Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters

Starting April 19, the guys of the 3gdadnetwork and a few friends, will be reading and discussing Meg Meeker's book, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters. 

Chapters 1 - You are most important man in her life
This chapter was hard to read because she spells out why dads are so important to a girls life.

"Be it good or painful, the hours you spend with her-or don't spend with her-change who she is."

Chapter 2 - She needs a hero
Who doesn't want to be a hero? Meg challenges dads to step up and be a hero to their daughters.

"If you don't accept the authority that is naturally yours, if you don't set high standards, if you don't live a life of moral principle, your daughter will suffer."

"Don't cave, persevere. Heroes see a battle through until the end; they never run away. So stay in the fight, stay engaged with your daughter and your family, spend as much time at home as you can, stay consistent, loving, kind and patient, and remember that you are more resilient then your daughter is."

Chapter 3 - You are her first love

"Your daughter will draw a picture in her mind of how you see her, and that's the person she'll want to be."

"Daughters with a curfew know that someone wants them home and is probably waiting for them. Daughters without curfews wonder."

"Fathers often overestimate their daughters' maturity"

"Let her know that nothing she can do, even running away, getting pregnant, tattooing her ankle, or piercing her tongue, can make you stop loving her."

"Remember that whatever she says, the very fact that you thoughtfully and consistently enforce rules of behavior makes her feel loved and valued."

"Think about the kind of dad you want to be. Sure, it will take hard work. But love isn't just about feeling good. It's about doing what you don't want to do, over and over again, if it needs to be done, for the sake of someone else. Love is really about self-sacrifice."

Chapter 4 - Teach her humility

"These days, humility is a politically incorrect virtue. But genuine humility is the starting point for every other virtue."

"Humility doesn't make sense unless it is modeled. IF you want your daughter to love reading, you must read."

"Our daughters don't need excessive praise to feel good about themselves."

"The paradox is that happiness is truly found only when it is routinely denied."

"If you teach your daughter to be good rather than simply happy, she will become both. Teaching your daughter humility is a wonderful gift. And it can be taught only by example."

Check back to see what we've learned each week.