Daughters and Fathers

As a father, love your child, accept your child, and above all listen to your child.
- Thanks so much for your advice. Listening has come a lot in this discussion and I wasn't expecting it... Why is that? is it because listening shows a daughter that she matters?
  
  Everyone needs to feel heard. You won't always be able to solve all their problems. But you can make them feel heard. And often that's more important.
  
  I'll add to what others have said about listening, don't assume she wants you to solve every problem. My dad used to do that and it drove me crazy, especially when he'd point out out like it was so obvious. I often already knew the solution, but sometimes I didn't like it or just wanted to vent before moving forward. I think it's good for most relationships to ask, "do you want advice or is this just to get it off your chest," before responding, not just with daughters, but I've noticed dads are particularly prone to wanting to fix the thing.
  
  Being a parent is like one part being a therapist, one part being the fence to the boundaries of exploration, and one part being The Doctor or some superhero in your child's eyes capable of making magic and excitement happen. Fucking incredible, honestly.
  
  Because listening takes energy.
  
  You won’t always know what’s wrong with your daughter or what she needs but if you listen to her, like really listen, she will tell you which is so much more important.
  In the long term, her being about to tell you things will make her feel safe and validated, it will strengthen your bond with each other, and it will help her develop the emotional intelligence to express herself in a healthy way that so many kids are missing these days. It’s win win win.
  
  Because even though you might know what will be best for her - You might not have her big picture.

This thread already has so much great advice that it made me a bit teary eyed reading it. I don’t know if I can contribute much but I’ll try.
90% of parenting is just showing up. Your physical, mental, and emotional presents will mean far more to them than anything else. That’s what will make them feel valued and loved.
Fuck gender norms. Regardless of if your child wants to learn to sew, fix engines, or both, embrace it, encourage them, and be there with them every step of the way.
They don’t really have any perspective on things so small things to you are huge things to them. Don’t just dismiss their feelings.
like everyone else said, listen to them. Like really listen every time.
Don’t over think it. If you’re asking these questions, your head and heart are already in the right place. Trust yourself.
- Yeah, last point is very true. I can already tell this girl is gonna have a good father regardless if he applies anything from this thread or not, given he cares enough and has the humility to ask.
  
  I totally agree. It makes me so happy to see this new generation that’s completely redefining what fatherhood looks like.
- Thanks so much for your comment - it's given me confidence, compassion and some peace too :) It's taken me nearly a week to read everyone's replies and over that time it has made me feel quite emotional too. We all have so much love and goodness that we want to make happen the world. I'm eally glad I made this post.
- I'm going to reply to OP directly, but your point on really listening is huge. My SO shared an article that, while I don't have access to share it, I'm gonna copypaste it to OP because I think every parent needs to read it. Thank you for bringing it up!
- Removed

My dad never spent time with me because we didn't share hobbies, I tried desperately as a kid to get into what he liked, but he never tried to get into what I liked. My mom knew the names of the kids on Barney, what snacks cheered me up, or what friends I had in school, my dad also lived in the house.
As adults we've found common ground in politics and TV, and we have a relationship now, but we'd have a much better relationship if he'd tried to hang out with me back then.
So I guess my advice is just hang out with her, whatever form that takes. Time is so important.
- What do you remember your dad for?

Listen. Listen and make sure they know you hear them. Actively engage in thier interests. Be honest. Just don't bullshit them. Daughters know. Mine are 27 and 11 and those are my biggest missteps along the way.
Oh, also be wrong. Be wrong and accountable. And learn.
- I can see see myself prone to those mistakes, as well as reluctant to avoid them. So it's good to know they're important and that it's worth trying to. Thanks for that

