Jaakko Mustakallio wants to teach their child empathy and caring about the Earth

Night wakings, burps, full diapers. During the summer, Deputy Mayor Jaakko Mustakallio’s everyday life has been introduced with completely new elements. The first child of the family was born after Midsummer.

– It feels really lovely being a father. It’s great to be able to wonder about a little new life, to cuddle, feed, hold the baby close and gradually get to know them.

Having a baby was not easy for Mustakallio and their spouse, MP Alviina Alametsä. Mustakallio in particular had dreamed of becoming a father for a long time, but five years ago he was diagnosed with infertility. The daughter Melodia, born in June, was born with sperm donation.

– She is a really wanted child. It was wonderful to finally get to this stage.

When the child grows up, Mustakallio tries to keep in mind the classic words "your children are not yours". Whatever you try to teach your children, values, attitudes, preferences, some may stick, some may not.

– The things I would like to teach most are empathy and caring about others and the planet.

Living next to a nature reserve

The family's life is divided between two cities. Before their maternity leave, Alametsä lived in Helsinki during weekdays and the weekends in Tampere. After the baby was born, the three have settled in Tampere. Next spring, Mustakallio will take a longer paternity leave, and the family will mainly live in their home in Helsinki.

In Tampere, their home is in Hervanta. Mustakallio laughs that a real nesting phase is under way: the single-family house was completed less than six months before the child was born.

– As builders, we were actively involved in the project. I practically ran the whole thing. Some stages, such as floors, fixed furniture and a terrace, we made by ourselves with the help of friends and family. The working bee spirit was strong.

After building the house, Mustakallio feels they are richer in terms of experiences.

– In my life, I have the principle that I want to collect many kinds of experiences. Someone might say that enough is enough, and at times, I think so too. But my curiosity is so strong. I became fascinated with building a house when I watched friends build their houses.

As deputy mayor, Mustakallio’s area of responsibility includes the city’s housing, real estate and land policy. After building their own house, Mustakallio knows a thing or two about construction.

At home, Mustakallio’s favourite place is the living room. Its large windows overlook the Hervantajärvi hiking area. They got lucky at the city’s land lottery in 2021, as the adjacent Makkarajärvi-Viitastenperä Nature Reserve was established at Mustakallio’s initiative.

The child teaches the boundaries between work and leisure time

Mustakallio was born in Tampere and spent their childhood in Olkahinen. Mustakallio has lived in Helsinki for longer periods, because of summer jobs and later because of their spouse.

Mustakallio has also spent seven months in Malaysia in student exchange, and almost a year in Mexico with an ex-partner. They became familiar with differences in societal systems, as well as with the Mexican kitchen.

– Mexican food is my favourite, and I am pretty good at preparing it myself.