A licensed psychologist and marriage, family, and child counselor, Dr. James Dobson was a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. For 14 years Dr. Dobson was an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and he served for 17 years on the attending staff of Children's Hospital Los Angeles in the Division of Child Development and Medical Genetics. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California (1967) in the field of child development.
Heavily involved in influencing governmental policies related to the family, Dr. Dobson was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the National Advisory Commission to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He also served on the Attorney General's Advisory Board on Missing and Exploited Children, the Department of Health and Human Services' Panel on Teen Pregnancy Prevention, and the Commission on Child and Family Welfare. He was elected in 2008 to the National Radio Hall of Fame, and in 2009 received the Ronald Reagan Lifetime Achievement Award.
Wonderful. Every dad should read this. I am definitely going to check out his longer book, Bringing Up Girls. It is a good reminder that God has hard-wired differences into the sexes, and no amount of gender-bending will erase those differences.
This was a short and sweet read as I count down the days to being a dad! The book forced me (unfortunately) to think about days down the road but gave some simple and clear advice on how to bring up your daughter well in a Christian home.
Oh, if only every girl had a daddy that stayed, loved her mom, and provided a healthy example of strong masculinity! Too many girls grow up without fathers, fathers that are physically present but emotionally absent, abusive...so that they don't have any idea of what a good man is like. So they end up with abusers and losers.
Does every woman who had a good daddy choose well? Nope, because women aren't perfect, and bad boys are attractive [and liars, cheaters, and no good]. But this book is great for parents, especially daddys, who want to raise emotionally and mentally healthy daughters.
While, not every tidbit of advice will apply to every parent and child, I can't think of a better topic to be reading in my life stage right now. I also can't think of a more experienced writer for this topic. Definitely a good read and I'll pass it on to someone else.
It's quite short overall and even more so in substance. It can be summarized as "Talk to her, tell/show her you love her, complement her, spend time with her, and teach her the bible".
The author came in with a very strong perspective on how daughters think and need. The quotes are also not helpful when they are mostly named “female college student.”
This quick book full of insights about how fathers relate to daughters, and the importance of fathers in their daughters' lives should be more read. I appreciated the insights I probably would never have gotten, or it would have been a much slower learning curve to reach.
Overall a very sweet and simple book centered around Dads being present for their Daughters. I appreciate the Christ-centered approach as well with mentions of scripture supporting the author’s points.
Book Notes:
Art of conversation. Throw tennis ball. Say it’s not very fun unless you pass back. Conversations are the same way! Talking together is a game called conversation, and if you throw the ball back you are playing properly.
Dads have distinct role in building confidence, morals and values in a daughters life. They learn and see your behaviors and will likely mirror them as an adult.
Men utilize 7000 word a day on average, women 20000. Women get pleasure and enjoyment from discussion and verbal affirmation.
During puberty, emotional control and stability is what daughters need. Not yelling or screaming or chaos. It is already a stressful enough time physically and emotionally. Everything is a big deal if the daughter determines it so. They have a different lens. Try to see it. Do not undermine them. Biological impulse to be sexually desirable. Lots of mirror time and makeup. Try to understand them and help them.
Oxytocin with physical touch or hugging could be a tender trap. Be weary. It can cause girls to feel “love at first sight” and make breakups so much more painful.
As daughters grow, continue to hug them like they are 6. Don’t be awkward as they develop womanly features. They will sense this and read your retreat as questioning them as a person. Don’t allow this to happen.
Play be her rules in adolescence. Do not undermine. Notes, gifts, letters under pillows are cute ways to reaffirm love. Small compliments also go a long way and can be with them forever.
They won’t remember how much money you made or how big your house was. They’ll remember the quality of your relationship and time with them. Routines are important. Individual time important with multiple children. Breakfast, dinner, prayers at night, story time, anything like this!
Teach respect for authority. Define boundaries before they are enforced. Distinguish between willful defiance and childish irresponsibility. Reassure and teach after confrontation over. Use god in these moments! Avoid impossible demands for the child. Let love be the guide.
Do not speak out of anger or emotion. Give guidelines, rewards and consequences. Reaffirm the love for her but let her know certain behaviors are unacceptable. Respect parents, god and brothers and sisters.
Introduce prayer and faith early on for a strong moral base.
Here is a book from the perspective of daughters as to why fathers actually are essential. Contained in this booklet are some very good and arresting things to hear as a father.