So much nice advice here. I'm turning 30 this month and my dad and I continue to be very close. Top things I'm grateful for about my dad:
My dad is always lifting me up, but he did not and does not give me empty praise. He to this day gives me compliments about specific things he notices, which is amazing for my self esteem. Some examples: While I was cleaning the other day and kind of barking directions : "I love it when you get in the zone like this. It's like you can accomplish anything" or "that's something I have always been in awe of about you; you somehow know when people are down and figure out a way to lift them up. You're very intuitive about it." Or during a long day of hard work, " you're like a machine! You're incredible. Do you need anything?" Complimenting every little thing will just make her not trust your compliments. Being specific and accurate in your praise will help her feel truly good about herself and also strengthen your bond.
Idk what it's like if it's a step daughter and not a bio daughter but my dad would take me out. We never called it daddy daughter dates or anything (ew) but he would take me to dinner and a movie, or buy me flowers, or stop for coffee or ice cream at local shops. If we had to go somewhere for work or to pick up something for a home project he'd just stop at a bookstore and say this place looks cool, want to procrastinate a little in here with me? I know he loves to spend real time with me and he's always opening me up to new places/hobbies
MOST IMPORTANTLY: my dad adores and dotes on my mom. There is nothing he won't do for her. He will help her with the same problem a hundred times. He will make her coffee just the way she likes it every morning. He spoils her, he relies on her, he treats her like he is lucky to be around her, and that helps me to know exactly how I should be treated. I don't allow anyone to mistreat me, not partners, not coworkers, not friends or in-laws. I know what a healthy relationship looks like, and I know what a partnership of respect and love looks like. My parents argue in front of me, sure, but I never ever doubt how much they love each other.

My dad told me to eat salads and lose weight when I was a little kid. I will never forget. Please don't shame her, weight and appearances are so touchy but criticizing every bite I ate only fucked me up. I was chubby, I still consider myself the same proportional level of chubby as when I was a kid. I have yoyo dieted my whole life and when I see him I still just push food around my plate.
The one great thing I remember about my childhood was driving long distances the two of us. He would often need to drive a few hours out of town to pick stuff up for work, and I would sit in the passengers seat with one of those huge map books and I would navigate us there. It was a ton of fun just doing mini road trips once or twice a month.
I also went to conventions related to his profession, the topic was boring but conventions of any type inevitably have loads of candy dishes. Just doing things together the two of us felt special.
- I'm sorry that your dad said those things about food and weight and it caused that for you. I'm also really grateful for the advice and happy that you had sweet times together too. It's really cool that he took you with him for hose trips.

Did his share of the housework. My dad didn't know how to cook well, but you bet your butt he did laundry, vacuumed, dusted, washed dishes, whatever was needed around the house he did it. And he did cook at least once a week, although it was always stuff like grilled cheese or pancakes.
Growing up in a household where both parents put in equal effort at home really set up the expectation for me that this is how relationships work.
My dad was also very loving and openly affectionate to us all. He would give us hugs, tell us he loved us and how proud of us he is, even to the point of tearing up sometimes. I love that about him and see it as an admirable quality in men.
Girls learn what to expect from men based on what they see their fathers do. Be kind, gentle, and respect your daughter and that's the kind of men she'll surround herself with.

I don't have much positive examples, but I suppose we can learn from mistakes. Alright, here goes ...
You just created a new human. This human to a certain degree takes precedence now. Plan accordingly, don't move every 2 years, give her a chance to grow with her environment. (I can explain this is detail if needed.)
If your kids cries, it's probably not because it's an evil manipulator. It does not need to be told to be tough.
If your kid consistently gets sick when she has to go to school, don't just send her anyway, check if there's a reason.
Be curious! When she says or does something you don't understand, ask. Be open about the answer and don't judge what you hear.
Be on her side. If you're taking a different position, explain the why and how.
Clean up together, involve her, be a part of it! Show her that men have a part to play in household stuff, teach her that it can be fun to live in a tidy, clean, beautiful space.
Your child is not part of fights with your wife. If you want to go to Hawaii and your wife wants Canada, your kid will not be the one to decide.
Don't make jokes about or be ironic with a kid. A 14 year old is still a kid, a 16yo is still a kid. Kids are very vulnerable and you're teaching them, that they can't trust you with stuff. Particularly when it comes to love/gender/sex/periods, just don't act like it's funny.
Do not comment body shape, not hers, not others, not in general. You have a type? Good for you, but that isn't for your daughter to know or consider. If you like petite dark haired women but your daughter is tall and blonde, she will understand this as her not being pretty enough. No matter how pretty she is or if your wife is just as tall and blonde. Sentences like "All xy-women eventually turn into square shape, it's just how that demographic works" are shitty without you telling this to your kid.
She likes a boy band? Great, you can drive her to the gig and pick her up later!
She reads teenager magazines because she's a teenager, maybe you want to hear her opinion on this stuff. She certainly doesn't need any condescending attitude though.
Maybe sometimes children need to be humbled, but many times life will do that on its own. Consider your own vulnerabilities, before putting them in their place. What they said may sound arrogant, but still be true for their situation.
Whatever she wants to do or create: Be supportive! She does not need to be a child genius and you don't need to tell her, that she's not Picasso.
"There will only be boys there, are you sure that's what you want to do?" is not in your vocabulary.
When she picks a study subject, maybe don't point out that this may be too hard for her. Help her prepare instead!
You can do this! My list is very long, but ultimately simple: If you lean into your own vulnerabilities and share this with her, a lot of these things will happen on their own. Be open and curious. You can't teach her everything, she'll have to fall on her face by herself. Be there to pick her up afterwards and just keep that up.
- This is probably the best, most concise comment

