As a mom of three girls, I admit there have been times when one of my daughters has had a puberty or period issue, and we agreed to “not tell Dad.” Because… girl stuff. 🙈🙉🙊
But if her dad is involved in her life, why do we do this? To protect her? Or to protect him?
Either way, here’s the truth: it doesn’t protect EITHER of them.
Girls need the support of men who care about them. 👨👧 There’s a well-established body of research confirming the positive impact of healthy father-daughter relationships. It’s a bonus when those men are cool and confident about their little girls growing up – including puberty & periods.
When we keep dads (and boys) in the dark, it perpetuates stigma by implying that periods and body changes are something to hide, when honestly, our biology is something to celebrate and honor.
So, if your girl’s dad is part of her life and ready to shine (or shine brighter), let him in on the girl-talk. And if you're the dad seeking help connecting with your tween/teen daughter – don't back away from those conversations. Dads often bring a fresh, matter-of-fact, sometimes even goofy perspective that boosts comfort for everyone.
So as we honor all the dads who are helping raise confident girls, here's one big tip that strengthens the father-daughter bond that can carry a lifetime of benefits:
👉🏽 Instead of DADs always being the one to share their knowledge and skills with their daughters, it's important to express curiosity that allows girls to explain things to their dads or other men who care about them.
Maybe it starts with some simple asks:
- “How do you make a Tik Tok?”
- “Will you show me how to play your favorite video game.”
- “Can you help me understand why people like Taylor Swift?”
And as you advance those strategies, don't hold back on the girl talk topics:
- “How do tampons work?”
- “I never understood the menstrual cycle very well; can you tell me what you know about it?”
When SHE has the opportunity to explain things to YOU (and YOU remain curious and interested), her comfort, confidence, and communication skills grow. So does that connection that creates lasting benefits.
If an ice-breaker might help, start by sitting down together to watch our Prepared for Puberty class or Confident about Periods class. I can’t think of a better way to spend some quality couch time on Fathers Day!
Did you know Girlology has grade-by-grade playlists listing on-demand video and downloadable content to support her and you through the entire journey? Learn More
