Understanding the Importance of Father-Daughter Relationships (Part 2)

By Contel Bradford

Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series on father-daughter relationships. Click here to read Part 1.

Whether you are raising her in a two-parent, or single-parent home, as a father you have the power to shape the woman your daughter will become.

In this article, I will explain the importance of building the father-daughter relationship through each vital stage of her life.

 

Being There For Your Little Woman 

Your precious baby girl made it through childhood, conquered high school and is now a full grown woman living on her own. There to guide her through every crucial moment, you did your part and played a key role in molding her into the woman she has become today.

So, I pose the question: Is building on the father-daughter relationship still important? Absolutely.

Things may have changed, but I would argue that working on that relationship is even more important at this stage, especially when considering that you’re getting older and the fact that tomorrow is promised to no one.

I’ve learned a lot from my dad throughout the years. He taught me how to be a man, made me understand that a real man never lays his hands on a woman, and showed me that even when the chips are down, there is always a way to come out on top.

He also taught me what not to do as a father. From the moment she was born, my father and sister were inseparable.

Even though my parents divorced and separated when my sister was very young, that didn’t stop my father from building a solid bond with her. The separation from my mother seemed to make him work harder at it.

Unfortunately, their relationship deteriorated as time went on. Now that my sister is an adult, it is currently fragile at best.

My father had a stroke in 2006, a time when he and my sister were barely on speaking terms. Following the incident, they cried together, made up and promised to work on their relationship. He made a full recovery and their relationship quickly went back into the toilet.

In 2009, my father suffered a heart attack. This incident brought he and my sister closer, again causing them to make a promise to work on their relationship. My father made another full recovery and to no surprise, he and my sister are no longer speaking to each other.

I fear that the next time we won’t be so lucky and both of them will have regretted not taking advantage of the time they missed, time that could have been used to try to figure out what went wrong, or least agree to move past it and form a new bond.

My mother and I have not always been close, but right now, our bond is stronger than ever. It pains me to know that the two of them can’t seem to make the same progress.

 

Don’t Let Time Pass You By

My father has always been a great dad and I’m sure my sister would agree – for the most part. Having said that, seeing how he allowed things to falter has made me realize how important it is to maintain strong bonds with all of my children no matter what it takes.

I believe as fathers, it is our responsibility to reach out and make sure we have good relationships with our kids. Whether you are a new dad, a father catching hell through the teen years, or even one who has made some mistakes in the past, step up to the plate and be the man your daughter needs you to be.

Take the time and effort to show that this relationship is important to you, and it could turn out to be the best gift you ever give her.

Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series on father-daughter relationships. Click here to read Part 1.

 

Contel Bradford is a professional freelance writer, journalist, and published author of multiple books. He specializes in many areas, including legal, divorce, and family-related topics. You can learn more about his services by visiting www.contelbradford.com.