My dad is arguably not the best dad in many ways, but he taught me a solid work ethic, and most importantly, called 911 when I was attacked by my husband. The best thing a dad can do is teach his daughter how she should be treated by men.

I apologize but this will be kind of dark. As a father I know you are going to be desperate to protect her, but don’t wax poetic about dealing violence to anyone who would do her wrong. For example, don’t talk about beating her current boyfriend/girlfriend if they cross her. Girls are going to have shitty relationships because that’s a part of growing up. Don’t make her think talking to you about them is the nuclear option when she’s still trying to figure out what is acceptable and her boundaries. If she thinks you’ll go beat the shit out of any one who looks at her funny, she might not come to you with her problems until she is willing to accept her dad going to prison for a long time. Everyone is right about listening to her, but make sure she that she knows that you can be trusted. Listen, accept her decisions, work with her, and not to fly off of the handle. Best of luck new father, since you’re asking the right questions I think you are going to be fine.
- Thank you for mentioning this. I think it’s really important and often overlooked because it’s shrugged off as “dads will be dads” behavior.
  
  I am really happy that people are willing to consider how toxic that aggression is. It’s so engrained in our culture that it’s considered normal when a father threatens to have his gun out when first meeting his daughter’s partner. Nobody really thinks about the effects of this normalized violence.

Don't be afriad to involve her in your stuff, even if it's boy stuff. My dad taught me how to fix cars, wilderness survival, how to shoot guns, how to fix stuff, it didn't matter that I was a girl, if I was interested he'd show me. I didn't care that this was boy stuff, I just liked that I was helping dad.
With the bonus payoff of me being a rather handy cabable adult too! Although he did his fair share of playing Barbie and tea party as well.
She might not like all of your hobbies (I never liked fishing) but give it a shot! Don't be afraid just bc some stuck up parents would be agast she's learning to change the oil in the car.
- With the bonus payoff of me being a rather handy cabable adult too!
  Please extend your Dad my best wishes. I nearly lost my faith in humanity when my two female roommates called me over to change a lightbulb because "electricity is scarry".

Don’t be afraid to be wrong and take accountability for your actions. I personally admired my grandpa for telling me this before his passing, there’s no shame in diligently striving for honor.
Most importantly, fight for those who can’t fight for themselves, you might never see the results of your actions; but you’ll be able to sleep soundly at night.

Hey, I have some simple advice, dad to dad. She’s going to start by copying everything you do, and you need to involve her, and make her feel involved, in those things so she learns them. Especially encourage that in doing the chores together and eating vegetables together.
As she gets older, the temptation to continue to guide her in directions you know will be fierce. But you need to help her explore things you don’t know, and tell her “I don’t know this, but what do you need to learn about it so I can help.”
- Also, coping strategies... When you get stressed, let her see you deal with it in a healthy way, so she'll learn how to deal with her own stress in a healthy way. If you don't have healthy coping strategies, get a therapist and learn some.

By asking this question you're already ahead.
Be your genuine self. Share your wisdom. Love your child.

