Bringing up daughters is a unique journey for a father. There is no doubt there's a special bond. Parenting is a joint venture, but with fathers just as active participants as mothers, the outcomes will be very beneficial to their daughters.
Being a father can be a rewarding job, and it comes with tremendous responsibility. Fathers can be actively involved in their daughter's life. We have some tips to help make this relationship a strong one.
Tips to strengthen bonds
Demonstrate your love. Hugs, a smile, and three little words "I love you" are tangible ways of communicating love. She learns to reciprocate that love. This is her first male-female relationship with her dad, and will influence her behavior in the future.
Show respect and care to her mother. A good and loving relationship between parents is the foundation for her development into a happy, well balanced child. Even in a divorce situation. This mutual respect will be very influential to your daughter.
Show her encouragement. A good father will show interest in his daughter's activities and passions. He will encourage her to feel good about her abilities and achievements. A father should be his daughter's biggest cheerleader.
Hang out together! Doing things together like reading, walking/hiking, playing games is time well spent. He will also learn to see things through her eyes as she walks him through her interests. Time is a very precious gift. Try a new hobby together.
Communication is key. Listening and paying attention to what your daughter has to say is incredibly powerful, it shows love. Engage with an open heart and ear, listen first, then comment. Older daughters will most likely open up on a longer car ride, right before bedtime or over dinner. Offer up solutions, not blame. Give her an open and safe place to voice her opinions and teach her the value of her voice, and offer advice.
Respect one another. As your daughter grows, her privacy and her space are sacred ground. Respect that.
Honesty is the best policy. Always answer her questions to the absolute best of your ability. At times, parents have to make judgment calls on more mature topics. Trust comes from action. Show her what it is like to be a honest and trusted person. She will test this growing up, but be consistent and 'walk the walk' so to speak.
Discipline with love. This is very important. There must be rules in your home and expectations of behavior. Fathers need to show that rules should be constant, fair and done with love. The task of parenting is overwhelming. It is exciting to see men who take family responsibility seriously, and are caring and compassionate. The way a father speaks, the words he uses, the tone of his voice can be encouraging or discouraging.
Ideas for Spending Time with Your Daughter
- Take a hike or walk the neighborhood.
- Go to the movies.
- Go to the theater or concert.
- Cook and Bake together.
- Ice Skating/Skiing/Sledding.
- Swimming/Boogie Boarding/Surfing.
- Try and new restaurant.
- Take a bike ride.
- Reading and library visit.
- Amusement parks, zoos, aquariums, museum visits.
- Tourist in you own town. Take in the local fun.
- Shopping is always going to be a hit.
- Make art together. Attend a pottery painting place and make each other something.
