Father’s are worth so much more to their children than they think – check out this article specifically about the father-daughter relationship — and don’t forget about our Daddy-Daughter Dinner at the Treehouse Nov. 8. Tickets MUST be bought in advance — Get them today before we’re sold out!
https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/821928/the-importance-of-the-father-daughter-relationship
The Importance of the Father-Daughter Relationship
Image: Sam Edwards/Caiaimage/Getty Images
You’ve probably heard that having a strong male influence is important in a young boy’s life, but it’s equally important for daughters to have one as well. A positive father-daughter relationship can have a huge impact on a young girl’s life and even determine whether or not she develops into a strong, confident woman.
A father’s influence in his daughter’s life shapes her self-esteem, self-image, confidence and opinions of men.
“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,” says Michael Austin, associate professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University and editor of Fatherhood — Philosophy for Everyone: The Dao of Daddy.
“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,” he adds.
Dads and daughters: From infant to toddler
We now live in a culture where Dad is an equal partner in care giving. From day one, dads are encouraged to be hands-on, changing diapers, giving baths, putting Baby to sleep and calming her cries. That presence and effort is the beginning of a very important relationship.
According to Austin, this quality time together is crucial at all stages of a girl’s life.
“Dads need to spend time with their infant daughter, taking care of her physical needs and supporting her Mom,” he explains. And once the little lady starts toddling around, “[i]t’s essential that Dad gets down on the floor — on her level — and plays with her,” Austin says.
Fathers and daughters: From tween to teen
It’s those pesky “hormonal” years that can often have dads shying away from their moody and sometimes standoffish daughter. When there’s a tween girl in the house, “[d]ads should focus on cultivating a trusting relationship so that their daughters feel secure talking with them about what’s going on in their lives,” Austin explains. “When necessary, dads should apologize and ask for forgiveness, as this both shows respect and love to our daughters and heals the hurts that are inevitable in daily life together.”
As a girl continues to grow and her teen years become fraught with complicated issues, dads should continue to work on building a trusting relationship, give affection and support her as she learns more about who she is and what kind of person she wants to become, Austin says.
“It’s imperative that, no matter what, dads avoid the temptation to pull away or withdraw during this sometimes challenging stage of growing up.”
A father’s influence on a daughter’s self-image
A dad’s involvement in his daughter’s life is a crucial ingredient in the development of a young woman’s self-esteem. Austin identifies positive elements of “common sense” parenting for dads so they can help support their daughter’s self-image and curb any possibility of low self-esteem: Verbal encouragement, being consistently present in her life, being alert and sensitive to her feelings, taking time to listen to her thoughts and taking an active interest in her hobbies.
“It’s important to actually do these things, which can sometimes be quite challenging,” Austin adds. Direct involvement and encouragement by her father will help diminish a girl’s insecurity and increase her confidence in her own abilities.
How dads influence their daughter’s relationships
The type of men that women date and have long-term relationships with are also directly related to the kind of relationship a girl has with her father. Obviously, the hope is that the father figure in a girl’s life will aim to skew that young lady’s opinions of men in a positive way.
“He must, first and foremost, treat his daughter with respect and love. Whether or not he is married to or still together with his daughter’s mom, showing respect to her mother is essential as well,” explains Austin. “He must also value women as human beings, and not as persons to be used. Daughters will see what their dads believe about women by how they value and respect women, or by how they fail to do so.”
Originally published October 2012. Updated February 2017.
This is it — your last chance at Punch Cards! Today and tomorrow. Get ’em befor they’re gone.
5 punch card- $40
10 punch card- $75
The Monkey’s Treehouse, located in Brentwood, will be opening its doors for a special event, Nov. 8.
Dad’s and Daughters will have exclusive use of the indoor playground on the Treehouse’s first Daddy-Daughter Dinner Night.
“We know how important family is, and we know how important it is for father’s to establish relationships with their daughters,” said Jackie Wiener, Treehouse owner. “I’m a mom, and I know my husband sometimes needs a little help in having one-on-one time with his daughter. This event makes it easy for dads to do that.”
The Treehouse will open for two hours, and pizza and drinks will be served.
“We the food and the venue for a great memory,” Wiener said. “Dad’s will provide the smiles and facilitate the fun!”
If you have questions or need more information, email info@themonkeystreehouse.com or visit https://themonkeystreehouse.com/product/daddy-daughter-dinner-night-1-dad-1-daughter/
Get your Monkey’s Treehouse Punch Card today and save on your visits! 10 punch card- $75
Vanderbilt University and the Little Learners Lab at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College are scheduled to be at the Monkey’s Treehouse, Wednesday.
The mission of Peabody College is to enhance the human condition, with a particular focus on children’s learning and development.
