The influence a father has on his daughter cannot be understated. The presence of a good and loving father has been shown to be a primary indicator of lifelong health and happiness for children, especially daughters.
A father must be intentional about influencing his daughter. Dr. James Dobson has laid out seven ways for fathers to carry out this God-given assignment:
- Model the strength of authority with love and compassion in the home. While discipline is important for children, harsh discipline tends to weather the sensitive feminine spirit, while lack of discipline and structure from fathers can foster lifelong distrust for men.
- Spend quality time together. Dr. Dobson believes it is good to begin "dating" a daughter when she is young. These times together are not intended simply for fun, although that is important. The father can use this time to show his daughter how a man treats a woman with respect. Later, when she is a teenager, she will know what to expect, or insist on, from the boys she dates.
- A dad should always look for ways to build his daughter's self-confidence. From a young age, a daughter will be inclined to see herself the way that she thinks her father perceives her: beautiful, smart, kind, etc. A father holds an important key to his daughter's self-acceptance.
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Model respect, especially for your wife. A dad must remember that he is being watched closely by his daughter. The way he treats her mother will teach her volumes about how men and women should relate to one another. Blatant disrespect toward his wife will never be missed by the child.
- A father should keep the lines of communication open throughout childhood. This allows him to be seen as someone to whom his daughter can turn when she needs advice.
- God designed men to be the "providers and protectors" of their families. This promotes a special father-daughter relationship that can last a lifetime.
- A father must be the spiritual leader of his family. He needs to make his devotion to Jesus Christ and to the principles in Scripture clear. He should give the highest priority to bringing up his daughters, and his sons, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.