Fatherhood is often described as a journey of joy, pride, and responsibility. For me, becoming a father has been all of those things, but also a sobering lesson in the realities faced by working‑class families.

The excitement of welcoming my child was quickly tempered by uncertainty, how would hospital fees and other anticipated costs be managed when my wife, three months pregnant at the time, was unjustly terminated from her managerial role under the guise of “performance issues” after disclosing her pregnancy to HR?

The newborn stage brought its own challenges. Promises of paternity leave never materialized, as my employer assumed that working from home meant I could seamlessly juggle professional duties with the demands of a new life.