Father’s Day is just a few days away! And we hope you’ve made reservation, plans, gifts and all that jazz. But before your celebrations, we’ve got some amazing articles brewing that’s been waiting for your attention from Wednesday till this Saturday!
Fathers are like pillars to a child’s behavioral-building.
For a girl, a father is her pillar of relationships and emotional support. And it will shape her way of forming bonds as well as what she will look to, when she looks for a partner. For a boy, he follows in the footsteps of his father that will shape his core values and behavior, into the man that he’ll eventually be.
In the days to come, Sevenpie will be releasing stories from Malaysian fathers from all corners and walks of life. Within these articles, they share about life in a non-stop commitment to their bundle(s)-of-joy, and how they have coped with in no matter the circumstance.
We’ve caught up with ex-FLY.FM DJ and now, Vlogger and Chief Digital & Marketing of Tune Protect, Ben Jern. Ben, whose life on top of working on a job with big responsibilities, is segregated with a love for vlogging. In today’s feature, you’ll find ways in how he navigates through fatherhood, as well as introducing his son to the concept of social media.
So get comfy, and grab your dad because these few articles are reads that you don’t want to ignore. Take a glimpse into the lives of these unsung heroes as you discover that a father’s love knows no bounds even when it comes to their passions.
Ben Jern– Chief Digital and Marketing of Tune Protect; Father of One: Evan
To many Malaysians, Ben Jern is a familiar voice. With over 11 years’ of experience as a Radio DJ, Ben Jern is taking over the media industry by storm as the Chief Digital and Marketing of Tune Protect. An inquisitive tech-junkie with an upbeat personality, Ben Jern never fails to capture every moment of fatherhood.
Ben Jern has a driving personality and an eye for curiosity. It is no wonder that he is one of the prominent figures in the media industry. His journey in the media world started as a Radio DJ at Fly FM, and later on as General Manager for one of Malaysia’s largest over-the-top content provider, tonton.
Today, Ben Jern is still a force to be reckoned with. A lover of life, Ben Jern’s journey of fatherhood is one that is filled with moments – and each one worth capturing for.
1. Hello Ben Jern! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions. Let’s start off with the day you found out you were going to become a father. How did you feel? What were your fears?
It was one of the most incredible moments of my life! I knew nothing about being a dad (apart from caring for my many Shih Tzus), so I had many questions: How much money do I need to spend to care for the baby? Evan will also be the family’s first grandchild & great-grandchild in the family, so I’ve thought: How am I going to surprise my parents & grandparents?
Despite the many questions flooding me, I wasn’t afraid because I knew Stella would be an incredible mother. Knowing that my parents and parents-in-law would also be lining up to take care of precious Evan, I knew I was blessed.
As a techie myself, the Internet has also helped me to learn more about being a good father. Plus, I have the best example to look up to: my parents, who have brought up both, me and my sister, well.
2. It’s no secret that the media industry, be it broadcasting, content-creating, and so on, is a crazy world to be in. Now being Chief Digital and Marketing of Tune Protect, how do you handle the pressure of the responsibilities of your job, and as a dad?
Before Evan was born, we’ve already started introducing him on social media! From the announcement of Stella’s pregnancy to days before the delivery at the hospital (which I’ve almost missed as I was part of a celebrity race in a jungle!)– we did hourly updates to journal Evan’s precious milestone. You can check out our photos in our hashtags here: #BenStellaJr & #EvanLoh.
Evan was born smack right in the middle of my entertainment career. The first 6 months with an infant was incredibly difficult. As all parents would know, these little humans need to be fed every 2 hours, 24/7. I had to balance between caring for Evan and my morning Breakfast Shift on Fly FM, which needed me to sleep super early to prepare for my morning shift the next day (which, btw, starts at 6AM. Meaning, I had to wake up at 4:30AM!). It would’ve been extremely difficult if not for my super Stella who’d bounce like a ninja as soon as a tiny sound comes out of Evan’s mouth – all that, just to give me a good night’s sleep. Thank you, my love.
Today, my job at Tune Protect doesn’t require me to wake up at strange hours and Evan doesn’t require feeding every two hours. So, we all have a good night’s sleep – which is good.
Evan, now at 4, is filled with Thor-like energy. He is incredibly inquisitive, exploring even more to the things around him. He is very talkative too (YES! Radio roots) and has his own wants and opinions. At the end of every work-day, I always look forward to getting home so that I could hug, pounce and chase the little fella.
Needing to travel quite a bit with my current job, the feeling of being ‘home-sick’ is so real. Even with the technology we have today like FaceTime and WhatsApp video calls, which helps a bit, but it’s still nothing like being there with my family.
3. We enjoy your Vlogs and videos on YouTube, how did you introduce the concept of vlogging to your son, making him aware that his dad documents events in his life. Was it gradual? How did he react to it?
We started filming Evan from the day he was born. Filming Evan’s first trip to London at 6 months old was crazy! We had to hide in the aircraft lavatory every time he cried, to a point where the kind stewardess had to offer to pat him to sleep. Somehow we’ve still managed to document every moment, despite the chaos of it all.
At 1 year old, he was already meddling with my digital camera. He’d be pressing every button he could find, to even learning to swipe around YouTube Kids on the iPad. At 2 years old, he became attracted to the ‘red’ button (if you know, you know) and following it came many recordings of Evan’s mouth, floor and hand footages.
Did he love it? Absolutely!
4. At what point of your process of documentation, did you differentiate the personal moments in your life, you’d want to show to the public and things you’d rather keep in private?
You’ll never know when you’ll miss a precious moment, so I would try to capture moments wherever and whenever possible. Evan’s first diaper change in the car, when he first used the potty, his first taste of orange- these are some of my personal moments which I treasure dearly. Just the other day, I shot a video of Evan playing the Nintendo Switch with Stella. It was such a nostalgic moment – a feeling that is hard to describe.
I’d say 95% of my videos and photos are kept private. But I’d always share my joyous moments like our trips and celebrations.
5. What are the misconceptions of fatherhood do you feel that people need to know about?
That you can prepare for fatherhood. Nothing can prepare you to be a father. You’ll always make mistakes, and you’ll learn. Just let nature take its course and face it head-on. Ultimately, fatherhood is about growing up – yourself included.
Another misconception is that infants are incredibly fragile. Well, your baby is stronger than you think! So, don’t panic at the slightest fever. Not everything needs a visit to the hospital or emergency room. It’ll be okay in the end.
6. What are some words of advice you would like to give to dad’s out there?
I don’t believe in the ‘Good Parent-Bad Parent’ strategy. You can be strict and be your child’s best friend at the same time. At the end of the day, your child needs to know that you can be trusted and that you love him or her very, very, very much – all the time.
7. Lastly, Evan will be seeing this as a grown-up one day. What advice would you want to impart on him?
Dear Evan, you’re the brightest light that came into mummy and daddy’s life. Keep that light shining, keep asking questions, keep making noise, and keep loving. When it comes to big decisions in life, be it a job, marriage, a child or even a pet – listen to your heart and do what makes it sing. Oh, and machines may rule the world someday – so, learn up Artificial Intelligence!
