Remembering those precious Dad-Daughter Dates

One thing you discover when life hasn’t turned out as you expect is resources you never thought you had.  When I found myself to be a single father of three daughters, 11, 8, and 5 at the time, all four of us came together to be stronger as a family whenever we had the opportunity.

If it was after school, we found a park with play equipment and played games like the monster game.  There were certain rules like when you’re on the equipment you’re safe but being on the sand or soft fall was where the monster could chase.  Not quite the same as the clean-up game, but a game all the same.

We made every encounter a date in those early 2004-2007 days.  Many times we also did shopping dates at Harbour Town, when we’d usually stay half or even a full day trying clothes on, browsing, etc.  My job was to simply be patient, and to open space for my growing daughters to express themselves through fashion.

My two older daughters helped me give my youngest daughter a ‘princess date’ one time in Fremantle.  On another occasion (pictured), in 2007, we went to the Father-Daughter Ball, both done up to the nines.

But it was during my daughters’ teen years and beyond where we structured one-to-one dates around coffee and meals and shopping and chats.  We developed traditions, each daughter with me, some that came and went, and others that have stayed.  In these one-to-one dates, we’ve talked about all sorts of things, and I’m so thankful for their trust as much as I’m thankful I’ve been blessed to trust them.

I write this at a time when they’re all together but we’re physically apart.  They’re all grown up now and in the phase of their own family lives.

As parents we’re blessed to raise our children, and as I was reminded tonight, when they’re getting older, our opportunity is to not speak many words, but to listen and support, just as we’d appreciate that listening and support if it were given to us.

No matter what happens in our families, we can always be thankful for trust and respect forged in earlier times.  If that isn’t the case yet in our personal circumstances, it’s not too late to forge what will in future be precious memories for the love shared.