Fathers play a very important role in the growth and development of their daughters from girlhood into womanhood. As they grow up through the different stages of life, girls look around for a role model, and it is perfect when a father fills this void.

This can often be felt in important areas like relationship expectations and self-belief, especially when the father is absent. Below are some of the qualities a father can help instill in his daughter.

Confidence

Self-esteem is a very important part of character building in any child. With the experience they have gathered throughout life, fathers have a very important role to play in building up healthy self-esteem and confidence in their daughters.

The human brain is quite fascinating in the way it works. It uses experience to create learning paths which are then converted into information and stored. With adults, information recalled and used often is retained while that which is rarely used is stored away in the amygdala. In children, it works slightly differently— by keeping what is useful and pruning whatever is of no use. This process is called synaptic pruning. It is usually a tell-tale sign of negative or absent emotional relationships.

This is where a father steps in. The presence of a father in a girl’s life, made meaningful by consistent actions and gestures, can enhance repetition and improve neural growth. These positive experiences will, in turn, build confidence and boost their self-esteem.

Relationship Expectations

The only thing more important than a healthy dose of self-confidence in a girl’s life is her relationships with boys, even from an age where it does not mean much. One could argue that moms are equally adept at building up confidence in their daughters. That’s fair enough. However, teaching and guiding young girls— whether consciously or subconsciously— around the subject of relationships with the opposite sex is something only a man can comfortably handle. The reasons are obvious.

When a father and his daughter already have a connection developed via a positive relationship, the confidence that arises from that makes communication easy. A good father maintains this communication even when they’re not physically present. On the other hand, a man can be ‘absent’ even when he’s there.

Also, a man’s relationship with his wife at home can influence his daughter’s perception of boys/men. An absent father can make his daughter assume it’s normal to be involved with emotionally detached boys/men, just as having an abusive dad can make her assume violence in relationships is normal. 

How To Achieve This

To build your daughter’s confidence or influence her expectations of relationships with boys/men, the first thing you need to do is be the perfect model of the kind of characteristics she needs to look for in a man. Here are some tips to help you:

• Spend time with her. Quality time and positive experiences will earn you her trust and boost communication and confidence.
• Respect women. Your daughter needs to know that respect is expected of a man. 
• Don’t objectify women. If you do, you’ll be sending the wrong message. 
• Avoid stereotypes. They’re harmful, and they can affect your daughter’s confidence. 

Your biggest role as a father is to ensure that your daughter does not underline you as the type of man she would never want to be with. Be the perfect role model.