So what does it look like for a father to show his girls how much he loves them? According to Thomas, fathers can be practical in showing their love by speaking encouraging words, saying prayers of thankfulness and intercession, providing their time and assistance, and showing affection. He continues, “I go out of my way to acknowledge [my daughters’] attractiveness, but much more so, I confirm their character because I know so many females deal with ‘body concerns.'” Thomas emphasizes the value of maintaining the father-daughter bond through enjoyable activities like going out for coffee, watching movies, playing games, and attending concerts. “Don’t let the connection turn into a training relationship. We must cherish our daughters. That is a really enjoyable aspect of fatherhood.” My father never encouraged conversation, snuggling, or the expression of emotions in our own house. Nevertheless, he managed to express his affection in subtle yet potent ways with very few words. He would put down what he was doing and calmly sit by our sides as we struggled with our homework. He attended as many of our sporting activities as he could, and he always expressed his appreciation for our musical performances to us afterward. We girls also regularly went on one-on-one dates with my dad, which gave us the chance to have him to ourselves. When we dressed up or got a new haircut, dad was eager to complement us, and he frequently expressed his pride in us. I recall holding his hand, giving him a hug goodnight, getting on his back, and playing with his hair. My sisters and I knew we each had a special place in our father’s heart and that he was pleased to be our father, even though he might have been a reserved man around the dinner table.
