How Dads Can Bond With Their Teen Daughters
Being a dad of any kid can be tough and challenging, but so rewarding. Those challenges can become even greater in your child’s teen years. This can be particularly true for dads and teen daughters. It may be a time when your daughter is, in general, rebellious. You also may not share many interests, which make it tough to bond.
There are things you can do to overcome these challenges, including the following:
Teach Your Daughter to Drive
If you can be the parent who teaches your daughter to drive, there are multiple benefits. First, driving safety is critical for teens. There are millions of accidents each year, and many of those accidents lead to injuries or even deaths.
Teens are at a higher risk of being in accidents because of inexperience and distracted driving, such as using cell phones behind the wheel.
When you teach your teen daughter to drive, you can go over the rules of the road, spend time together, and learning to drive is likely something your teen will feel excited and enthusiastic about doing.
Ask Your Daughter What She Would Like to Do
Often as parents, we tend to get ideas of what bonding activities should like in our minds. That might not be our kids’ idea of a good time.
If you aren’t sure what you can do with your daughter that she’ll enjoy, go straight to the source and ask her.
Let your teen take the lead, and she’ll appreciate it.
Once a week or once every few weeks, maybe you plan a night where whatever your daughter wants to do, as long as it’s reasonable and safe, you do.
For example, maybe you go to a certain restaurant or store. As long as it’s within budget and not harmful, go for it.
Take An Overnight Trip
It’s pretty common for moms to take their daughters on the occasional overnight trip, but as a dad, you can do the same. If your daughter would like it, maybe you go camping, or instead, maybe you go somewhere and stay in a hotel for the night to get out of your normal routine.
Embrace Technology
Whether parents like or understand it, teens rely on technology for much of how they communicate. If you want to bond with your teen daughter, you may need to get comfortable using technology as well.
For example, texting or using social media can be ways for you to bond with your teen.
Listen
Parents too often think they’re listening to their teens when in reality, every conversation can come across as a lecture.
To bond with your teen daughter, work on your listening skills.
You don’t have to nor should you make every decision for your teen. Instead, you want them to learn how to make smart decisions on their own.
While your goal might be safety and protecting the well-being of your daughter, it can quickly feel restrictive.
Just sit back and listen rather than always offering solutions or guidelines.
Let your teen build her problem-solving skills independently and use her sense of reason to come to some of her own conclusions.
When it comes to rules and boundaries, yes, they need to exist but when you’re setting them, make it a two-way conversation. You can even do some negotiation within reason.
Offer Praise
Your opinion matters to your teen daughter, whether you realize it or not. With that, the importance of praise is highlighted. You want to boost your daughter’s self-esteem and always be encouraging.
Take time to let her know how proud you are of her regularly.
Praise hard work, or your daughter’s decision to do things that are challenging.
Be Active
Finally, being active is a good way to bond with your teen daughter. Dads will often do active things with their teen sons, but not as much with their daughters. Getting outdoors and cycling together, playing basketball, or taking a fitness class are all good ways to bond.
You could also join a gym together, go hiking, or do anything that both of you enjoy.
When you challenge yourself, that can be a bonding experience too, so maybe choose something outside of both of your comfort zones.
It can feel overwhelming for a dad to bond with his teen daughter, but it’s certainly not impossible. Be receptive and try to let your daughter guide the things you do and how you spend your time together. Also, focus on being a listener.