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Fathers and Daughters

I ask that we love one another. 2 John 1:5

If you have a daughter, Dad, one of your primary tasks is to set the tone for her future relationships with men. If you are warm and nurturing, she’ll eventually look for a husband with similar qualities. If you communicate that she’s beautiful and feminine, she’ll be inclined to see herself that way. If you blend love and discipline in a way that conveys strength, your daughter will be more comfortable with a give-and-take marriage characterized by mutual respect. But if you reject your daughter, she’s likely to spend her life trying to find a man who can meet the needs you never fulfilled in her heart.

One wonderful way to build up your daughter is to take her on regular “dates,” which can begin even in the preschool years and extend to the teens. Let her help plan these outings. Then open doors for her, help her with her chair, and listen attentively when she speaks. Treat her with the same consideration and respect that Scripture prescribes for your wife (1 Peter 3:7). You’ll create a feeling of self-worth and begin to establish her standards for a husband, if she chooses to marry. We can’t imagine a better wedding present for a father to give his precious daughter.

From Night Light For Parents, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson

Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.