St Ann native wants men to be better dads

Growing up, Dennis Cunningham did not get the love and the attention he desired from his father. And if he were to grade him for effort, Cunningham said that his dad would get a 20 out of 100 per cent.

Seeing the way that his mother struggled to care for him and his seven siblings, he decided from early that his children would have him in their lives no matter what.

Despite his pledge, the 28-year-old man had a hiccup when he dropped out of high school, because of financial difficulty, and started doing construction. From there, he worked his way to being a certified waiter and a certified lifeguard.

PUBLIC ATTENTION

In the past week, Cunningham caught the public's attention when a video was uploaded of him handwashing clothes for his two daughters. But the reaction from the public came as a surprise to him.

"It is bad that it comes as a surprise to people that I am doing this for my babies. This shows that men are not fulfilling their fatherly roles, and they need to do that. Due to what is going on in Jamaica, we can inspire the youth and show them the positive way because they are always hearing about gun and violence, but they can learn other things, too," he said, adding that he intends to show his children what real love is.

GLOOMY BEGINNINGS

The St Ann native explained that at the start of fatherhood six years ago, he was depressed because he lost his job and was going through a financial crisis. He said there were days when he wanted to throw in the towel, but when he saw his daughter, loved filled his heart and he decided that he will have to do the extraordinary for her.

"When my first girl was born, I was a single father because I had her from she was a little under two months old. Sometimes I would leave her with my mom and go to work when I finally got one. But with my second daughter, her mother is around, and she helps with both of them. But I still do my part because when both parents are giving 100, that's double the amount of love and care for my children," he said.

Describing his children as his 'blessings', Cunningham said that he wants other men to play positive roles in the lives of their kids because the world will be better when they do.

"My older daughter is so helpful. She wash plate, she can sweep the house, and she still try help and take care of her sister. More fathers just have to come out and ensure that they do the right thing. In a time like this when people are more drawn to the negative, I have to be a positive person for my children," he said.