Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.

Raising daughters is a bit different than raising sons. Here are some tips for fathers.

Dads have to do more than work a nine-to-five to provide for their kids. Especially if you have a daughter, it’s important to be present and to have a good relationship with your her to set a good example for her future relationships and her sense of self.

Your Example Matters

Dads, your daughter’s relationship with you is the first picture she’ll have of what a future relationship will look like. It will in some ways define her expectations and desires for a relationship. If you are cold and distant, there’s a good chance she’ll seek romantic relationships with cold, distant men. If you’re not affirming and encouraging, she will crave affirmation – and not necessarily from good places or people. If you’re loving and affirming, she’ll feel confident and safe with men and will seek out these kinds of men in the future.

Invest in Your Daughter

Dads should take their daughters on dates. This will communicate to your daughter that she is valuable to you. She has a special time with you that belongs only to you and her. This is not something she’ll forget as she grows. Don’t wait until your daughter is a teenager before you begin investing in her. Even from a young age, it’s important to be present and to be personal.

People like to talk about themselves. Take time to engage with your daughter to find out what she cares about. Give your energy and attention. Listen and learn.

Fathering sons and fathering daughters is not the same thing! Most fathers find it easier to relate to their sons, and daughters can be challenging to raise in today’s world. It’s important to get to know them and to show them attention, affection, and care. They need to see that you care for them and are invested in their emotional life.

Don’t wait. Start this week to make your daughter a priority if you haven’t yet. It’s never too soon to start investing and helping your daughter become a functional, amazing woman.

Article for this topic by Daniel Martin.
Read more
Read less

Key Points:

  • Your example matters. Dads, your daughter’s relationship with you is the first picture she’ll have of what a future relationship will look like.
  • Invest in your daughter. Dads should take their daughters on dates. This will communicate to your daughter that she is valuable to you.

Quote This:

There are many tough conversations, but one of the most difficult is between a parent and an adolescent daughter, partly because as a parent we are almost always attempting to relate to someone who is no longer there. -David Whyte

Talk About It
  1. What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Would you describe yourself as an affirming, encouraging father to your daughter/daughters? What are some examples of how you are affirming and encouraging?
  3. Were your parents affirming and encouraging to you? Explain.
  4. Have you seen in your wife or in other grown women how their relationships with their fathers have shaped them? Give one positive example and one negative example of this.
  5. What sort of “date” would your daughters enjoy going on with you? Why would they enjoy this?
  6. What questions can you ask your daughters to get them thinking and talking about their futures? Why are these questions uniquely relevant for your daughter/daughters?
  7. Will you commit to investing in your daughter this week? Why or why not?
  8. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.