Having a healthy father-daughter relationship is important because it will help her become a confident and kind person in the future. Maintaining that relationship will be beneficial to everyone in the end. Here are 5 things that dads should keep in mind that their daughters need.
Permission to be a child
At times, fathers may not know what a relationship with their daughter should look like. It is important to remember to let your daughter be your child and try to get to know who they are. Parents may tend to push typical parental caregiving responsibilities onto their daughters. Which will affect them by thinking they must care for their parents’ psychological needs for validation. Having conversations that daughters want to have instead is a way to build a strong relationship.
Positive affection
Without a father’s affection and validation, a daughter may feel neglected by their father and think of the relationship as cold and detached. Giving a hug and validating your daughter’s efforts and accomplishments will grow a stronger relationship. Daughters who receive these positive affections will help with their mental health and prevent depression, according to Daniel Flint, MA.
Shared physical activity
Whether it be a sport, reading or watching a television show, it is important for a father to find an interest to share with his daughter. In a study, daughters who participated in a training group with their fathers experienced larger increases in social-emotional competency, decision-making skills, social awareness, relationship skills, personal responsibility, and self-management skills. What is most important is the time spent with each other that strengthens that bond.
Closeness and reliability
All a daughter really needs is to know that she can rely on and continue to have a close relationship with her father. Those elements in a father-daughter relationship will help maintain an open path for communication and healthy habits. According to Nancy Matsumoto, researchers found that girls who felt close to their fathers were less likely to have food and weight problems.
Communication
The most important part of any relationship is communication. Fathers having conversations with their daughters will benefit the father-daughter relationship in many ways. With communication, a father can know exactly what their daughters need. It creates a deeper bond on similar interests shared. It also maintains that closeness and validation that daughters need.
