Young girls need positive male role models in their lives. When a father shows a genuine interest in his daughter and treats her with respect, he sends the message that all men should treat her in a similar manner. And they should.

Dads want the best for their little girls and connecting with daughters is an opportunity to give the best parts of themselves. Whether you know someone who needs help building his dad/daughter relationship or reconnecting with his teen, here are some tips for dads.

Get Involved
Do you come home after work and immediately turn on the TV or flip on your iPad? Perhaps you don’t get home until after your kids are in bed. Whatever the case, reevaluate your priorities. By getting involved with at least one aspect of your daughter’s life, you will see a change in how connected the two of you are. Coach her soccer team. Have dinner with the family a few times a week. Get to know the dads in her social circle. Making time to get involved is a great first step.

Respect Her Mother
The way you treat your daughter’s mother (and your own mother) will speak volumes to your little girl about how men treat women and what she should expect in the future. A good rule of thumb is to always treat your wife the way you want your daughter’s future husband to treat her. You may not realize it, but she is watching you for cues on how to behave with men.

Spend One-on-One Time Together
Daddy/daughter dates are one of the best things you can do to connect with your daughter. Plan ahead, but be sure to include her in the process. If you make this special time a weekly or monthly occurrence, you will fall into a rhythm that makes you more relatable and easier to talk to. Your daughter will likely start confiding in you and letting you into her world.

Hug Her
No matter how old your daughter gets, never stop showing her affection. Hugs may not seem welcome when your teen is giving you the cold shoulder, but studies show that the teenage years are the most formative time for a young girl’s self-esteem. She needs those hugs.

Tune in to the Details
Girls have a lot going on in their lives and parents are sometimes clueless to the details. Do you know who her close friends are? What books she is reading? What TV shows and celebrities she is interested in? Tuning in to a little of your daughter’s life will make her feel like an important part of your world.

Follow Up
If your daughter talks to you about a problem, check in with her about it again later. Nothing says “I care” more than interested follow up on previous discussions. Follow up lets her know that you were listening to her and will make her more likely to confide in you in the future.

Whether your daughter is young and you are working to lay a foundation for the future or she is a teenager (or older) and you want to repair a distant relationship, connect with her today and you will both enjoy the benefits of a strong relationship for years to come.



Beth N. Davis is a freelance writer. She and her husband are raising four children (including three daughters).

Plan a date with your darling daughter! Read Great Dates for Dads and Daughters for ideas.


Published June 2016



The Super Dentists' Mommy & Me Wellness Series

The Super Dentists' Mommy & Me Wellness Series

  As the spring season blooms, parents in the San Diego area are in for a treat with the launch of The Super Dentists' eagerly anticipated "Mommy & Me" Wellness Series.  Set to kick . . .

Read more

9 Ways to Encourage Peace Between Siblings

9 Ways to Encourage Peace Between Siblings

  Anyone with multiple children (or their own siblings) knows that sibling squabbles are a normal part of childhood. Even so, any type of ongoing or escalated family conflict wears parents down. . . .

Read more

Setting Healthy Boundaries with Gift-Giving Relatives

Setting Healthy Boundaries with Gift-Giving Relatives

It's a common problem. On one side are well-meaning relatives—grandparents, aunties and uncles—who want to shower the kids with gifts. On the other side are parents trying to raise children who . . .

Read more

Parenting with Purpose: Simplify Life and Help Your Family Thrive

Parenting with Purpose: Simplify Life and Help Your Family Thrive

This year, consider applying the springtime ritual of cleaning and getting things in order to all areas of your family’s life. Don’t just scrub corners and clear out closets—evaluate how too m . . .

Read more

Not a Perfect Parent? Not a Problem. How to Raise Emotionally Healthy Kids

Not a Perfect Parent? Not a Problem. How to Raise Emotionally Healthy Kids

  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to parent with confidence that our mistakes and imperfections won’t harm our kids? That despite our flaws, they will grow up emotionally healthy and well-balanced? . . .

Read more

Early Childhood Red Flags

Early Childhood Red Flags

Are you getting a sense that your child may be "different" from other children? Here are early childhood red flags that need attention.  “Einstein didn’t speak until he was 4 years old” . . .

Read more

The Key to Strengthening Family Bonds

The Key to Strengthening Family Bonds

  A family of four recently caught my eye at the beach. Lying side by side on a blanket under a cloudless sky, with sand toys and a picnic basket carefully laid out, this family had the makings . . .

Read more

Teaching Kids to Care: The unexpected power of essential life skills

Teaching Kids to Care: The unexpected power of essential life skills

  This is part one of a two-part series. Read part two in our November issue to learn how teaching kids to care for themselves and family naturally extends to caring for community.   It's . . .

Read more

Why and How to Delay Giving Kids a Phone

Why and How to Delay Giving Kids a Phone

When I set out to write this article, I was hoping to provide an antidote to the alarming stories I’d read about kids and smartphones. However, the research really does paint a clear picture. Stud . . .

Read more

Parenting with Purpose: Solving the Mystery of Afternoon Meltdowns

Parenting with Purpose: Solving the Mystery of Afternoon Meltdowns

Ever wonder why kids seem to unleash their negative emotions as soon as they come home from school or daycare? A local dad (who wishes to remain anonymous) describes what many parents experience: . . .

Read more

Parenting with Purpose: Healthy Risk-Taking Helps Kids Thrive

Parenting with Purpose: Healthy Risk-Taking Helps Kids Thrive

It's a fact of life for every parent. Part of our job is to reduce risk and ensure the safety of the tiny humans placed in our care. After all, risks seem scary, right? Even the dictionary equates r . . .

Read more

How and Why to Develop  Growth Mindset in Kids

How and Why to Develop Growth Mindset in Kids

Is intelligence something you’re born with or something that develops? Is failure an opportunity to learn and grow, or something that impedes success? How a parent answers these questions greatly . . .

Read more

How to Make a Family Technology Contract

How to Make a Family Technology Contract

We raise our kids to be polite and respectful in person so why wouldn't we stress those same values in the online environment? A digital citizenship contract will help spell out your expectations of . . .

Read more

Turn Words Into Action: Create a Family Action Plan for Change

Turn Words Into Action: Create a Family Action Plan for Change

For families who want to be part of the change to end racial inequality, there's never been a better time to create a family action plan. A thoughtful plan, built around empathy and compassion, equi . . .

Read more

Give Your Family the Gift of Laughter

Give Your Family the Gift of Laughter

I was born on April 1, so I know a thing or two about humor. April Fools’ Day jokes and gifts make celebrating my birthday an adventure in laughter. I once received a large box of dirt topped with . . .

Read more

Parenting with Purpose: Raising Resilient Kids

Parenting with Purpose: Raising Resilient Kids

Teaching children how to do difficult things comes with parenting. We coach and encourage kids through frustration, tears and bursts of anger as they learn to tie shoes, write their names and ride a . . .

Read more

Be Family Informed – Sign up for our Newsletters below!

Subscribe