Books for Dads on Raising Teenage Girls

Adolescent Issues

• Author Joe Kelly begins "Dads and Daughters: How to Inspire, Understand, and Support Your Daughter When She's Growing Up So Fast" with a quiz to help dads measure their level of involvement with their daughters. Kelly suggests how fathers can help with serious concerns such as sex, drugs and media influences. "From Dad to Daughter: A Practical Guide to Dating" by Benjamin Marsh examines the teenage dating world from a father's perspective, including clothing, behavior and choice of boys. The book can be a discussion guide for dads, or daughters can be encouraged to read it on their own.

Memoirs

• In "Daughters Gone Wild, Dads Gone Crazy: Battle-Tested Tips From a Father and Daughter Who Survived the Teenage Years," Charles and Heather Stone tell the story of a frustrated father and rebellious daughter. As the Stones describe dealing with school expulsions, rehab programs and the legal system, they offer guidance for dads whose daughters struggle with rules and authority. Ann Marie Parisi and Al Parisi share their daily written communication in "Lunch Bag Notes: Everyday Advice from a Dad to his Daughter." Taking the most meaningful notes about issues such as friends, attitude and character, they developed thought-provoking questions for dads to explore during journal writing.

Relationships

• "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know" by Meg Meeker describes how fathers build positive relationships with their daughters that continue throughout adolescence. Meeker shows how fathers are role models for major decisions in such areas as sex, drugs and alcohol. The book also explores the need for rules and communication. In "That's My Girl: How a Father's Love Protects and Empowers His Daughter," Rick Johnson emphasizes the importance of the father-daughter relationship in a young woman's future interactions with men, particularly in how she expects to be treated. Johnson covers many topics, including communication strategies, bonding and boyfriends.

Single Dads

• "But Dad!: A Survival Guide for Single Fathers of Tween and Teen Daughters" by Gretchen Gross and Patricia Livingston offers assistance to dads on their own. The book is especially helpful for fathers who have no close females to give advice. Topics include handling divorce, a mother's death, dating and shared custody. David J. Duncan's "His Child, Her Dad" advises fathers who have lost their wives and must raise their daughters alone. The author discusses many of the issues that suddenly single dads must consider, such as discipline, communication, family and friends and time management.