Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters

Dads, did you know that your daughter most likely craves physical affection from you? And if you don't give her hugs and kisses on the cheek every day and tell her you love her, she'll most likely get it from another guy her age? It's a bit unsettling, isn't it? But it's true. A study from Dr. Meg Meeker shows that girls who have that kind of affection connection with their fathers are far more likely to stay away from drugs, pre-marital sex, do better in school and be happier. So even if it feels a little weird, give her the hugs and kisses.

You'll definitely want to give her a hug and kiss after you watch this!


Father of the Bride - The Wedding from Family First on Vimeo.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=17444

Here is a sampling. If you would like to read the whole interview click on the link above.
Q&A: Dr. Meg Meeker on 'Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters'

by Ivy J. Sellers

Having spent more than 20 years in the medical profession practicing pediatric and adolescent medicine and counseling teens and parents, Dr. Meg Meeker has learned a thing or two about the impact fathers can have on their daughters—whether for good or for bad.

In her latest book, “Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know” (published by Regnery, a HUMAN EVENTS' sister company), Meeker explains the important role fathers play in the lives of their daughters and how they can best utilize that role to instill strong moral values and healthy self-images in their daughters.

Will a daughter’s relationship with her father really affect her future relationships?
Dr. Meeker: Absolutely. Unfortunately, most research identifies what’s wrong in a girl’s life when she doesn’t have a good father, rather than what’s right when she does. So to encourage men, I tried to show them what can go well in their lives. We know that girls wait longer to initiate sex, are less likely to suffer from depression, and are less likely to take drugs, drink alcohol, and have eating disorders if their fathers are involved in their lives. Any and all of these affect a girl’s future because they keep her from maturing and from excelling both academically and emotionally.

Why are fathers the most important men in their daughters’ lives?
Dr. Meeker: Fathers are their daughters’ first experience of male love, compassion, kindness, anger, and cruelty. These early experiences are imprinted on a girl’s brain and heart. For the rest of her life, every experience she has with a male is filtered through her experiences with her father. So if she trusts her father at an early age, she is more likely to trust men. If she has been hurt by her father, she will shy away from men.

In your book you mention that girls can come to view their fathers as their heroes. How does that happen?
Dr. Meeker: Girls very naturally assign the role of hero to their fathers, usually without the father knowing it. A girl believes that her father is the strongest, smartest, and most capable man on earth. All he has to do is live a life of integrity, truthfulness, and moral clarity and he will be her hero forever. Girls don’t need their fathers to rescue people or make a lot of money or live in a big house. They define heroism as a dad who has stronger character than their friends’ dads. If a girl’s dad stays married to her critically ill mother, he is his daughter’s hero. If he leaves her, he fails as a hero. This is what girls are looking for. Is that essential? Yes and no. She gives him the role of hero, so if he fails, she is disappointed. However, if he fails and recognizes that he disappointed his daughter, he redeems himself.