Stolen Post

I stole this post from beagooddad.com. It puts into words what DadOf3 and I try to do for the kids. We are very aware that time with DadOf3 is precious. They get MomOf3 all week because I am lucky enough to get to stay at home with them. I do try to get one-on-one time with each child every day. With work taking a big chunk of DadOf3's days, it is special indeed when he can take the Princess, the Prince or the Knight to the Home Depot or to Lowe's or to anywhere he is going. The kiddos always come home with a story to tell me and it makes them feel extra special to get that one on one time with Daddy.

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Our first date was to McDonald’s. It cost me $6.

She had pancakes with syrup and drank orange juice. I had a sausage mcmuffin and drank a small coffee.

As we ate, she would occasionally load up a fork with a bite of pancake and feed it to me across the table. She has a big heart, and you can see it in little things like that.

After we finished eating, we sat in the booth and talked. We tackled some of life’s big issues, like why the man at the next table was wearing a hat, and the types of things bunnies like to eat. And we fiddled with trivia, like why the air gets cold in winter.

Eventually, we got back in the car and headed home. But before all was said and done, I got her to commit to a second date with me.

My daughter is a great date, and I don’t think I’m too bad myself. I enjoy dating her, and my desire is that this will bear fruit years from now.

You see, there are things she needs to know about how she’s supposed to be treated. If I don’t teach her those things, some greasy sixteen year-old boy will when she’s a teenager. And I’m not having that.

I date my daughter so that she will know we have a one-on-one relationship. That I care for her as the unique individual she is. That she exists not as just one of my kids, but as my cherished daughter.

Here’s what I think she needs to know:

The source of her beauty rests inside her head, in the space between her eyes, just behind those magnificent blue eyes. What makes her attractive is the sweetness and humor that pours out of her heart.

There are two parties to a conversation. I know from experience that talking isn’t a problem for her. But the person she’s with should be engaged, offering their thoughts and getting her to elaborate on things she’s said.

She should feel safe when she rides with someone. A car is a tool to get her from Point A to Point B in a safe and efficient manner. It’s not an amusement park ride. Just because it can go 120 phi doesn’t mean it should.

I could go on. But that’s a glimpse of the behaviors I’m modeling to my daughter on our dates. These are the things she should expect, years from now, when she begins to date boys her own age.

If I expect her to be as strong as an oak tree then, I need to plant the acorns today.

If you’re a dad of a daughter, make a date with your little girl. Take her out for breakfast or to a yard sale or to the hardware store.

It doesn’t cost much, but the payoff in the future will be huge.

[This guest post was written by MyBestInvest who writes the blog My Best Investments where he talks about his best investments; his wife, daughter, and son.]