As a Dad of Daughters {Father’s Day Series}

In celebration of Father’s Day this year we thought we’d bring you some very special guest contributors – our husbands!  We hope you enjoy this unique view into #dadlife from the men in our lives. 

 

 

dad of daughters

 

As a child, I played every sport imaginable. If it involved some sort of competition, I wanted to be part of it. Sports played such a big role in my life, that many would have thought my ‘dream’ was to have little mini-Matts. And I can’t argue with that. The opportunity to pass on a legacy through boys is most men’s dream. However, if we had a household of boys, what good would it do to have the skill set of painting toe nails and the ability to French braid hair?

Now as the father of three precious daughters, I see God’s plan unfolding. Being tasked with raising girls can seem overwhelming and foreign for a man, especially multiple daughters. Rightfully so, I struggle to fully understand my wife, navigating her emotions, effectively communicating, or fulfilling her spiritual needs. If I can’t do that for a grown woman, how can I do that for three young girls all at the same time, while juggling a career and the multitude of responsibilities of being a man in today’s complicated world!? Well… I definitely don’t have it figured out. These are three areas that I pray and wish that I can improve daily as a dad of daughters.

I want recognize my own mistakes. I need forgiveness and mercy, so that I can provide forgiveness and mercy to my daughters. It’s frustrating to see my daughters make mistakes, especially when they ought to know better, right? The difficulty is that I get so caught up in teaching and correcting my girls, that I forget the way they learn most is from WATCHING. The old adage ‘Do as I say and not as I do’ is simply a pipe dream! Allowing my daughters to see how I handle failure strengthens their ability to handle mistakes and builds confidence in who they are.

I need to remember to give my daughters the attention that they need and deserve. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the busy-ness of life and neglect spending time with my girls. Between a full-time career, being the husband that my wife needs, mixed with the distractions of television, sports and hobbies, it’s extremely difficult to dedicate the amount of time my daughters need for us to build healthy relationships. When I’m not intentional, I start to lose focus and find myself searching for joy in the wrong areas of my life. I pray that I can show my daughters just how truly important they are!

I hope to realize the unique gifts and talents that each daughter possesses! This world offers an endless option of careers, hobbies, and interests. Everything from a teacher, singer, nurse, biologist, writer, or painter, my daughters have the potential to be anything and everything. I often find myself pushing them towards my passions, instead of allowing them to find their own passions and designing their own dreams. It’s difficult to sit through a ballet practice or piano lesson… Neither of which I have any interest or desire to understand. But I do desire to empower my daughters to dream big and reach for the stars, no matter how big or small. I desire to stay focused on helping them achieve their full potential and their unique purpose God designed for each of them.

Men and Fathers, there is nothing more beautiful in this world than our daughters. Each one of them has a place in for the present and future, and we should be grateful that we get to play a role in that story unfolding. Raising my daughters is exhausting and confusing, but it’s an honor to know God chose me to raise His most beautiful creation!

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Maria Clark
Maria is a Kansas native who fell in love with an Oklahoma boy and is here to stay – but she is okay with that! She calls Stillwater home and has three spunky but totally sweet girls who keep her unbelievably busy. Maria has a background in event planning and gets fulfillment out of hosting friends in their home. She also loves all things organization.

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