Goal: to be the best dad in the world
“Fatherhood means joy, pride and memorable ‘firsts’. But it also means sleep deprivation, diaper duties, worry and responsibility.” This is how two of Teknoware’s dads, Olli Turunen and Petri Tuunanen, sum up their thoughts on the eve of Father’s Day.
The joy of learning and developing as a dad
In Finland, the flag is raised in celebration of Father’s Day on Sunday the 8th of November. For Petri Tuunanen of Teknoware’s Technical Service team, this will be the third Father’s Day for him as a father. He will mark the occasion with his family, which consists of his partner and their son. The couple's routine lives were completely rearranged by the birth of Leevi a bit more than two years ago. “When our son was born, nothing else mattered anymore. We were completely mesmerized by this tiny being and his existence”, Petri reminisces.
Olli Turunen, who works at Teknoware’s Design & Technology department, became father to his daughter Ilona a few months ago. “Every father should have the opportunity to witness the birth of their child. I will never forget this wonderful experience”, Olli describes the arrival of his daughter into this world. He began his paternity leave right after the birth of his daughter and returned to work recently.
New routines
Currently, Petri’s two-year-old son spends his days under the care of his grandmother. “We didn’t need to put Leevi into a day-care centre, even though both of us parents work full time. My mother retired a year ago and she is helping take care of Leevi in our home”, Petri says. Becoming a parent means less free time, but it has highlighted the significance of small things: “Recently, my son learned how to jump on one foot. It was amazing to watch him proudly showcase his new skill to me.” Fatherhood has also influenced Petri’s mentality, and he has become more careful in certain aspects: “Now I approach work with a higher risk of injury more carefully.” I want to make sure that the little guy has a dad tomorrow, too.”
Olli, who lives with his wife and his daughter Ilona, describes his experiences during the first few months of fatherhood. He says everything has gone well. The rookie father actively participates in child care, and changing diapers has become routine work for him. The new routine life itself has not served up many surprises, but witnessing the growth of his daughter has been marvellous: “In the beginning, she was so frail and tiny. She learns new skills day by day, and you can almost see her grow. She has learned to smile, and she giggles a lot.” According to Olli, the best things about this new routine life is the child itself, and naps that are essential for making up for sleep deprivation while also being able to be next to the baby. It feels good to be home and to come home after work.
Teknoware supports fatherhood
According to both men, the company has a wonderful attitude towards fatherhood and parenthood in general. In fact, most of their immediate colleagues are also fathers. Thanks to the company’s flexibility, employees are able to take paternity leaves when necessary. “I went to work as usual the day before Ilona was born, and after she was born, I just started my paternity leave straight away”, Olli reveals.
Father’s Day plans
Neither father has anything specific lined up for the upcoming Father’s day. Petri hopes to sleep in and spend the day with his family and playing with his son. For Olli, this is his first Father's Day as a father, but also the first one worth celebrating in over 20 years: his father passed away when Olli was only a little boy. “I have lived a long time without my dad. Now I can be present in my child’s life and my goal is to be the best dad in the world!”
We wish all of Teknoware’s dads, and every dad out there a Happy Father’s Day!