Father-Daughter Bond: How Fathers Affect Relationships with Daughters

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Jul 27, 08:39 am

Parenting plays a major role in children's mental health, ability to succeed, social skills, and academic performance. Fathers and mothers play a vital role in their daughters' development depending on the nature of their relationship, as they can have a crucial impact on the person their daughter becomes.

Linda Neilson, a professor of psychology at Wake Forest University and an expert in father-daughter relationships, clarified that an emotionally absent father could damage his daughter's love life.

Daughters with a fulfilling relationship with their fathers usually are more trusting, secure, and more satisfied in their romantic relationships than the daughter who has a distant relationship with their dads. Such cases are regardless of whether her parents are married or divorced.

Women who grow up with significant, comfortable, and conversational relationships with their dads make better choices in who they date, sleep with, and marry.

On the other hand, those women who don't grow up affirmed and acknowledged by their dads can suffer from low self-esteem and have a high chance of making bad life choices. They can become clingy, needy, preoccupied with the relationship, and are always looking for reassurance from their partner, per The Gloss.

Father-daughter relationship

When fathers are absent, either physically or emotionally, their daughters are affected in many negative ways. When fathers are present, their daughters develop a strong sense of self and become more confident in their abilities. A healthy father-daughter bond is a key to establishing positive self-esteem.

Deborah Moskovitch, an author and divorce consultant, said children often blame themselves when their father leaves home and become less involved in their life. Especially when they aren't given an explanation about why their dad left, they instantly make up their own scenario and conclude that it is their fault and that they are unlovable.

Fatherlessness negatively impacts the daughter's self-esteem as her confidence in her ability and value as a human being can be diminished if her father isn't there.

According to Pamela Thomas, author of Fatherless Daughter, a book that examines how women cope with the loss of a father via death or divorce, women who grew up with absent fathers find it difficult to form lasting relationships as they were once scarred by their father's rejection of them that they don't want to risk getting hurt again.

They avoid getting close to people and may form superficial relationships in which they show little of themselves and invest little effort into getting to know others. They may become promiscuous to get males' attention without becoming too emotionally involved, per We Have Kids.

Strengthening the relationship

Although a father does not always agree with his daughter, she needs to know you will support her all the way. When a father wholeheartedly supports his daughter, she will establish strong self-esteem and a positive self-image. This doesn't mean that a father must always agree with his daughter but show her that even though you might not agree with her choice, you will always believe in her and have confidence in her abilities.

According to Christina Berton, self-esteem expert and founder of the Amara Pro Self-Esteem Foundation in Mexico, a father must break down the communication barriers.

When your daughter opens up, avoid jumping in with your own opinions; instead, show them that you are willing to listen and understand her, per Dove.