How to Be a Good Dad to a Teenage Daughter

Although a teenage girl may appear to be nearly grown and ready for independence, this big girl still needs her daddy in many ways. As you strive to raise a healthy and well-adjusted teenage daughter, being a good dad will mean developing a steadfast relationship between the two of you. With strong love and support, your daughter will have a solid foundation that will help launch her successfully into adulthood.

Instructions

    • 1

      Avoid allowing distance to set in between you and your daughter at the onset of puberty. Dads might feel confused or uncomfortable about relating to a daughter as she hits adolescence, advises Dr. Leon Hoffman, M.D., writing for the Psychology Today website. Without conscious effort to maintain a close relationship, a father may change the way he relates to his daughter once she begins to develop sexually. Continue to hug your daughter, talk and laugh with her, even though she̵7;s beginning to mature.

    • 2

      Maintain a positive relationship with your partner for your daughter to see, recommends Dr. Meg Meeker, in an interview published by the Knights of Columbus on the Fathers For Good website. Speak respectfully, express your love and show your daughter what a healthy relationship looks like. A teenage girl observes how her father relates to and treats her mother, unconsciously internalizing the interactions and often striving to recreate them in her own relationships later.

    • 3

      Demonstrate approval and acceptance of your daughter, otherwise she may seek it elsewhere. Recognize achievements with specific words of praise, appreciate your daughter for the person she is and who she is becoming and share positive affirmations for her efforts and interests.

    • 4

      Protect your daughter so she feels your strong and steadfast presence around her. Understand that a teenage girl is vulnerable, both emotionally and physically. Protect her emotionally by valuing her, which builds self-esteem. Protect her physically by urging her to avoid negative relationship situations and setting an example of a positive male role model, recommends Rick Johnson, author and relationship speaker, writing for the Northwest Marriage Institute.

    • 5

      Set firm limits for your daughter, suggests Meeker, so she understands your expectations about rules. Your boundaries and limits will give your daughter security, which will help her feel safe and valued. Having to conduct herself within your boundaries also helps instill self-discipline and maturity.

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