A 45-year age gap a 75-year-old father, Dr. Haji Zulkifly Baharom & his youngest son, Fariz Azmir Zulkifly, 30 year-old born on the very same birthday, 26 June, represent a significant generation gap that is uncommon but becoming great blessings. While it presents challenges like being much older than other parents and potential health risks, both of us experience it as a rewarding experience centered on maturity, stability, deeper, and close connection. The father may face lower energy levels for active parenting as the child grows with significantly different life experiences as they born in a different era.
My advantage as an older father to Fariz often brings more life experience, patience, and financial stability to parenting. I can still remember a 45-year gap looked like me, a 50-year-old father with a 5-year-old child went to school to register a 5-year-old son, Fariz for the Kindergarten class. Despite the large difference, like my case in point, many families with substantial age gaps focus on the quality of time spend together rather than chronological difference.
Fariz said that “When I was growing up, I never really noticed that my dad was older than everybody else's, or that my parents' friends all had kids who were at least 15-20 years my senior. My dad amazed me of his leadership talents serving as Chairman of Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) during my primary & secondary boarding schools. I spend a lot more time with my mother who's 8 years junior to my dad bcos he is busy with work & school matter.”
Fariz added, “Our family regularly travelled locally & overseas for family vacations. All my siblings studied at the Boarding Schools & universities, so we look forward to travel for holidays together. When it comes to true innovation, my dad has lot of experience formulating inspired ideas leading to results.”
Got a meaningful father-child story? Share it with #KasihAyah for a chance to win TnG eMAS, Shopee vouchers, and prizes worth up to RM3,500! Find out how to join here. T&Cs apply.
.png)
Got a meaningful father-child story? Share it with #KasihAyah for a chance to win TnG eMAS, Shopee vouchers, and prizes worth up to RM3,500! Find out how to join here. T&Cs apply.
Zulkifly Baharom (hajizul50@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact creator@newswav.com.