“At the Little Learners Lab specifically, we are working hard to better understand early development in hopes of discovering ways to optimize children’s school readiness in the areas of language and science,” said Amy E. Booth, PhD, Professor of Psychology. “We want to connect with families about opportunities to participate in our paid -and fun – studies.”
Monkey’s Treehouse staff and Vanderbilt are formalizing a partnership which will include educational workshops for parents of children up to 8-years-old, including “parenting in the digital age” and “making the most of early reading.”
“This is an opportunity for us to build our relationship with our community,” said Jackie Wiener, Monkey’s Treehouse Owner. “We look forward to working with Vanderbilt and Peabody to enhance the lives of our parents and their children.”
The Littler Learner’s Lab initial visit to The Monkey’s Treehouse is scheduled for Wednesday, 9 a.m. to noon. The Treehouse is located at 91 Seaboard Lane, Brentwood, TN 37027.
This November, we will start hosting Daddy-Daughter-Dinner nights – we will supply the food and the fun! Stay tuned for more details. *like and *follow for the latest
We are closed today 🙁 but punch cards go on SALE tomorrow!
Understanding “It’s Mine!”
Wouldn’t it be great if you overheard your child say to one of his friends, “Sure, you can play with my favorite truck anytime”? Unfortunately, playdates that civilized are still years away. Three- and 4-year-olds tend to cling passionately to their possessions. “Preschoolers are so focused on their own wants and needs that sharing just isn’t a priority,” explains Ann Easterbrooks, Ph.D., chair of the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development at Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts.
Even though kids this age usually aren’t eager to share, they can be surprisingly generous when adults encourage them and set a good example. “We had a big laugh the other day when my 4-year-old son, Gunner, said to his grandfather, ‘I can’t share your medicine, but you can have some of my apple,’ ” says Robin Schecter, of New York City. “We need to teach kids to share,” stresses Donald K. Freedheim, Ph.D., founding director of the Schubert Center for Child Development at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland. “A child is like a foreigner who has to learn the customs of our country.”
Possessive Preschoolers
While toddlers believe that everything is “mine,” 3- and 4-year-olds usually understand that only certain things belong to them. Increasingly independent, they’re developing a stronger sense of self—and tend to see their favorite items as extensions of themselves. As a result, they’re naturally overprotective of belongings.
At first, kids share because their parents, caregivers, or teachers tell them to. In order to start sharing voluntarily, a child needs to be able to empathize—to understand, for instance, that a playmate yearns for a particular action figure just as much as he does. But this cognitive and emotional skill is just starting to develop in kids this age. Over time, your child will become more generous because it will make her feel good to see another child happy, Dr. Freedheim explains. She’ll also realize that if she shares what she has with a friend, she’s likely to get something back in exchange—a win-win situation. Here are some steps you can take to help the process along.
- First, encourage your child to share with you. This will be easier because she knows you won’t grab or have a tantrum. Frequently ask to play with a favorite toy, letting her know she can ask for it back.
- Go to the playground. This is one of the best places to learn about taking turns because the equipment there doesn’t belong to anyone. Your child will see that everyone gets a chance to go down the slide, and he’ll realize that several kids can have fun in the sandbox at once.
- Don’t force your child to share everything. Before a friend comes over, let her decide which special toys or stuffed animals she wants to put out of sight. Knowing they don’t always have to share makes it easier for kids to loosen their grip on toys the rest of the time, says Polly Greenberg, former editor of Young Children, the journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, in Washington, D.C.
- Make sure there are similar-enough multiples of popular toys. That way, kids are less likely to desperately want something another child is playing with. Also, help them find a way to play together. For example, toy cars can integrate well with a train set—the “engineer” can stop his train while the cars pass at a crossing.
- If you expect children to take turns, give them a warning—and then stick to it. Because preschoolers are increasingly concerned with fairness, they’ll probably be receptive if you say, “Jeffrey can play with that puzzle for three minutes, and then Michael gets a turn.” It’s best to set a timer because kids this age still have a fuzzy understanding of time, Dr. Easterbrooks says. When it goes off, there’ll be no doubt whose turn it is.
- While one child is waiting for her turn to play with something, help her find an interesting activity to do. You might help her play with puppets, give her a coloring book, or ask her to sprinkle food in the fish tank.
- Teach the basics of negotiation. When a conflict arises, sit with both kids and talk about what to do. Instead of yelling, grabbing the toy, or giving up, your child might trade another toy for it, ask if he can play with it when the other child is done, or suggest that they play together.
- Skip the lecture. If your child is frustrated because she doesn’t want to take turns, she won’t be receptive to a discussion about the importance of sharing. Try to distract her with another activity—and just remember that sharing is easier on some days than others.
All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.
https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/social/learning-to-share/
