Dad is typically a little surprised at the changes he sees in his daughter as she becomes an adolescent. He will need encouragement and a little direction to help him navigate the important role he has to inspire and support his daughter on her path to becoming a young adult.

A great place to start is frequent “dates with dad.” They should be fun times for both dad and daughter. Hopefully, through the years, they will become an event that both look forward to. An example of a type of date could be sharing an ice cream and laughing at the funny things that happened that week.

Dad’s role during these special times is to listen and encourage. His goal is to make their date time into a safe place for his daughter where she can share her heart and not feel disappointment or correction. There are other times when boundaries need to be enforced, but not on the date.

Over time, your daughter will feel more and more secure opening up to dad about her fears and frustrations. His gentle approach and encouragement could make all the difference for her as she faces the challenges of adolescence.

My hope is that in the future, she will only accept a relationship with someone who is like her dad. Someone who is a great listener, accepts her as she is, and supports her dreams.