Father has a prime role to play in the life of his daughter. He is the first
male that a girl comes across and hence, becomes the role model of her life. She
sees the reflection of men in the rest of the world, through her dad and often
perceives that all men should be like her father. Right from her childhood to
adolescence to adulthood, he plays an influential role in her life. He is the
guide, the savior, the protector, a friend and most importantly, the ultimate
caretaker, who nourishes her in the loving and protective atmosphere set by him.
She would find her daddy assuming a multi-faceted role, which changes with
changing phases of life.
Although fathers are bestowed a primary role in their daughter's life, many of
them don't realize the importance of interactions with their daughters,
especially when the girls surpass the stage of childhood and become adolescent.
The most common reason behind this is common perception of the men, according to
which, their role as the 'significant parent' is just limited to the childhood
of their daughters, and doesn't go beyond it. They think that their daughters
have become too old to get closer. As a result, they tend to withdraw from the
prime role of the parent and handover it to their significant half - their
daughter's mother.
Fathers find themselves drift apart from their adolescent daughter, especially
when it comes to sharing the best kept girly secrets. Their daughters think that
not everything can be disclosed to their father and resort to their mother for
the purpose. Communication for a father becomes even more difficult, when the
girl reaches adulthood. Parenting issues for him become a bit complicated,
especially when the girl reaches adulthood and transforms from merely a girl to
a woman. At this stage of life, she finds her mother to take the lead (as the
parent), when it comes to interacting with parents. Although a girl needs her
mother the most at this point of time, fathers should realize that their role as
a parent is never over and that the girl still needs her dad.
Gender difference is a major factor for such a situation. However, the issues
pertaining to interaction of father with his grown up girl can be easily
resolved. All it needs is the clear understanding of the fact that the girl has
matured and needs to be freed from being nestled by fatherhood. However, the
father should not forget that all through his daughter's life, he is one among
the significant men in her life and that his role as a parent never ends. If he
manages to mark his pronounced presence in every stage of life of his daughter,
then the relationship with his daughter can prove to be the best of all.
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