I am a woman whose father was an abusive narcissist, the list of what I needed and didn't get is depressing to say the least. So I'll boil it down to its essence: Be there when needed. Remember she is her own person, not an extension of you. Try to make her life better than your own. Let your love be unconditional. It may not be helpful advice, but it's all I got for ya.
- Thank you

My dad was a wonderful man with a great heart, but I think in this conversation, it's more productive to speak of his downfalls. He died when I was 15, and I was very close to him until then. He was so often smiling, and giving, and generous, and caring to everyone and anyone he met. But one of the most impactful things I remember is that he was severely depressed in the last 5 years of his life. As a child, I didn't know what to do about it. Shit, as an adult, I wouldn't know what to do.
If you feel depression creeping up, for the sake of your daughter - for the sake of your family - get help.
I miss my dad so much, and I hate that the dominating memories I have of him are when he was max depressed, or when he was in a coma.

Stand up to other men when they say or do shitty things. My dad was mostly a pretty good feminist and advocate and I know he believed I could do just about anything I set my mind to, but there were times when family members would say some really crappy things and he just kind of stood by for the sake of keeping the peace. I never shut my mouth in those instances, but it would've meant a lot if my dad had spoken up. I'm not saying it has to be a whole fight or anything, but even saying, "Hey, not cool," helps. It shows that your support isn't just lip service.
- Removed

Dad was born in the '50s into a family I can only describe as Victorian. Very rigid gender roles, happy and angry the only acceptable male emotions, and all the "fun" stuff that comes along with that kind of upbringing. I'm in my mid-30s now. He worked a job that sent him out of town for weeks or sometimes months at a time, but where he would often have several weeks off at a time as well so he was either never around or home all the time. Mom was a stay at home mom, but that's about the extent of the gender roles enforced while I was growing up.
Dad and I had a fairly close relationship until I got to about 14/15 but I did learn very early that he was not the person to go to for anything emotional. He never knew how to handle emotions and - like many people of his generation - he didn't think about the long-term effects that his offhand comments and teasing might have. As an adult, I understand that it was his way of showing affection but it's taken me a very long time to work through the body issues I picked up because of his (and Mom's) teasing about "the family nose/thighs/shoulders/etc."
We drifted apart when I got to high school. The teenage girl hormones hit really hard. He didn't know what to do with all the feelings I was having so he either ignored them or got angry with me if they inconvenienced him. I never felt like I could talk to either of my parents about what I was going through so I withdrew into myself. Honestly, I was a pretty shitty teenager and my parents were both pretty shitty parents of teenagers (though in my defense my sister was way worse from a much younger age and never really got much better - we still don't get along.) As I got into my twenties and calmed down, Dad continued to treat me like that hyper emotional teenager. I resented that a lot and kept him at arm's length.
Dad's and my relationship is good now but it took a long time to get here. It took me accepting that he is never going to change and meeting him on his level, while asserting my own boundaries. I've spent a lot of time unpacking the hangups and baggage I carried with me into adulthood, which has given me the ability to get past "Dad is an asshole". Dad was raised in an environment with a lot of gendered pressure, came out of it with severe anxiety - which you can see runs in the family if you know what to look for - and his only coping mechanism is control. When he feels out of control, he explodes. However, being a "man of a certain age" (a.k.a. Boomer) there's no way he'll ever develop the emotional intelligence to understand and acknowledge that. He has no incentive to and has never learned the language. I learned that if I want a relationship with him, I have to be willing to work around that so I do the work on myself and focus on what he and I have in common - which is a lot! It's been a slow process, but I've also seen him finally start to acknowledge and respect me as an independent adult over the last few years and that feels pretty good.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, my partner has a fantastic relationship with his 7-year-old daughter (my stepdaughter). He's very emotionally intelligent and self-aware and has no problem talking with his kid about feelings - hers or his own. He also rejects the idea of traditional gender roles and doesn't feel at all weird about playing dress up with her, getting his nails painted, or any of the other "girly" things she likes to do with him. Neither of us had good parental relationships modeled for us growing up (mine were distant and affectionless with each other, his were volatile) so we do our best to show his kid what a loving, respectful adult relationship looks like. I've often thought that I wish my dad had been a parent to me like my partner is to his daughter.
I think the most important thing about any parent-child relationship is that the child feels supported, respected, and confident to come to their parent about how they're feeling. That's going to look different in any relationship, but staying empathetic and not assuming you know better than your kid about what's going on in their mind is always a good place to start. It also helps to be self-aware. Recognize where you might have hangups or emotional baggage and be proactive about addressing it. I have done more self-work in the last two years of being a stepparent than in the previous ten. That's not to say I didn't also do a lot in those ten years, but my partner and I both strongly believe that it's our job as parents to do better than our own parents did, even if our parents had been stellar. But no pressure, right? XD
It's well after midnight and I'm rambling now so I'm going to quit while I'm ahead.

