Paternal instinct | Fathers today

In the new podcast series paternal instinctMickaël Gouin, Jonathan Roberge and Olivier Niquet talk in turn about their role as fathers through tasty anecdotes in which many parents will recognize themselves. The Press brought them together to discuss the joys and challenges of fatherhood. Discussion.

“At first, you’ll see, you’re useless. “This sentence, the actor Mickaël Gouin heard it many times shortly before the birth of his son almost two years ago. “I said to myself: ‘It’s impossible that we’re absolutely useless'”, recalls the one we saw last summer in the film Vanishing lines with his spouse, Léane Labrèche-Dor. In fact, he has never been so “in the juice” as since he answers to the title of “dad” for a small human being.

“I think we are a new generation of fathers who want to be very involved in the whole process”, observes the comedian. But how to get involved when it is the mother who carries the baby, who gives birth, who breastfeeds? Mickaël Gouin would have liked to get from the men around him a better answer than “you are useless”.

“It’s okay to ask dad to get involved, but you have to know how,” adds Jonathan Roberge. When the comedian first became a father almost 14 years ago, he went to a bookstore. The only book on fatherhood he found didn’t talk about pregnancy or childbirth. Even less breastfeeding. Instead, he explained to fathers how to build a tree house… It’s very useful for a baby. “It’s not even jokes,” he assures, as laughter bursts around the table, especially when he specifies that he is “zero manual”.

Through the slices of life they tell in paternal instinctMickaël Gouin, Jonathan Roberge and Olivier Niquet lift the veil on the kind of questions, fears and joys experienced by fathers today, with a good dose of humor, self-mockery and without taboos .

In general, parents have a modesty that leads them not to talk about certain topics related to parenthood, believes Mickaël Gouin, who, in an episode, recounts with great transparency the misadventures his couple experienced due to a late milky rise. To give you an idea, it ends with a hug to a breast pump saleswoman.

“There aren’t many girls who will say, ‘I have mastitis.’ Or guys who will say: “My girlfriend is clogged. Her milk does not want to flow.” adds Jonathan Roberge.

Various themes

The themes covered in the five episodes are varied and aimed at parents of children of all ages (and even those without offspring, specifies Jonathan Roberge): breastfeeding, screen time, separation, sexuality after childbirth, cooking with children.

“All the subjects I have chosen are really questions that I ask myself,” says Olivier Niquet, father of two teenagers aged 12 and 15.

The one you can hear The day (is still young) on ICI Première considers that the role of father has greatly evolved in recent years. However, for some, “patterns of the past” persist, he laments. “I’m always surprised to see how tasks are shared among people I know and love,” he illustrates.

challenge and happiness

According to the trio, what is the biggest challenge for fathers today? “I think we are responsible for training the next generation of little boys who are attentive, sensitive, open and non-toxic,” replies Mickaël Gouin, thinking in particular (“but not exclusively”) of the #metoo movement.

The other two fathers, who each have two boys, also feel this “social responsibility”.

“But beyond that, I think my main objective is just for them to be happy,” adds Olivier Niquet.

Even if the word “responsibility” comes up a few times in the course of the discussion, we feel that all three are very happy in their role as fathers. “As much as it is hard at times, it is a great carnival. There is something light, funfestive in paternity”, sums up Mickaël Gouin.