The impact of the father in the life of his children is decisive, and this is even more the case when it comes to a girl. Dad is the first image that a little girl is made of men because to dream of Prince Charming you must first have a king to identify. Thus, a healthy and harmonious relationship between a dad and his daughter will shape the woman she will become. The influence, the exemplarity and the love that will bring to him will be factors capital to the construction of the strong, confident and independent adult that it will be later.
An important presence during childhood
It is undeniable that a father is the first love of his daughter, and it is through him that she learns to discover men. In this sense, a girl who grows up with a loving, protective and loving dad will not look to fill a gap in adulthood. Moreover, it is his whole vision of men that a child models through the image of his father, "what matters in the father-daughter relationship is that the father seeks to lead an honest life, integrates, accepting its flaws in order to return a rational and positive image of how to interact with oneself and with others. Explains Michael Austin, associate professor of philosophy at Eestern Kentucky University and editor of Fatherhood.
Today, the paternity model has evolved, manners have changed, and dad has become an equal partner in education. From birth, dads are encouraged to participate in caring for babies, changing diapers, bathing, lulling the baby and calming his tears. Fortunately, the image of the mother who wakes up alone, exhausted several times a night tends to disappear, and this presence of dad marks the beginning of a very important relationship with the child.
An indispensable presence for the development of the child
Austin says investing in and caring for your child is crucial at every stage of your life. Participating in one's development, playing, communicating and sharing are essential to one's development, especially when it comes to the role played by a dad with his daughter: "Dads must spend time with their daughters when they are young, caring for them and supporting their mother ... "
Nevertheless, early childhood is relatively a nice step to pass, the relationship is simple, made of love, laughter, trust and complicity. The child is still totally dependent on his parents, and a little girl still thinks that her dad is a superhero. It is during adolescence that the gap widens, these "hormonal" years are difficult to manage. Dad, in front of the misunderstanding of this girl who changes and becomes casual can quickly give up. A mistake after Austin, because it is important not to break the link to this critical period, and conversely, to go to the child, support and try to understand it: "Dads should focus on the child. establishing a relationship of trust so that their daughters feel safe and interested in what is happening in their lives (...) When necessary, fathers should apologize and ask for forgiveness, as this is evidence of respect and love for the child and ultimately heals inevitable wounds. "
The participation of a father in the life of his daughter is obviously an essential element in the development of his self-esteem. Some behaviors are to assimilate: verbal encouragement, constant presence in the child's life, vigilance and sensitivity to his feelings, listening to his thoughts ... because the commitment and interest that a father will bring to his daughter will contribute to reduce the feeling of insecurity and make him aware of his qualities and abilities. Because the father / daughter relationship is unique and extraordinary, but we must not forget that she must also talk, like any other relationship!
