6 Ways Dads can Bond with their Daughters

Fathers are central to the emotional well-being of their children; they are capable caretakers and disciplinarians.

From infancy, girls draw conclusions about what men are like from the men in their life. If there is a father (or a male in her life who takes a father role), that man becomes her guidepost for what to expect of men and what to expect of men’s attitude toward women. 

It makes sense to say then that dads should definitely be taking the time to build their relationships with their daughters. Here are some suggested activities to help them do so:

1. Enter her “world of play.”

It is important to bond and spend time with your little girl because it’s a once-in-a lifetime experience. You do not want to go back and regret the things you should have done when she was little, or when you were very much capable of looking out for her.

Make up storylines or have ‘story time’ before sleep, just talking about what happened during the day, or about Disney princesses.

Spending time with her is also a way of telling her that you love her and that she is very important especially to you.

2. Unleash her (and your!) creative side.

Do creative things like singing, dancing, drawing, painting etc.  Let her remember you as a good father, not just because you provided for all the material things she needed, but because you were able to give her all the love and time you could.

3. Be part of her daily routines.

Bond with her during her waking-up routines, review/study time, and cartoon hours on Saturdays. They grow up too fast, and before you know it, they won’t be so little anymore.

4. Don’t be afraid to try “non-girly” activities.

Contrary to what many people may think or say, activities that help build your relationship with your little girl need not be limited to all things pretty, pink, and “princess-y.” You can play computer games together, sort out work tools etc.

5. Read books together.

Research shows that “beginning kindergarten children who had been read to at least three times a week had a significantly greater phonemic awareness (phonics) than did children who were read to less often, and were almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading readiness.”

This is one of the reasons why dads -- and moms -- should read aloud to their kids.

6. Strengthen her faith.

Even if you don’t consider yourself “religious,” you might want to consider how to incorporate prayer into your bonding time with your child.

If we have the time, we pray together before bedtime. Indeed, helping your little girls (and even your little boys) grow in their faith is important.

There are definitely more than six ways dads can bond with their daughters. Hopefully, the activities suggested here will help more and more fathers strengthen the bond they share with their little girls.

Source: Smart Parenting

Photo Credit: Google Image