6 Things Every Dad NEEDS to Do For His Daughter

Over the past two weekends in several counties around my area, Daddy/ Daughter dances were held. I have seen several pictures on Facebook from my friends' who attended these dances. They make my heart smile.

My daughter has never wanted to attend one of them. She's an introverted person, who is not fond of crowds. I'm pretty sure she doesn't like dancing either. So I realize they are not for everyone and I am not putting someone down who didn't take their daughter.

However, there are a few things I think all dad's should be doing!
These are my top 6:

1. Treat your daughter, wife, or girlfriend right at all times.
Your daughter is going to more than likely pick a man to love that has some of your qualities. It happens almost all of the time. He won't be exactly like you, but there will be a few things that remind her of you. She won't do this on purpose...it just happens. She's watching you. If you treat the women in your life right, she will look for a man who treats her right.

2. Always tell your daughter she's beautiful.
The world is so sexualized. It will tell your daughter that she is "hot" or "sexy". This is not what you want. She needs to know that she's beautiful, inside and out. You need to tell her that she's perfect just the way she is. 

3. Always tell your daughter how smart she is.
Another thing about our world, it likes us to think that men are the smarter gender. There are many smart people of both genders. (So, please don't think I'm saying women are smarter.) I'm just saying your daughter needs to hear the words out of your mouth that she is smart.   Hearing how smart and how beautiful she is will give her plenty of confidence and help her feel good about herself.

4. Always tell your daughter you love her.
While your daughter should know this, a lot of people need to hear those 3 little words too. "I love you".

5. Always hug your daughter.
Some people feel loved through hugs. Your daughter needs to be hugged.
If you've never read the 5 Love Languages book, I highly recommend it. We all "hear love" differently. You might not be speaking your daughter's language so she doesn't feel loved by you. The 5 Love Languages are physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, and acts of service. Even if your daughter is young, you can pin point what how she hears love.

6. Tell your daughter how much God loves her. 
As a dad, it is your responsibility to tell your daughter that there is a loving God who sent His Son to pay a debt she couldn't pay. It's not just about her salvation, but it's about helping her have a relationship with Him. Teach her how to pray. Take her to church. Read little devotionals with her. If you are her spiritual leader as a child, she will look for that quality in a man to marry too.

I hope this makes sense. It was just put on my heart. I admire the dad's who already do these things for their daughters. You guys are awesome!

If you aren't doing these things, it's ok. Start some of them now. It's never too late. Even if your daughter is an adult! She still needs her Daddy.