Father-Daughter Relationship – H&S Education & Parenting
Father-Daughter Relationship & Its Importance
Having a strong male influence is not only important in a son’s life, it is equally important in a daughter’s life. A father-daughter relationship can play a key role in the psychological development, in fact, research has shown benefits for girls who have strong bonds with their dads. A girl with a father present in her life, develops into a strong, confident woman, having a clear understanding of what she wants in life. A dad who has a strong influence on his girl’s life, has a positive impact on shaping her self-image, self-esteem, confidence as well opinions of men.
Benefits Of Positive Father-Daughter Bonding:
Research has shown that girls who have a secure and loving relationship with their dads, are:
- More Assertive
- More Likely To Pursue Higher Education
- More Confident In Relationships With Others Such As A Friend Or A Partner
- Better Achievers In Life, Be It School, College, Career
- Confident About Themselves
5 Ways To Build & Grow Your Father-Daughter Relationship:
1. Be Invested – Be actively interested and involved in your girl’s life from the day she is born. Do the little things from changing nappies, bathing her to cuddling her. As she grows, take an interest in the things that excite her. Be her inspiration. Support her, for example, by being present at her school activities. Involve yourself in the little things so that your girl knows how much she matters to you!
2. Be Her Confidante – Be a good listener, as communication is key to a good relationship. Be present & give your girl the attention she needs, allowing her to confide in you. Pay keen attention to what she says and try and understand her without making any judgements. Understand her dreams, goals, what she loves, what she fears. You want to allow your girl to feel secure, and have a safe space to share, without any reservations. She wants to be able to trust in you, so don’t break her trust. If she shares something with you in confidence, respect her privacy.
3. Love Her Unconditionally – Your girl needs to know that you love her no matter what, even when she falters, or when she isn’t feeling her best. If she errs and has made a bad choice, don’t lecture or ridicule her. Teach her and help her grow from her mistakes. Transform a failure into a learning opportunity, so she can learn something from it. Discipline with love, not anger. You may be disappointed by her actions, but assure her that you love her no matter what!
4. Validate Her – Let your girl know she is perfect! Girls tend to get a misconception about body image, because of all the garbage circulating in the media. Help her have and keep a healthy mind and body, by making good choices when it comes to diet, sleep, exercise. Teach your girl, that in order to be attractive, she must first believe she is attractive, and have a healthy image of her own self. Teach her attractiveness comes from within. Being kind is attractive, being polite is attractive, being empathic and compassionate is attractive as is being strong, confident and determined. Teach her to focus on the attractive qualities in life rather than on shallow ideas. If she has done a kind act, praise her, if she has faced a fear and come out courageously, praise her. Let her know that you believe in her and value her unique qualities.
5. Treat Her Mother Well – Be the kind of partner your girl will want to find someday! Treat her mother well, love her and show her kindness & respect, so that your girl can grow up to seek out a positive and loving connection with her partner. By being a good partner, you will teach your girl that she should seek a partner who treats her the way she deserves to be treated!
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