How to Empower Daughters Who Don’t Have Engaged Dads!
Imagine what it would be like if every daughter had a healthy relationship with a great father who validates, protects, guides and provides for her.
Talk about (dad)vantages. We could retire the term “daddy issues” once and for all!
If only…
But unfortunately, many teen girls don’t have much of a relationship with their fathers at all. “Daddy issues” often plague them as a result.
“I am a fifteen-year-old girl in her sophomore year. Personally, I wanted to say thank you for allowing me to realize the purpose I have. I myself am considered to have ‘daddy issues.’ I’ve never really had a stable relationship with my father since he walked out and divorced my mom when I was 10. Anyways, with that at hand, I’ve always felt like I needed someone to approve of me. I’ve felt unwanted and just needed someone to tell me I’m better than the stuff I’ve been thinking of doing. Basically, I just wanted to say thank you so much for helping me realize again that my morals and life mean something.’
“One thing I will never forget is how you spoke about how a lot of teen girls who haven’t had a good father in their life to prove them they are worth so much more, were usually the ones who seek attention and love from their boyfriend. That was always something I expected from my boyfriend. My dad isn’t a bad person overall but he never really sacrificed much to be a part of my life which I resent about him a lot. Therefore, I use to expect so much from my boyfriend. I never thought of myself as you explained I should.”
You know what I wish?
That I never had to address fatherlessness and its resulting “daddy issues” in my Sex-Ed classes.
It’s a highly sensitive and painful subject that clearly has no winners.
But as you can see from the quotes above, it’s a topic I can’t avoid.
NOT when fatherlessness causes so many girls to doubt their self-worth.
And NOT when “daddy issues” negatively impacts girls’ decision-making when it comes to love, sex and relationships.
Today’s Let’s Talk Teens™ with Dr. Tartt post may not help convince your daughter’s father to become actively engaged in her life.
But it can help you, help your daughter overcome any “daddy issues” she may have as a result.
Turning “Daddy Issues” into a Non-Issue
Not sure how to help your daughter cope with the absence of her father in her life?
According to Dr. Tartt, there are some things you can do to not only help her cope with his absence but overcome her “daddy issues.”
Click on the video below as Dr. Tartt shares how to help your daughter:
- recognize her “daddy issues” are her “dad’s” issue, not hers,
- “confront” her father and express her disappointment in a healthy way, and
- gain confidence and receive validation even if her father is not involved in her life.
Then come back next week if you’re a single mom (or know of a single mom), whose daughter is dealing with “daddy issues” due to the absence of her father.
Dr. Tartt will share tips to help single moms “fill in the gaps” for their daughters.
And don’t forget to share this post and the entire Let’s Talk Teens with Dr. Tartt series with your friends and family on social media.
As always, we encourage you to leave comments and/or questions in the box below.
Thank you for joining us and we’ll see you next week!
