Articles
Dads and Daughters
There’s nothing as special as a relationship between a dad and his
daughter, but when dad works long hours and his daughter has a calendar full of after-school activities, it’s hard for the two to find time to spend time together — not to mention they may not have a ton of shared interests.
As a parent, you want the best for your children so they have happy, healthy lives. But good health isn’t just about preventing sickness. It’s also about maintaining healthy relationships. The relationships that parents forge with their kids are just as important as proper nutrition for long-term, overall health. This is especially true of the unique bond between fathers and daughters. Often, as the first man present in a young girl’s life, you need to establish a positive precedent for her subsequent male relationships. One of the best ways to do that is by spending time with her.
Having special father/daughter activities can bridge communication gaps and build more meaningful bonds. So turn off the TV, leave your tablet, put the smartphones away and try some of these activities. You may find that spending time away from the hubbub of the rest of the family and all your gadgets can help you broach and talk about difficult subjects.
CAMP OUT
A backyard campout is a great way to spend quality time together and teach your daughter some practical skills. Set up a tent and sleeping bags, sit around a fire (which you showed her how to build) telling stories and discussing “important matters” and do some star-gazing. Braai some boerewors and see who can come up with the scariest story.
KITCHEN FUN
Spending time in the kitchen with your daughter is an easy way to have fun together. For younger girls, keep it simple with a packet mix. Older daughters might prefer to attempt something more sophisticated, like baking a cake from scratch or planning and cooking a whole meal for mom. Deciding on a menu, setting up a shopping list and then shopping for the ingredients can reinforce life skills of teamwork and financial responsibility. Finally, enjoying the fruits of your labour will make for a sweet memory.
MAKING MEMORIES
Using a camera or smart phone, take turns photographing things around the house and outdoors that represent her unique traits. Perhaps an image of her ballet shoes could signify her dancing spirit, or a photo of a tennis racquet could attest to her sporting spirit. Let her play dress up, and be your photographic model, then do the same for her. Let her dress you, no matter
how ridiculous she makes you look! After you’re done taking pictures , make an album for her to keep.
BOOK CLUB
Bedtime stories are an important part of a child’s day, but you can also expand your kid’s horizons by creating your own book club. Take your daughter to the library or a book shop, and let her choose a book that the two of you can read together. Set aside time every day to read a chapter. You can read aloud to younger daughters, making sure to use different voices for all the characters, of course. With older girls, you can opt to each read the book separately and have a special book club meeting to discuss what you
thought of the material.
DADDY / DAUGHTER DATE
A daddy/daughter date doesn’t have to entail specific activities, like dinner and a movie; it’s more about emphasizing a special time for you and your daughter exclusively, and plenty of opportunity to talk. Take her to her favourite place or find a new one. Perhaps you can both dress up for the occasion, and maybe bring her a bouquet of flowers if she’s older or chocolates if she’s younger. Your daughter will remember these times you spent together, especially if you make a point to do them frequently. You will be making memories that you’ll both treasure for the rest of your lives.
