The relationship between a father and daughter is one of the most prominent ones in a family. A daughter's relationship with her father plays a key role in the psychological development of the girl. It also impacts their body image, sense of self, social interactions, and much more. When daughters have a strong bond with their fathers, they are likely to be more self-assured and confident. Read on to know more about the importance of the father-daughter relationship.
How Does a Strong
Father-Daughter Connection Benefit the Daughters?
When fathers
have a secure and loving relationship with their daughters, the daughters:
·
Will be more likely to be
assertive without being aggressive
·
Will be more likely to pursue
higher education
·
Will feel better about
themselves
·
Will Have better grades in
school
·
Will feel more confident in
relationships with partners in general
Expert
Opinion
Michael Austin,
associate professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University and editor of
Fatherhood — Philosophy for Everyone: The Dao of Daddy, says, "How Dad
approaches life will serve as an example for his daughter to build off of in
her own life, even if she chooses a different view of the world. What matters
in the father-daughter relationship is that Dad seeks to live a life of
integrity and honesty, avoiding hypocrisy and admitting his own shortcomings so
that she has a realistic and positive example of how to deal with the world. He
should try to model a reflective approach to life's big questions so that she
can seek to do the same.
Self-Image
When dads are
involved in their daughters' lives, it can be a crucial ingredient for the
development of self-esteem in a young woman. The positive elements from a
father that can help daughters build better self-esteem are verbal
encouragement, being consistently present, and being sensitive to her feelings.
A father should also listen to her thoughts and have an active interest in her
hobbies.
Austin says, "It's
important to actually do these things, which can sometimes be quite challenging."
When a father is encouraging and directly involved with the daughters'
upbringing, it will help reduce a girl's insecurity and increase confidence in
her abilities.
Academic
Performance
Several studies
have shown that a strong father-daughter bond impacts their ability to do well
academically. Research shows that women who have had healthy relationships with
their fathers most of their lives (or all) performed better in school than
women who had no (or unhealthy) relationships with their fathers.
Social Traits
Studies have
also shown that daughters who regularly communicate with their fathers also
communicate better with male and female individuals in other parts of their
lives. Quality communication between fathers and daughters plays a vital role
in the daughter's ability to express her thoughts, emotions, and feelings in
social situations.
Sounds
interesting? Read about 25 dad and daughter activities to try this year over here.
If you want to
develop a bond with your daughter, here's
more on strengthening the father-daughter relationship.
Sources:
https://www.verywellfamily.com/strengthening-father-daughter-relationships-1270127#:~:text=A%20daughter's%20relationship%20with%20their,what%20they%20want%20in%20life.
https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/821928/the-importance-of-the-father-daughter-relationship-2/
https://holidappy.com/holidays/10-Reasons-Fathers-are-so-Important-to-their-Daughters