I’m the lucky Dad of two beautiful, amazing, incredible daughters. It can be pretty scary to think about my girls being out in the world, being exposed to all the stuff out there that can hurt them. If I let them my fears about this can drive me crazy. It makes me want to say “NO!” to anything risky.
I am called as the Christian leader of my family to raise my children so that they know God and know how to function in the real world while not being consumed by it. To do that my daughters must know that I love them, I am proud of them, and I believe in them. I must equip them and empower them to think for themselves, especially in risky situations. This is a big task!
Dads, how are you doing in this realm? Do your daughters know you’re proud of them? Are you protecting them through equipping them or are you trying to protect them by stifling them? Or have you checked out, walked away, or given up? Are you tired of fighting your ex for time with them? Are you tired of being rejected by your angry daughter?
If you’re a Dad of a daughter who has withdrawn from your relationship because you failed in some fashion – don’t quit! She needs you. Whether she’s 4 or 44, she needs you. Don’t buy into the lie that “she’ll be fine” without you. That is simply not true.
Here’s what’s true, Dad – if you abandon your daughter, she is at a much higher risk of early sexual activity, teen pregnancy, depression, suicide, substance abuse, emotional problems, drug use, being involved in abusive relationships and more. What can combat this? It’s simple – show up. Don’t quit. Stay involved. If you don’t know how, that’s okay – check out this book . It’s a great read that helps Dads reconnect with their daughters.
Our society has done a pretty good job of portraying Dads as buffoons, immature losers, or abusive jerks. The truth is that most Dads are doing a pretty good job. We’re doing pretty well, but we can do better. Don’t let your daughters down, Dads. They desperately need you to stay in the fight!
Please consider checking out this great post by All Pro Dads about some things we need to protect our daughters from.
Now go out there and spend some time with your girls. Tell them you love them, you’re proud of them and that you believe in them!