Don't drown their perspective out because you want to convince them of yours.
- Good luck with this one, OP.

Ignore the vagina, treat that kid like the tiny human they are. Do the same things you would do if they had a penis, the world is sexist enough. And I'll add a quote from the best of the Stars :
And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle.
- Ignore the vagina indeed.

My perspective is slightly different since I'm a trans woman (have been for 10yr), but I was also raised by just my dad.
The main things I learned from him that have actually been useful are things like how to use a variety of tools and do basic handyman type jobs around my living space. I learned a lot of hard skills from him, but not so much soft skills. I can comfortably fix a toilet, patch a wall, or mount a TV. I also picked up the basics of firearms and engines from him, though I haven't had to use that knowledge yet. The things that have been useful that I had to learn on my own were how to cook, how to sew, and how to clean.
I wish he had let me explore my emotions a bit more. I learned to repress my feelings and now struggle with that a bit in adulthood.
The best advice I can give is to be open and give her space to talk about what's troubling her. Be an active listener, and don't shrug her off when she's sad or angry. Encourage her to learn hard skills that may be useful in the future, but also don't be hesitant to learn soft skills alongside her. Let her practice styling your hair or painting your nails if she wants to. Gender norms are outdated anyways. More than anything, love, respect, and trust her.
- Yes! On the other side of this, as a cis woman, don't be afraid to teach her practical, hands-on skills that don't conform to whatever ideas you have about gender roles. My dad wasn't in my life much, though my grandfather was a fair bit. I was always jealous of the boys that were raised to have "shop" skills. I wanted to help with that kind of stuff but the adults just kind of shrugged me off, where I feel like if I was a boy I might have been invited or even volunteered to help. All the older men that have worked alongside me in shops act surprised when they see that I can hold my own around power tools. The only exception might be some of my robotics mentors.
  I learned what I know mainly from a couple projects with my grandfather and some classes/clubs I took part in in high school, and while it's something that does just click for me, I got to engineering school and felt pretty alienated when the boys had way more practical knowledge about things like cars and computer networks. Their father figures didn't shy away from those topics with them and gave them solid foundations to build their skills upon.
  Of course, you might not have those particular specialties yourself and she might grow up to be into different, traditionally "girly" things, but you won't be able to say it was for a lack of support or because you were reluctant to share that side of yourself/your interests with her. It's a whole level of connection that I think is too easily missed between people raised as girls and their father figures, while those raised as boys, yes, probably are more likely to miss out more on the emotional end of things. Both are important for a well-rounded human being.

Hope this is okay to respond but as a father to an adult daughter I have thought about this a lot. Our daughter is married, empathetic, and simply a nice person (also a productive member of society) and I think some of that has to do with how I made a concerted effort to make sure my relationship with her mother (my wife) was healthy. I treated my wife how I wanted my daughter to be treated, with respect, dignity, love, kindness, humor. All of those ways we want to be treated ourselves.
It wasn't all roses though for sure. Sometimes it was hard and we fought like normal couples do and all that but we worked to get on the other side of those times. I made (wife did too) an effort to not carry contempt toward one another for too long. Limit the smart ass comments. No name calling ever. Try not to let contempt be in the tone of our voicees when we were fighting. We had or developed over time some ground rules for our marriage that engendered respect even when we were pissed or hurt and stuff. I think ensuring our kids saw that people can be humble, admit wrong, apologize, and then move on trying to be better sinks in.
It seems perhaps corny and maybe weird but I stuck with it and she grew up to be a great person. Sure she's got her flaws and her challenges but she is a really good person at heart, and has a great relationship with her husband and with us. She's tender toward animals and and toward genuine people and, maybe most importantly, she doesn't play the victim. It's neat to see. I like to think some of that is because I worked hard to be a good father figure. But I the eve of mother's day in the US it's also important to admit that her mom played a critical role as well.
So congrats on being a father. Yes, it is a weird and magical bond between my daughter and I. I think what she was looking for in her committed relationships was rooted in how her mom and I communicated and how she witnessed our relationship as she grew up.
- Thanks for your comment :) Can I ask; what sort of ground rules did you have with your wife?
  
