From Being A Software Engineer To An Influencer Dad, This Is My Journey…
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Hello, I'm Shashank, a Software Engineer at a leading IT company in Mumbai. But there's more to my story than just my profession. For 15 years, I've been passionately volunteering for the Indian Development Foundation, supporting various social causes. I'm also the founder and director of the SoVo Foundation, an NGO that provides daily meals to needy tribal children and the elderly.
My journey as an influencer was unplanned and began after my son Yuvaan came into our lives. It all started when I shared a short video of me swaddling Yuvaan when he was just 2 months old. That video went viral, garnering millions of views and requests for more insights about fatherhood and the role of fathers in parenting.
Balancing time becomes a challenge once you become a parent; it's a constant juggle of multitasking and managing. We try to keep things simple and focus on creating valuable content for our community to benefit from.
Yuvaan's first ad shoot with Huggies India came through our Instagram profile, and from there, one opportunity led to another. The most significant opportunity was his role in the movie Jawan, where he was shortlisted within a day or two.
We decided to home-school Yuvaan when he began understanding us through language and actions around the age of one. This seemed the right time to introduce him to more concepts, such as identifying body parts, family members, and objects, and solving puzzles. The benefits are immense; it builds a strong bond, enhances learning and growth, and keeps toddlers engaged away from screens. However, a significant challenge is that toddlers have their own plans and moods, making it difficult to stick to a schedule.
Homeschooling is an excellent way to bond with your child. It teaches them to sit in one place for longer periods, preparing them for formal schooling.
We don't see it as a social media career but as a journey to create memories that Yuvaan can cherish when he grows up. As for his involvement, he is gradually understanding that we are shooting or taking pictures. As long as he is comfortable and cooperative, we will continue.
The most rewarding part is receiving appreciation comments and messages from fellow parents, especially fathers, who feel inspired by our videos to spend more active time with their children in ways they hadn't considered before.
As an influencer, the challenge is to consistently have good content ready. As a parent, the challenge is maintaining immense patience with a toddler. We manage by staying organised and flexible.
Our future goals and aspirations include seeing Yuvaan grow up healthy, wise, and as a good human being who cares for others and the environment.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we can inspire and support each other in the wonderful adventure of parenthood.