I live in a house of girls. So, every night, we gather around and have a little awards ceremony to award the best actress of the day. Not really, but as the only male in a house full of females, I can tell you there’s a lot of drama! And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
But I admit that sometimes my man-brain has a hard time understanding the way that girls think. And as a dad, it’s especially challenging as I work to raise young godly women in a culture that, in so many ways, is geared against us.
In Greg Wright’s book, Daddy Dates: Four Daughters, One Clueless Dad, and His Quest to Win Their Hearts: The Road Map for Any Dad to Raise a Strong and Confident Daughter, I got a clear glimpse into the ways he has successfully navigated some of the turbulent waters ahead of me. This Austin native has four daughters and he’s passing on his wisdom to the rest of clueless dads. He says that our most important job as a husband and dad is to pursue the women in our family as long as we’re breathing.
It’s too easy to try to parent on auto-pilot. But Greg stresses the importance of winning our daughter’s hearts by being intentional through a strategy of having regular daddy-daughter dates, not just for the purpose of hanging out together, but to gain greater understanding into their hearts and to speak into their lives as they grow.
He offers some relational equations that are helpful:
- Rules – Relationship = Rebellion
- Relationship – Rules = Destruction
- Relationship + Rules = Connection
And this one sums it up: Talk + Action + Time = Trust
While freely admitting his mistakes, Greg also seems to have done it right. This book gives me hope and encouragement as a dad. And I’m newly inspired to take being a dad to the next level. He gives insight into having good talks, ideas for great date nights, and guidelines for dealing with some of the particular struggles that our girls will face as they grow to maturity.
If you want to grow and learn how to better understand the girls in your family, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book, available here.
I read the Kindle version provided to me by BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”