  It sounds more formal than I suppose it really was I think. But, a few things were kind of baseline assumptions we worked from. No name calling or snide insults in a hurtful manner. That seemed to be a really core value. We allowed apologies when they were needed after an argument and we allowed them without any eye rolling or derision. We tried to go to bed without contempt...certainly we could be irritated, maybe angry but that didn't mean we didn't like each other so it was a sort of neutral ground, in a way?
  Trying to explain it seems so contrived and cringe but in my head, and believe in hers as well, we had some idea from our parents what we should try to avoid and that was our starting point. Our parents provided a model of what not to have in a marriage and so we talked a lot about that, especially when we first met.
  Also, no TV in the bedroom. Ever.
  These are still the set of guidelines we follow now. Even without the pressure of children.

I had an excellent father. He wasn't perfect, but his imperfections and occasional impatience made him more human and relatable. Don't pretend to be perfect - let her know that everyone makes mistakes not just by saying it, but by showing them yours. Our world has become better for women to live in, but there still is a silent pressure on women to be flawless. Physically, emotionally, academically, professionally - we are not supposed to show weakness if we are to be taken seriously. Show her it's ok to be imperfect, this will be even more meaningful coming from a male role model.
And I'll echo what others have said - listen to her. Even if it's stupid ramblings about her favorite band or what a classmate did or any number of things you really do not care about. When she feels heard on the little things she will know she has a voice in the big things.
Lastly, be honest with her about the world not being fair. This was something my dad maybe could have done better. I was supported and told I can do anything a man can do, but I wish I would have known a little sooner what societal obstacles I was actually going to face. You don't have to make it sound ok or even acceptable, but all girls should know what they're up against so they can be prepared to face it head on.

I’m sorry I can’t contribute much, but as a fairly recent father to an amazing 3yo daughter, I’ll be following along!
- All the best to you fellow father :)

One of the skills my dad taught me that I've been the most grateful for over the years that is generally considered a "male "skill is to take things apart and use tools to fix them. My dad has two daughters, so he showed us how to do the stuff he loved. Power tools, electrical work, not being afraid to take out the screw and see how it works and if you can fix it. Not as many things are simply mechanical as they were in the 90's, but it taught me to be curious and unafraid of exploration and capable in a way that continually surprises the people around me.

I was closer to my dad than my mom. I think probably because he just seemed to accept and appreciate who I was when I was little. He would take me out for spicy food because he said without that I got irritable; called me a wee anarchist. When I was a teen he'd shave my head for me when I wanted a mohawk. Both my parents were teachers and so both were around and both cooked, etc. He died when I was 16, but I wouldn't trade that for someone else who lasted longer. I wasn't as close to my mom, we were just very different sorts of people.
I'm not sure it's something you can force, the baby when she grows will likely be more like either you or her mother - if she is closer to her mom, being a good partner is the most important, and being there for if she needs to talk. Based on my individual experience I'd say buy her books and take her to eat at restaurants, lol, but all kids are different so I think the point is more to know her, so that you can do the things together that help her feel more confident being herself.
Oh - I just realized I also may have advice as a mom of daughters, since I married after having them, a man who was a single dad to his kids before and I see what he does for the girls, though I'm not sure they see it yet. They do see he would do about anything for me and they like that. He will always come pick them up in the car from wherever they are, goes to the school stuff and when the older ones were in college went with me to pick them up, drop them off, etc. Do not badmouth her dad, my husband actually pointed out to ME I was grumbling about their dad in front of them and he was right, don't do that. Just be yourself, love her mom, you will grow to love the kid too.

You'll be the template for "man" so you need to be the man you want your daughter to have in her life. Important things like handling strong emotions, never overpowering her with your strength, and that kind of thing.

From a woman who's father failed in many ways: Be present, be willing to listen, and actually give a damn. My father wasn't any of those things when I was growing up, he just sorta came and went as he pleased and if he cared, he sure didn't show it. I went NC with him from my teens until my 30s, and we now have a semi-decent relationship, but man, I will be forever jealous of those "Daddy's girl" women who adore and admire their fathers and their fathers love them so much everyone can tell.

