" women worked on.
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nk Sep 04, 2021 11:31pm
This is insane what is so special in changing your own child's clothes. I hope we soon are not going to see a potty cleaning one too. Anyway Mr. Yasir just always want to be in any type of news about him.
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Cye Sep 05, 2021 12:04am
Sharmila ne pehle kabhi koi achi baat Ki hai jo ab karegi.
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Zeeshan Ahmed Sep 05, 2021 02:51am
What has Sharmila Faruqi ever accomplished on her own in life?
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Kashif Alam Sep 05, 2021 09:39am
Well, what about other responsibilities of males like earning which has become a most challenging task and to run the household affairs like grocery, school fee, training of kids etc.. Let's just peep into the past and deliberate the responsibilities of man and woman to understand the marked difference of 2ist century
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Ali Mehdi Sep 05, 2021 10:46am
Yasir is a fading star. These things will speed up the early demise of his fame n stardom. He’s the one that will pull those to extinction that fall in its proximity. Yes that’s right. You better be careful iqra.
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Asim Sep 05, 2021 12:59pm
Seems I am lacking slacking in this area. It’s all with the mother. Enjoying the back seat.
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ak4pk Sep 06, 2021 01:53am
@Ali Mehdi, Iqra the bread winner, Yasir the home maker, this phenomenon is on the roll out.
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Uddin Sep 06, 2021 05:41am
Sharmila faruqi trying to be relevant
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INDEPENDENT Sep 06, 2021 07:37am
Sharmila Farooqui is wrong! If she cannot be happy on someone's happiness, she should keep her mouth shut. Both women are lucky that their husbands change diapers of their babies. Sharmila should have said, "Iqra you are as lucky as I am because my husband also changes diapers of our baby".
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Ahmad Sep 07, 2021 12:47am
And so did I forward e my two sons almost every day.
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