Hayden Kho: "The greatest gift a parent can give a child is time"

He may be a first-time dad, but Hayden Kho is proving that being a good father need not come solely from experience. Rather, it comes from wanting to learn.

For new daddy Hayden Kho, nothing beats spending time with his adorable daughter, Scarlet Snow. Kho, who just got back from a week-long trip abroad, couldn’t wait to see Scarlet Snow the minute he got home.

In fact, Kho thinks spending time with one’s children is crucial in making them feel loved. Scarlet, he said, equates time with love.

“I think the greatest gift you can give your child is really your time,” Kho said in a photo he posted on Instagram. In it, Kho can be seen cuddling and playing with Scarlet.

“In baby @scarletsnowbelo‘s equation, Time = Love,” he went on.

Finally home from a weeklong trip. Bonding time with my @scarletsnowbelo to make up for the time I spent away. I think the greatest gift you can give your child is really your time. In baby @scarletsnowbelo’s equation, Time = Love.
A photo posted by Hayden Kho, jr, M.D. (@dochayden) on Jun 20, 2016 at 8:37pm PDT

Click next for more parenting thoughts from Daddy Hayden Kho

Be there to love and protect

But aside from time, Kho also assured his little angel that he will always be there for her to love and protect her. On Father’s Day, Kho shared a sweet message for his only child.

“I love you with all my heart and will always be by your side to love and protect you,” Kho vowed.

“You can run to me anytime- never ever forget that, my @scarletsnowbelo,” he also said.

My precious little lovebug, you light up our lives with your giggles and smiles. Your happy and funny little personality shines through every day. I love you with all my heart and will always be by your side to love and protect you. You can run to me anytime- never ever forget that, my @scarletsnowbelo. Thank you for showing me true happiness. I am very blessed. #FathersDay
A photo posted by Hayden Kho, jr, M.D. (@dochayden) on Jun 19, 2016 at 12:07am PDT

Scarlet has been the apple of daddy’s eye ever since she was born. For Kho, her presence lights up each day, showing him what true happiness is.

“My precious little lovebug, you light up our lives with your giggles and smiles. Your happy and funny little personality shines through every day,” the doting father said.

“Thank you for showing me true happiness. I am very blessed” Kho ended the sweet note.

Read on to find out where Kho gets all his insights on fatherhood

Reading up on fatherhood and emulating good fathers

Kho owes much of his insightful thoughts on fatherhood to his “how to be a father” reading list.

A pragmatic man, Kho does not want to assume that he knows everything about fatherhood and raising a child, realizing that so much is at stake. And so he is not afraid to “welcome ideas of other good and godly men”.

In fact, reading up on fatherhood has become one of Kho’s favorite activities judging by this photo shared by Vicki Belo, Kho’s partner and mother of Scarlet Snow:

I love the way simple things make us happy . It’s @dochayden birthday but his exciting happening today is to read a book called “be a better dad today. “
A photo posted by Vicki Belo, M.D. (@victoria_belo) on May 20, 2016 at 3:23am PDT

Scarlet is only 15 months old, but Kho has been busy lapping up information based on his impressive stack of “how to be a father” books.

But out of all of his books, Kho said the Bible is his greatest tool.

“Of these resources the most important is the Bible. The Bible reveals who God is; The more I know God, the more I learn what a father should be like,” he shared.

My “how to be a father” reading list. I don’t want to assume I already know how to raise a child. There’s too much at stake so I welcome ideas of other good and godly men. Of these resources the most important is the Bible. The Bible reveals who God is; The more I know God, the more I learn what a father should be like. Scripture says God’s power “has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). That’s why I desire to know Him, so that I can receive and pass on to @scarletsnowbelo things that she’d need to live a meaningful life.
A photo posted by Hayden Kho, jr, M.D. (@dochayden) on Jun 21, 2016 at 7:19am PDT

Kho also reveals that he learned from the best – his own dad, someone who taught him to love family selflessly.

On Father’s Day, Kho spoke of his father’s sacrifices for his family.

“Dad, I’ll always tell @scarletsnowbelo that YOU are the one who showed me how to love family selflessly. Thank you for all the encouragement, hard work, and sacrifices you made for us through the years,” Kho said.

Read: Scarlet Snow’s ‘tiger look’ & other tricks with daddy Hayden Kho

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Written by

Donna Demetillo-Mendoza

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