Everyone says 'listen' but I would suggest one way to act on that advice. This is more of a general parenting advice for small kids (or all kids?).
Let them choose what to do. If their interested in soccer, give that a try. If they want to learn about ants, let them observe, guide them through the thoughts.
Play is dictated by their interests, not your expectations or dreams. This way there is much less struggle, save for the times you really need, and learning and play get tied together.

For me, it means a lot when my dad can apologise and take accountability for his mistakes. Sometimes he can be very quick to judge, which can feel diminishing, but whenever he comes around and recognises his behaviour it always feels better. It shows me he’s had time to think and reflect on his own personality.
I guess it’s obvious that spending time and sharing hobbies is important. For example, my dad and I recently went to the cinema together to watch the new Planet of the Apes movie. We frequently send songs or posts of animals to each other. Small things like that are fun. It don’t need to be a full-on planned father/daughter day.

What everyone else has said but - apologize when you’re wrong. Tell your children that you were wrong, why you acted or said what you did, and how you will try to do better next time. Set the example that everyone is wrong, that it’s more important to make it right than be perfect

People say that daughters and fathers have a unique relationship too.
Just try to build a good relationship to her, and all will be good.
speak from the heart and not the head
This is probaly a very good start.
To live a good life as an adult?
This isn't exactly needed for a good relationship.
Do it anyway :) because children usually don't do what parents say, but what they see parents doing.
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Actually being there and staying involved is important. My biodad was a complete POS until last year. My mom was essentially a single mother my whole life because my biodad was never around. He was a really good father for the first two years of my life, then he just kinda stopped giving a shit. I recommend that you don't do that. He used to manipulate tf out of me emotionally and would make so many false promises. His mental health was fucked and he was an alcoholic for a long time.
I cut ties entirely with him and a few years after that, he reached out to my mom to see if we could talk. He had finally gotten his shit together. He's on his meds and doesn't drink like he used to. I don't see the man as a father, however. I see him as a friend. We text almost daily, but he knows that I don't consider him a father-figure and acknowledges it and all of his wrongdoings. He was only 21 years too late, but that's better than never.
He is part of the reason I have a very hard time trusting people. He had let me down countless times in my life and each time just broke me. I just couldn't not get my hopes up at his false promises. He was so good at sounding genuine. Now that he's sober and on his meds, I've learned that his truly genuine tone and words are far different than the ones he used when he was still a drunk.
Anyway, I highly recommend you don't do any of the shit my biodad did. Being hella bitter about your relationship with your father sucks.

My wife's father is still peddling that toxic masculinity bullshit on his grandson, saying...to our 1-year-old... To toughen it up.
My wife about lost it on him. Now that was to our son but for our daughter it would be no different and it's a reflection of her childhood.
Being emotionally unattached, uncomfortable with crying, and being incapable saying sorry and admitting you're wrong are simply massive. Kids are kids but they have a keen sense of justice and parents should empower them to stand up for themselves and be proud of them for exposing you as a hypocrite... Not beat them with a belt...
And for goodness sake, play with your kid. She wants to play dolls? Dress you up? Paint your nails? Tea time? By god you do it! If she wants to play with army men (they make army gals, too), go for it!

I'm a man but my dad was just not in my life at all and now I do my best to be in my son's life as much as possible. His mother moved 2 hours away to a place that costs $50 every time you leave due to bridge fees so it's not easy . But I video call with him almost every night he's not with me and spend as much time with him I can . I think what really matters it that you are there for her . I think you are going to do great ! I have a daughter on the way too !
- Thanks for your encouragement! And best wishes to you for the new one on the way :)

I didn't grow up living together with my dad as my parents split when I was about 2 or 3. But he's always been in my life, and I've always visited often. He's always given me good advice about things. Shown me how to be patient. Shown me how to show love. How to be affectionate, and how to be firm but fair. He's also shown his weaknesses, which I've used as an example of what not to do because I saw the negative impacts of them in his own life.
Amazing father, from a distance. I've been blessed with unconditional love from every direction, so that's what I aim to show my kids. Patience, tolerance, respect, love, and teach them to love and respect in good ways.
These things I feel apply whether or not you have a daughter or son, or other. So do with this what you will. ❤️👋

