Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Five Ways On How Dads Can Help Their Daughters

I recognize that a lot of women have experienced a lack of input into their lives from their Dads growing up, and I have been asked by several men how can they help to ensure that their daughters grow up to avoid having those same issues. The responsive list to that question is endless, but the five suggestions below would be a good start.

1. Constantly tell her she is beautiful. Society’s image of beauty changes so rapidly and drastically that one can easily get caught up and begin to question their beauty. A lot of young girls crave this compliment so much that they are willing to do almost anything to hear it. If you constantly tell your daughter that she’s beautiful, she will be so accustomed to hearing it, that any half-hearted compliment from some other man will be a non-factor. 

2. Constantly tell her that she is valuable. Let your daughter know that she there is more to her than just her looks or her body.  Explain to her that her value comes from being kind and sweet.  Explain to your daughter that because of her value, she should never accept any man, who does not show her that he sees and appreciates her value. Make sure that she understands that her very presence is valuable, so that she should not even interact with anyone who cannot see her value. Tell her that like any other valuable item, if one wants to have it, one must work very hard and prove that they deserve it! 

3. Date her. Take her out to various places and give her examples of how she should be treated. When you arrive at the house to pick her up, walk up to the door and wait for her to come out, then walk her to the vehicle. Make sure to open her door for her and pull out her chair. Show her how a gentleman should act. Constantly tell her that if he is not a gentleman, he doesn’t deserve her because she is a lady. Compliment her on the date, and ask her questions that allow her to share her thoughts. Explain to her that her thoughts and feelings are important and should not be dismissed. Get her accustomed to how she should be treated and she will not accept anything less.
4. Always be honest with her. When you are not able to do something, tell her. Do not promise something that you know you will not be able to deliver. If something happens that prevents you from delivering on a promise, let her know that something happened and sincerely apologize for disappointing her. If she asks you questions, always be honest. If the answer is not one that is appropriate for you to share with her, tell her that it would not be appropriate to answer that question, but do not lie to her. With this interaction, you are teaching her the value of being reliable and accountable to someone you care about. This will help her in the future to have little tolerance for men who cannot admit their errors or who are dishonest. 

5. Share anecdotes with her. Share with your daughter age-appropriate scenarios that will illustrate how women should act and why. Let her know what you value in a woman (do not mention her mother, unless it is in a good light). Let her know what traits women have that are important to you and why. Also, talk to her about the character traits that you do not like in women and explain to her why those are not attractive to you. Little girls look up to their Daddies, and as they should, she will remember what you say and apply it to her own life.

Being Daddy carries a huge responsibility. You are her template for the type of man she will want to be with when she gets older. You have the opportunity to guide your daughter to be happy and healthy in her life and in her relationships. Take care to nurture your relationship with her and always let her know that she can come to you with anything. Protect her from the dragons, and let her feel that she is unconditionally loved at all times. This type of investment into her life will help her to develop into a strong and secure woman who will always be “Daddy’s Little Girl”.

facebook.com/relationshiplessons
twitter.com/DelvinRestored

No comments: