DANCEHALL MUSIC is replete with songs about guns, girls, and gallivanting. Deejays boast about drop top BMWs and Benzes, beach mansions, tons of women to share these assets with and guns galore to defend it all if needs be. Judging by the lyrics, the male dancehall deejay is a hardened man who is always on top of things. Also, by the deejay's profile, they seem to be handling things well, are always in control, never able to make mistakes and are able to fill any role life thrusts at them. One role, however, which seems to give many the knockout punch in one way or another is being a good father. Proper fatherhood is not the average nine to five job. It takes time, care, patience, money and good values. These are not bought in a store and are not learnt overnight. Despite their 'superstar' status, when it comes to fatherhood dancehall's frontline men have the same fears, concerns, joys and pains as other men. INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE Wayne Wonder is one example. His international schedule causes him to be on the road for most nights during the week, tearing him away from his 13-year-old daughter Tyanna. For him, the most challenging thing about fatherhood is not being physically present at home to share all of her growing up experiences. "My biggest challenge is to spend quality time with my family. That to me is the hardest thing," he says. He has peace of mind however, in knowing that the bulk of the task of raising her has already been done and she is old enough to understand why he does what he does. "They know that I do what I love so they accept it and they support me. To make it up when I get home I try to spend as much time with my daughter as possible. Sometimes I drive to her school or go to pick her up just so we can spend time together," he said. Buju Banton feels the same time pressure, but has some additional ones. Apart from limited time, one of his main challenges is growing up his children outside of the tremendous hype that surrounds him. To say the least, Buju is tight-lipped when it comes to his children. He does not state how many; neither does he say where in the world they are. During the Appleton Hotshots stage show held late last year, Buju brought one of his sons, 'Jah Wise', on stage with him. That was one rare occasion that the public actually got to see what one of his children looks like. This protection, Buju argues, is necessary. In February of this year, he told The Sunday Gleaner that he deliberately keeps his children out of the limelight. "You watch them bawn, yuh watch dem grow. Yuh watch dem mek dem first little steps and make dem first little statement and you realise seh you are the ultimate of their surroundings." he said. "Ultimately they will eventually become a product of their environment." NO LAUGHING MATTER Captain Barkey may be known for his comedic utterances, but according to him raising five children is no laughing matter. As a father, he takes great pains to meet their several needs. "It is not easy," he states. "You have to deal properly with the kids, 'cause they are the ones we are working for. Everything I do is for their benefit, 'cause I don't live for myself anymore." Added to this, he says, as a deejay the society judges him more harshly at parenting than they would regular dads. "You have to always be trying to make them happy and make them have everything, 'cause people are watching them differently than regular children. They pay more attention to them so you have to keep them satisfied," Barkey says. His biggest worry is when they are outside of the home and he is not sure how they are doing. Believe it or not, he says, he worries about them. Thankfully, although their demands are many and he is challenged to keep up with them, he has a family support system which eases his burden. "Give thanks I have a lot of help. My own mother helps out sometimes, along with other relatives." Happy Father's day to all the real dads. SOURCE: JAMAICA-GLEANER.COM