Dating Your Daughter

Father’s Day is June 21 — a perfect day to celebrate dear old dad and do all of the things he likes to do. My husband Matt is all about having good food and doing something fun, preferably outside, with the entire family.

Family time is important to Matt, and with two teenage daughters this can be a little bit of a challenge. Things we used to do together like going to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo or taking walks at Pioneer’s Park to see ducks on the lake don’t have the same appeal to 15-year-olds as they do for six-year-olds.

Teenagers are searching for some independence, which is a good thing as we don’t want them to live at home forever. But they still need direction from parents, whether they want it or not.

Teen girls especially need to know that they are loved and cherished by their fathers and worth spending time with. If a teen girl doesn’t receive this affirmation from her father — the most important man in her life — then she may try to find it from someone else. Experts say that this father-daughter relationship is important and can play a role in a young lady’s future relationship with a husband.

Get to Know Your Daughter Even More

One of the best ways Matt (and other dads I know) fosters a strong and open relationship with their daughters is taking them out one-on-one on a regular basis and simply spending time together.

For one of our girls, these dates include getting a piece of pie at Village Inn. They are on a quest to try every flavor. The other one likes hanging out at a coffee shop and maybe doing a little shopping. Other ideas are going out for breakfast, getting ice cream, having a picnic, playing a sport, or going to a movie, sporting event or concert. Matt tailors his father-daughter time to what each girl enjoys doing.

This time is valuable because it gives each girl their dad’s undivided attention and it opens the door to talk about anything on their minds. It also helps him get to know each of them better.

From a dad’s standpoint, this provides an invaluable opportunity to show the girls how a man should treat a woman — especially when out together. He opens doors for them, treats them with complete respect and shows his interest in getting to know them as a person. I even know of a dad who actually comes to the door to pick up his daughter when they have a “date” scheduled. Love. That.

Don’t Wait to Date Your Daughter

You don’t have to wait until your daughter is a teenager to start this practice; do it with your younger girls, too. I remember a few years back when my husband’s “date afternoon” with one of our girls always included going to the pet store and looking at the hamsters and puppies.

We only have a limited time to influence our children while they are under our roof, and when they become teens this time seems to accelerate into turbo mode. Make the most of it, dads — the best gift you can receive on Father’s Day is a “date” with your daughter!