When I was young, my dad would do cheesy magic tricks and let me walk on his feet. He'd let me and my sister dress him up and put clips in his hair. Growing up he helped with my homework and cultured my love for learning and writing. This all fostered really wonderful memories.
As an adult, the one thing that I would change about my relationship with him is that I'd wish he could better express his emotions. He's very emotionally shut-in and we recently went through the deaths of his brother and his mom and that man has cried once. I know he feels sad but he just acts like everything's okay and that's hard for me to watch and hard for me to know how to be there for him. My mom, on the other hand, is very emotionally open and I always know that she needs me to talk or to just be there with her. I guess more so than expressing his emotions, I just wish he'd tell me what he needs, but we come from a culture of machismo where he learned he's not supposed to need things, especially from women.
Anyways, just be there for your baby girl. Enjoy your time together, and she'll have plenty of great memories with her dad.
- I mean, I don't think it's that he's not feeling things, my mom definitely heard him crying at night and stuff. He just does his best to hide it from us.
  I know what you mean though about depression shutting you down, and I don't doubt there's plenty of trauma in his past so it's probably just a bit of everything.
  I hope you're well <3

So I tried to share the contents of a The Atlantic article that's incredibly relevant, and as someone who has spent 30 years working for a center for neglected children, it hit real close to home. Unfortunately, the article was too long to post, and I don't know how to bypass the paywall. Maybe someone here can?
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/07/the-dangers-of-distracted-parenting/561752/
The bottom line is that we need to be present for our kids. If we're staring at our black mirrors and not emotionally engaging with them they're going to feel devalued.

OP, thank you for asking this question. I'm in a remarkably similar boat; my SO had an absent father and I want to be the best dad to my new little girl (just a bit over 3 weeks) that I can be. Like you, I want to make sure my daughter has the opportunity to grow up strong, confident, kind, compassionate, and independent. I look forward to reading all the replies. :)

My dad was quick to judge things and people that were different than him, and that included not liking or accepting LGBT+ people. He would also regularly and half-jokingly threaten my siblings and me with violence if we did something he didn’t like; his favorite saying was “i’ll put your head through the wall”.
Needless to say that once I discovered my queerness, I knew I could never trust my father or tell him. He had conditioned me to be afraid of him. I came out to him at 19 and was kicked out of the house and he’s never spoken to me since. He also kicked out my older sister for dating a guy my dad didn’t approve of, but at least he still spoke to her after that.
Please don’t do things that would make your kids afraid of you. It messes kids up in a big way when they can’t trust their caregivers.

My mother has borderline personality disorder. She regards people as furniture she rearranges to suit her, or she tosses them out of her life and finds someone new, continually blowing through friend after friend. She regards her children and husband as extensions of her will. She's dangerous and violent and manipulative. My father had a group of good friends when they met, and one by one she decided they weren't good enough and eliminated them.
He just bends to her will no matter what it is. Sometimes he gets irritated and snaps back, but ultimately caves.
She forced my brother to pretend he wasn't gay for years. She is now doing her best to break up his relationship apparently. I am estranged from them all. She is pathologically obsessed with my appearance, to the point where I cannot bear to be in the same room as her because she's always scrutinizing every millimeter of me, be it negative or positive.
And he's just forever let her. He knows full well what she does, and that it has permanently cost them their relationship with me. Yet if I talked to him about her behaviour he would just insist repeatedly that she loved me. She most certainly does not. She doesn't love anyone really, she's not capable. Her disorder can only be described as malignant.
Every year he calls me on my birthday, I have their number blocked but my carrier lets it go to voice mail and he leaves this pathetic message saying he misses me. But that doesn't change that he does nothing to stand up to her or defend me.
So he was basically pointless in my life. We didn't do anything together, he didn't teach me anything or help me much.

I’d tell you, but it would be best to show you first with a cadaver dog and a walk around my parents’ place. Otherwise, no one would believe me.
The immediate downvotes are most likely my distant cousins who want me to stop talking about that. If there was nothing to hide, why downvote it? Why not bring out cadaver dogs and put me in my place by showing me I’m wrong?

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