A father is an important figure in a daughter’s life. While the conventional idea is that a mother is the only important parental figure in a daughter’s life, that is not true.
According to studies, a father’s influence on his daughter’s life significantly impacts her mental and emotional development.
Confidence, clarity, stronger self-esteem, and a deeper knowledge of who they are and what they want might be common traits of girls with healthy relationships with their fathers.
The father-and-daughter relationship is vital and meaningful in many ways. Some are:
- A father’s love and acceptance greatly impact future confidence.
- Girls with involved fathers perform better academically.
- A balanced and affectionate relationship with a father has the potential to improve mental health.
- Supportive fathers can help improve their daughter’s body image.
- Supportive dads create the gold standard for future romantic relationships.
- Fathers often encourage their daughters to take risks and be adventurous.
- Relationship with the father has a significant effect on communication skills.
Little girls also depend on their fathers for security and emotional support. So for a man, improving communication skills and maximizing parental impact is essential in raising a daughter.
As a new father, you may feel lost and out of touch.
You may wonder if you should stay on the sidelines when it comes to bringing up your daughter.
If you have questions about how to take part in developing a relationship with your daughter, keep reading. We have 12 smart, simple, but effective tips for new dads raising a daughter.
Embrace a hands-on approach from the beginning
Get involved in the daily care of your daughter from the very beginning. Dressing, settling, playing, bathing, nappy changing, and feeding are included in the daily care of a baby. Believe us when we tell you that this is the best way to build your skills and confidence.
These everyday activities also create a lot of one-on-one time with your daughter, which is a core tenet of building a positive relationship.
When you adopt a hands-on approach, it can also give your partner a break. From singing to your daughter to reading bedtime stories to her – get involved with your baby daughter.
Don’t be afraid of wiping
When you have a baby girl, you’ll encounter a different anatomy. And you should learn how to clean her. So get in there and wipe thoroughly. And always wipe from front to back to avoid transferring poop.
The difference in the anatomy of a girl can make the transfer of poop a problem as it leads to infections. Learning these simple things can greatly help you with being a better parent to your child.
Learn your daughter’s cues
In her book “The Aware Baby,” Aletha Solter says babies give remarkable cues about their needs. They do this through their behavior and body language. By paying attention to your daughter’s cues, you’ll learn how to work out what your little girl needs over time.
Connect through touch
Babies love skin-to-skin contact. Physical touch makes your baby feel good, safe, and secure. It also builds trust and connection with you. This kind of bonding with your newborn daughter stimulates her brain development. So hold your baby with her skin against yours whenever you can.
If you hold your little daughter against your chest, she can hear your heartbeat and will often settle well there.
Talk to your baby as often as you can
Talk to your little girl while you’re carrying or changing her diaper. For example, “Let’s get this nappy changed. That feels better. Here’s a nice clean nappy…” and so on.
Every word she hears helps her develop her language and learning and strengthens your relationship with her. Remember that telling stories, reading books, and singing songs have the same effect.
Help with feeding
Your breastfeeding support can be vital while your partner is learning to breastfeed. You can give your partner practical support like a glass of water, another pillow, or whatever she needs.
You can offer encouragement and look for breastfeeding support when your partner faces troubles. If you are bottle-feeding with breastmilk or infant formula, you can be involved in giving your daughter the bottle as well as cleaning and sterilizing equipment.
Love her mom
Having a new baby can strain your relationship with your partner. Stay positive and support each other as you learn how to parent together. Treat your partner with respect, honor, and love.
When your daughter grows up, odds are she’ll fall in love with and marry someone who treats her similarly to how you treated her mother. Good or bad, that’s just the way it is.
Have some one-on-one time
This kind of time is about tuning in to your baby. It gives you a chance to bond with your daughter. This can be as simple as making faces while you dress your baby.
Being present is not as difficult as it may sound. Quality time doesn’t happen without quantity time.
Dance with her
Please don’t wait until your little girl’s wedding day to dance with her. Start when she’s still a baby. Dancing is a remedy for many things; remember that you will benefit from dancing more than your girl. Dancing is an integral part of the dads raising daughters rulebook.
Invest in getting the information you need
Whether it’s your first or fifth baby, there will always be new things to learn.
Talking with other parents, attending parenting groups, or asking professionals, are different ways of getting the information you need about child care. And always remember that one of the best ways to learn is by spending plenty of time caring for your baby.
Familiarize yourself with anatomical terminology
According to experts, using the correct names of body parts empowers children. A child should view their entire body as healthy, and no particular part of their body is shameful.
Using vague terms or euphemisms for their genitalia or private body parts doesn’t go over well. That is to say, do not use terms such as “flower” instead of vagina. Using the correct terminology will help your child understand their body and anatomy from an early age and learn to love, respect, and protect it.
Look after yourself
Parents are highly prone to neglecting themselves while caring for their babies. But you should always remember that you’ll be better equipped to look after your baby and support your partner if you’re doing well.
You can maintain high levels of energy with healthy lifestyle choices and enough sleep and rest. Even short periods of time to yourself, like 20 minutes to unwind or read the news, can make a significant difference to your stress levels. Care for yourself first – only then will you be able to care for your baby properly.
References: verywellfamily.com, healthychildren.org, awareparenting.com, todaysparent.com, relationshipswa.org.au
