Dad, does all the talk of weddings put a knot in your stomach?
If you’ve got a little girl still living at home, her wedding day may seem really far away. But, sooner than you think, it will be your turn to walk your own daughter down the aisle. And you, Dad, play an important and influential role in the man your daughter chooses to marry.
Women are drawn to what they know. The man your daughter chooses to marry will undoubtedly be a reflection of you—whether for better or for worse.
He may have your sense of humor or your passion for family. He will treat her the way you have treated her and her mother. Now is the time that you need to be asking yourself some tough questions so that you can assure yourself that he will be a great man—one who reflects the best of your character.
But how do you do this, exactly?
When she is young, let her know how she should be treated. When a girl begins to date a boy, she compares his behavior to her father’s. If you never swear, then the moment her boyfriend does, she will wonder what’s wrong with him. He will move down a notch in her mind. On the other hand, if she is used to you criticizing and yelling at her, she will expect her boyfriend to do the same.
In a very real sense, you supply her with a gravitational pull. You decide what type of treatment from a man your daughter finds comfortable.
What gravitational pull are you supplying for your daughter?
Is your little girl so used to being respected and loved that if a boyfriend mistreats her, she will walk out in an instant? Does your daughter demand that men respect her to the point where she would not tolerate verbal, emotional, or physical abuse? If your daughter said to a man, “My dad would never treat me that way,” what would she mean?
So, enjoy your punch and wedding cake this summer, knowing its a precursor to that pivotal day when you put your daughter’s hand into her husband’s.
