Being a parent can be a pretty humbling experience. Being a dad who is raising a daughter can not only be humbling but it can also be a little frightening. Raising a son might have seemed like an easier task to you because you likely decided that you’d do all the same stuff your father did with you and hope for the best. Not quite the case here. Becoming a father of a little girl can be your greatest success if you just embrace all the crazy it has to offer.
The moment you became a dad to that little girl is the same moment when all the things that made you cool then became far from the things that make you cool now, especially in your daughter’s eyes. If you don’t know the words to a Taylor Swift song or can’t keep up with the latest hairstyles then she likely thinks you’re a bit of a loser. The hardest thing that dads seem to encounter when parenting a daughter is being able to relate to her. This is honestly a far easier task than you think. Just like having a son, your daughter just wants you to pay attention to her and love her, prove to her day-in and day-out that you are there for her no matter what it takes.
Don’t worry, we got you covered. Keep reading to pick up a few tips and tricks for helping dads raise daughters!
First and foremost,
Let’s just state the obvious, she is watching how you treat her mother. Whether her mother and you are together this is very important and probably the key thing to remember, showing your daughters mother love and respect can really show her how you make your marriage and love for one another a priority and this will resonate with her and she will always remember how kind you are to one another. This connects closely with the influence you have on her when it comes time for her to find a future partner, if she is shown love and respect from you she will ultimately want to marry someone like you – men who are frightened by the idea of this obviously aren’t treating the women in their life right!
Show your daughter love and kindness,
This can be something as simple as painting her nails, learning how to braid hair, taking her on a date to Demetres, teaching her a simple act of kindness – going through old clothes or toys to give away to someone who has less than she does. Having conversations with her about why you are doing these things will help teach her why it is important. Don’t be afraid to teach her about how the world works or even about love and relationships. You don’t have to dive into the sex topic but, talk to her, tell her how special she is and how she deserves to be treated, make sure you follow that up with the action as well. You gotta talk the talk and walk the walk!
Don’t be afraid to make memories with her,
Parents can put too much pressure on themselves when it comes to making memories with their children. Really though, all kids want is to have a positive experience with the ones they love. Take her on a hike, go to the park with her and teach her how to go across the monkey bars, blast her favourite music in the car and shamelessly sing all the words to Taylor Swift, pick her up and drop her off to her important events – don’t hesitate to stick around and watch those soccer games or dance recitals.
Don’t be afraid to admit when you are wrong,
Don’t be afraid to say sorry! Men (and women) often have a hard time admitting when they are wrong and avoid the whole “I’m sorry” conversation when in reality an apology is the perfect opportunity to learn and grow from a mistake. As parents, we are often found saying to our children “say you’re sorry” with no explanation for why the apology is necessary. This is hard for us because we never admit when we are wrong and rarely apologize to our children. The statement “I’m sorry, will you forgive me?” when picking them up late or missing their science fair holds a lot more value than an excuse, we can show them that we are also not perfect and apologizing is not a sign of weakness but a sign of ownership and responsibility.
When you think about it these tips aren’t anything new. If you are raising a child that you want to love and protect then you are likely already doing these things. If you are a dad that is raising a daughter say it loud and proud! Paint your fingernails, blast the kidz bop in the car, cheer her on like a crazy person at her games, talk about the things that matter, make her proud to call you her dad!
