Saturday 14 / December / 2024
"Fatherhood is the great thing that could ever happen. You can't explain it until it happens — it's like telling someone what water feels like before they've ever swam in it."
We all have heroes in our lives who go under the radar. Often among the first to make quiet, inconspicuous sacrifices for the ones they love are dads and father figures. Last year was challenging for most families, and this coming Father’s Day gives us an opportunity to show our appreciation to the dads who helped get us through it. Father's Day is a day of honouring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. It was first proposed by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Washington in 1909. It is celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June and so lets make June 20th special for our fathers.
Finding the perfect Father’s Day gift is tough. And it has become even harder since the pandemic changed so many aspects of our lives. Dad’s tastes may have changed and our trusty, go-to ideas may be outdated.
This year, take the guesswork out of Father’s Day shopping by giving the men in your life something that’s convenient, easy to buy and send, fast to deliver, and gives them the freedom to make sure they get exactly what they want. Get dads and father figures a gift card.
Gift cards were already popular pre-COVID, and when the pandemic hit they evolved from “nice-to-haves” to lifelines. Social distancing and quarantines forced us to get creative in helping, celebrating, and uplifting our family and friends from afar, and gift cards helped us do all of it (while also supporting businesses struggling during shutdowns). Sending gift cards to someone’s favourite restaurant or retailer for a birthday, as thanks, or just because added a personal touch and connected people across great distances. It also helped eliminate the hassle of returns since people can buy what they really want or need.
Most gift cards come in physical and digital form (also called egifts), and can be bought and redeemed in-store, online and via mobile devices. Some can even be loaded into mobile wallets. This flexibility gives gift givers and recipients options so they can shop however they feel most comfortable.
And as a father if you want to make the day special for your children, there are umpteen things to do. Read or tell a story to your child that has a single word repeated often. Have your child jump, stretch, clap or do some other exaggerated physical movement every time they hear the word. Then, mix things up and have your child tell you a story. This is a great way to spend time together building vocabulary, boosting creativity and having fun. From puzzles and party games to cards and trivia, games build communication skills, teach good sportsmanship and create opportunities for strategic thinking.
Practise yoga on International Yoga Day
Get ready to practise yoga along with thousands of yoga enthusiasts in Oman who will stretch their way to good health on International Yoga Day. The International Day of Yoga (IDY) is celebrated all over the world every year on 21 June. Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. Today it is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity. Recognising its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga .It aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
According to the UN Nations "Beyond its immediate impact on physical health, the COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated psychological suffering and mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, as pandemic-related restrictions continue in various forms in many countries. This has highlighted the urgent need to address the mental health dimension of the pandemic, in addition to the physical health aspects.
The message of Yoga in promoting both the physical and mental well-being of humanity has never been more relevant. A growing trend of people around the world embracing Yoga to stay healthy and rejuvenated and to fight social isolation and depression has been witnessed during the pandemic. Yoga is also playing a significant role in the psycho-social care and rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients in quarantine and isolation. It is particularly helpful in allaying their fears and anxiety."
Recognising this important role of Yoga, this year’s commemoration of the International Day of Yoga focuses on “Yoga for well-being” - how the practice of Yoga can promote the holistic health of every individual.
While The United Nations offers yoga resources to its personnel and others on the COVID-19 portal's section on Wellness, The World Health Organization mentions yoga as a means to improve health in its Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030: more active people for a healthier world.
Whats on Netflix?
June has been a great month for new anime on Netflix so far in June and that continues today with the release of A Whisker Away.The movie is about a girl who transforms into a cat in the attempts to get closer to her crush. Also watch Fatherhood releasing on June 18 where Kevin Hart plays a recent widower trying to juggle parenthood with grief in this new film based on a true story.
New releases in theatres
Watch Luca, starring Maya Rudolph, Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer. On the Italian Riviera, an unlikely but strong friendship grows between a human being and a sea monster disguised as a human. Flashback starring Dylan O'Brien, Maika Monroe, Amanda Brugel, Hannah Gross is about Fredrick Fitzell who is living his best life -- until he starts having horrific visions of Cindy, a girl who vanished in high school. After reaching out to old friends with whom he used to take a mystery drug called Mercury, Fredrick realizes the only way to stop the visions lies deep within his own memories, so he embarks on a terrifying mental odyssey to learn the truth.
