"I never want to lose connection with my son – no matter what."
The #believeinyourself story from Michael Tinhof
Michael Tinhof has been part of the Erste Group family for 31 years. He works in space management at OM Objektmanagement. His relationship with his son Leon has faced its fair share of challenges many times. But life shows that they are an inseparable team with a lot of #believeinyourself.
Michael, can you share some major #believeinyourself moments you’ve experienced as a father?
Two very decisive moments come to my mind. The first was when I had to tell my son Leon, who was 11 years old at the time, that his mum and dad were separating. I was very anxious about how he would take the news. Would he pick sides? Would he still talk to me afterwards? How could I best explain the situation? And did he really need to know all the details?
It was important for me to preserve my relationship with Leon and ensure that I remained a constant presence in his life – not just a figure he saw every other weekend.
What was your son’s reaction to the news?
He climbed into my lap, looked me in the eyes and said, “Dad, everything will be okay!” His response was a huge relief and made me very happy. He believed in me, in himself, in all of us, and in our family’s resilience. At just 11, he was a real support to me during this difficult time. And thanks to our arrangement, I was able to be there for him “fifty-fifty”.
And your second #believeinyourself moment?
That was during the Covid-19 pandemic. When Leon, now a teenager, realised we’d have to “live together” for a few weeks, he exclaimed in horror, “Dad, I’m getting a divorce!” Oh boy, I thought, these aren’t exactly the ideal conditions for living in close quarters, especially when you can’t just go and leave. How are we going to manage? Many relationships broke up during the pandemic, but I was determined not to let ours be one of them.
How did you and your son manage to get through the coronavirus period together?
We made the most of it and spent a lot of time engaging in typical father-son activities: we played FIFA on the PlayStation, watched action movies, cooked and talked a lot. Looking back, I wouldn’t want to have missed this intense time with my son for anything. It brought us even closer together!
As a father, what’s important to you and what advice do you have for other dads?
The most important thing to me is that the bond with my son never breaks. Because that’s the only way I can truly support him as he grows up.
He also holds up a mirror to my own self and has become an excellent sparring partner. Nobody else is as direct and honest with me as he is. Sure, we have our heated debates and we don’t always see eye to eye, but that’s all part of life. Learning to engage in healthy debate is essential, both in our personal and professional lives.
And I want my son to know that I’m always there for him, no matter what.
I am happy to be Leon’s father!
Happy Father’s Day!
Watch the full video of Michael and Leon on YouTube here: