Dad, can we talk?

Those are words that I hope to hear again, especially into her teenage years. And I have realized that for it to happen, I need to start building that trust now. My little girl started to tell me this past week about something that happened in pre-school. She stopped and was obviously uncomfortable with talking to me about it. My curiosity almost got the best of me, but I stayed patient and told her that she could tell me when she was ready. I was soon getting all the details about a little boy named Charlie who she liked. One of the other boys had teased her about it and she was hurt. Instinctively, I wanted to fix the problem...like most men do. Instead, I just listened and told her that I was sorry it had happened.

I am not sure what came over me, but I realized that all she really needed was for someone to listen and to hurt with her. I hope that this will make her feel comfortable about coming to me the next time something happens. I am convinced that the relationship between a father and his child in the early years will have a great impact on the teenage years. It was a seemingly small event in her life, but it had a profound impact on my learning to be a better dad. I hope it does the same for you.