Kaikai has a super dad

Two-year-old Kaikai lives with his parents in Changchun village in mountainous Tongjiang County, Sichuan Province. Their house is a traditional courtyard, shared by related families. Part of the building has been renovated, but one side and the pig pen are still made from wood and dried mud. Two children's bicycles are parked in the courtyard, one the same green as the forested mountains opposite the house. The winding Tongjiang River flows quietly between the courtyard and the mountains, sparkling in the sunlight.

"Let’s ride the bike," Kaikai says, pulling his parents to play with him despite the heat. “Ok, we will drink some water after this round,” calls Kaikai’s father, Ran, 26. Kaikai’s face reddens from the heat, and his eyes crinkle with laughter like a crescent moon as he chases his father and his older cousin on his bike. Their laughter mingles with the sounds of birds, cicadas, and grunts from the pigs in the pen.

The sun blazes. A gentle breeze stirs the heat, carrying the smell of burning straw. Beads of sweat flow down Ran's forehead, but Kaikai's energy does not relent. Kaikai asks Ran to play another of his favourite games - “Pick me up, Dad!” Ran counts “1, 2, 3,” and throws him into the air. Kaikai spreads his arms and legs like he is flying. Ran catches him. “One more time!” Kaikai calls and spreads his arms, while his mother Wang, 25, sitting nearby, laughs.

As they play, the village doctor, Dr Guo Ruwen, strides briskly along the steep terraces connected to their courtyard, carrying a UNICEF home visit toolkit backpack. “Kaikai, Grandpa Guo is here!” he warmly calls as he enters Ran’s house. Kaikai and his parents greet Dr Guo. “I fed Kaikai vegetables and other healthy food to balance his diet, as you suggested,” says Ran, before answering a few more questions from Dr Guo.

Dr Guo has spent over four decades caring for the people in this area. He started visiting Kaikai’s home last year when Ran was absent. Many fathers in the area are away, having gone to work in China’s expanding cities and leaving childcare to the mothers or grandmothers. “Round here, it is rare for fathers to stay at home and take care of their children. I had to work away from home with my father to make ends meet,” says Ran. “The main difficulty for my family is that money is tight, especially since I decided to come back home almost a year ago. Now just my father works away from home.”

Ran returned home after realizing his relationship with Kaikai was distant. “Before, when I came back from work, Kaikai would only want his mother to hold him. I was very upset and didn’t understand why he wasn’t close to me.” He asked Dr Guo for advice. “He explained that it was because I spent too little time with Kaikai. He suggested I get more involved in caring for Kaikai with his mother.” Now Ran does casual work in the nearby Washi Town and comes home every day. “It's crucial to provide a happier environment and nurture Kaikai during his short period of growth. Nothing is more important than this," says Ran.

Ran learned how to play with Kaikai, provide nutritious food, and ensure Kaikai’s safety through Dr Guo’s home visits. “I find the home visits useful. We especially enjoy playing the games Dr Guo brings, that are suitable for Kaikai’s age,” says Ran.

Early childhood development

The period from pregnancy to six years old is a critical window of opportunity for shaping the trajectory of a child’s holistic development and their future. For children to achieve their full potential in life, they need comprehensive components of nurturing care including good health, adequate nutrition, safety and security, responsive caregiving and opportunities for learning. Parents play the most important role in this process. When fathers also nurture their young children in their earliest years and provide the things they need, their children learn better, have fewer behavioural issues, and become healthier, happier human beings. However, in China, traditional beliefs that fathers’ support to families is limited to working can restrict their involvement in their children’s care, as it was for Ran.

That’s why UNICEF, the National Center for Women and Children's Health, National Health Commission, and other partners are scaling up a programme in 30 provincial-level regions that provides early childhood development (ECD) services as part of primary health care. The ECD programme highlights the importance of fathers’ involvement and encourages them to take part in ECD services, including counselling, care group activities, and home visits.

“Fathers’ active involvement in early childhood development is crucial and beneficial in several ways. It benefits the comprehensive development of the child. It supports mothers, increases breastfeeding rates, and promotes maternal health. It also enhances fathers' well-being,” says Niu Hongfeng, a UNICEF ECD programme officer and father of two young children.

UNICEF recently launched the 'Parent with Purpose, Nurture their Future' campaign to provide parents and other caregivers nationwide with practical messages about ECD. UNICEF is also advocating for family-friendly workplace policies that can help keep families together.

Care group activities

In addition to the home visit, Ran takes Kaikai to the Washi Township Hospital to receive more ECD services to support his all-round development. Located in the centre of town, in the valley below Ran’s village, Washi Township Hospital is a modern, high-rise facility with a wing specifically designed for children. Here, the walls are padded to protect young children. Soft floor mats printed with images of marine creatures turn the room into a colourful sea world.

Kaikai and his parents make their way to a playroom, where a care group activity is starting. The facilitator plays music while the children dance and clap their hands. After everyone has introduced themselves, she invites the children to play with balls while learning about names and colours. At first, Kaikai hides behind his father’s leg, peeking out with one eye, hesitant but curious. “Kaikai, let’s play with your friends,” Ran and Wang encourage him. Kaikai then crawls to the facilitator, receives a blue ball, and quickly returns and sits in his father’s lap, hugging the ball tightly.

Ran puts a small pig finger puppet on his finger to engage Kaikai. Kaikai then pulls a small rabbit puppet from a box and makes bunny ears with his hands on his head. “Rabbit,” his parents teach him. Kaikai giggles and shares his puppet with other children, no longer shy.

Things were not like this when Ran first took Kaikai to the care group activities. “After participating the second time, Kaikai was still distant from me. As we spent more time together here, he became more comfortable and started trusting and playing with me. This makes our relationship way closer than before,” says Ran. “The care group activities are great. After playing here, Kaikai is now more confident and more outgoing. I think having fathers participate helps achieve this.”

A more harmonious family life

Reflecting on the overall experience of taking part in the ECD programme, Wang realizes that Kaikai is not the only person in the family to have changed. “When I took care of Kaikai alone, I felt extremely tired and irritable. This was not good for Kaikai’s development either,” says Wang, tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m really grateful because the programme improved our family life. Kaikai’s father has relieved me of a lot of the burden, mentally and physically”, says Wang with a smile on her face. “I hope they continue organizing these activities. We will continue taking part.”

“After joining the ECD programme, I truly understand that Kaikai’s mother had a really tough time looking after our son at home. I feel my relationship with my wife has improved, and I am closer with our little one. Our family is more harmonious now,” says Ran, smiling shyly, but with pride.