Let’s Talk
The challenge for every dad of a daughter is to engage her in conversations that are meaningful and life-giving, especially during difficult times. Having insight into what to say and how to say it will distinguish you in building a healthy bond with your daughter.
Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters is here to help dads close the communication gap with their daughters by showing them how to listen and build trust with insights and scripted questions to move from fun get-to-know-you chats to deep discussions that dive into their daughters’ struggles, hurts, fears, and hopes.
Divided into three parts, this book begins by laying the groundwork for dads to prepare themselves to pursue their daughter’s heart, followed with interactive conversation-starters and activities to strengthen the father-daughter bond, concluding with questions for daughters to ask their dads. Filled with real-life stories, statistics, trusted advice, and hundreds of scripted questions organized by themes, Let’s Talk covers a large array of topics such as personality, future dreams, spirituality, sexuality, body image, depression, anxiety, and suicide.
This book is specifically targeted to dads, but moms, friends, family members, and anyone who wants to play a more active role in their daughter’s life will find this book valuable and insightful.
By following this practical, action-oriented playbook, dads will increase their confidence and competence as they sharpen their focus to be a dialed-in dad to their daughters.
Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield
Father/Daughter
At the National Center for Fathering, Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield plays a leading role in our efforts to encourage and equip dads of daughters. Michelle is a licensed professional counselor, founder of a 9-month group forum for dads of daughters, host of a weekly “Dad Whisperer” radio program and podcast, and author of two books for dads of daughters. Find out more at drmichellewatson.com.
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Dad/Daughter Resources
Show Your Daughter What a Good Husband Is
Imagine you could fast-forward your daughter’s life fifteen or twenty years. She’s thirty-five, and you get to see her coming in the door from grocery shopping with three young kids. Clearly, the outing has been stressful.
“My Dad Holds the Key”
In recent weeks, several of our staff have been looking at ways to improve our fathering seminars and Father~Daughter Summits. The process has included survey requests to some of you, as well as interviews with partners, volunteers, and people who have attended these events.
Daughters need their dads, too
There’s a growing awareness of a father’s importance in the life of his daughter. Both the academic world and the general population are recognizing that a dad’s influence goes beyond the “little girl” years into adulthood, and is an important complement to her mom’s vital role.
A Father's Heart for Daughters
There are a lot of reasons for you to be a loving father to your daughter. She'll have a more positive view of men in general. More self-esteem as a woman. She's more likely to stay sexually pure until marriage and have a more healthy view of sexuality.
Your Daughter Needs Your Affection
Little girls are cute. Boys are cute too, but it seems natural to cuddle little girls more than boys and, in fact, parents do tend to pick up and hold daughters more than sons. But before you know it, your little girl has become a young woman, and nurturing her isn't easy, but more like scary. Now you're a little edgy around her, and careful not to do anything that could be misinterpreted in any way. But your daughter is still yearning for your affection and approval.
For Dads of Dating Daughters
It’s a scary time for dads, but it’s also a great opportunity because it forces us to address issues and questions that can be a little awkward.
Ask Your Daughter Questions
We interviewed 33 young women (ages 13-24) and asked them, among other questions, “What questions could your dad ask you to demonstrate that he really cares about what’s going on in your life?”
Daughters and Sports
Even before your children were born, you probably dreamed about your son as a star athlete. Well, you may have gotten it all wrong.
Here's something that some dads rarely consider. Daughters can be athletes, too! As a matter of fact, girls need to learn about teamwork, good sportsmanship and the thrill of victory just as much as boys.
This Father’s Moment
When exactly does a father know when his little girl is no longer his little girl? Is it when a father is walking down the aisle, with her arm on his, and she is smiling so radiantly as gazes at her husband-to-be waiting for her? Or is the moment of realization when the father hands his daughter to the man she is about to wed, and they join hands, and the father walks, empty-handed, to his chair? Does the reality set in when the words "I do" are uttered, the final contract that seals the intentions of both bride and groom?
What’s She Feeling?
One evening, Drew's daughter came home upset that her best friend had snubbed her, and she unloaded her frustration by yelling at her dad. Drew said, "It sounds like she's not much of a friend."
Those words weren't what his daughter wanted to hear. She bolted toward her room and slammed the door behind her.