A Dad Who Knows That Pink Toenails Will Mean The World to His Little Daughter
Image via: Flickr/Matt Ballentine
What they don’t realize is this is bonding with your daughter and building a long term relationship you will have with her. One of give and take.
A relationship built around her needs not mine. While I understand having common hobbies and interest with my son might be easier and more socially acceptable does that mean I should short change my daughter?
I play video games with my son, age nine, and we bond and talk all the time about his friends, school, life as we play. As a dad we need to make that same efforts with our daughters. I’m not saying that she won’t play video games one day but why should I wait for her to enjoy my hobbies? Right now she is loving painting her little toenails and what harm does it cause for me to have pink nails? Well other than my color is more purple than pink.
I did end up washing off the color on my fingernails at work but my toes are still pink and she checks them everyday. Yesterday she had to “fix a broken nails,” as she said because one chipped. So once again we sit down and she touches up my toes and we go on to play with her kitchen. I showed her I valued her and what is important to her. Pink toes mean more to me than what comments I might get about my toes.
Let’s fast forward 11 years when I have a teenage daughter. When she is struggling to understand what is happening to her, around her, and trying to become an adult. I honestly believe pink toes now will result in a relationship with my daughter that will result in an open conversation between us as I have demonstrated to her I value her for who she is.
How much easier will her life be when she feels comfortable asking me questions about school, her body, and yes even sex? I would much rather get a mani-pedi with my daughter at 13 and have her talking to me about these things as the alternative is frightening to me. I don’t want to hear, “But dad you don’t know me,” will I regret not having pink toes for a while? Am I prepared to take a backseat in my daughter’s life for a while?
It is very important to me that my daughter sees me as a strong man. What I need to remember is strength in a man goes far beyond flexing muscles and thumping chests. I’ve never heard a dad, as they walk their daughter down the aisle, say “Man I wish I would have spent a little more time on my fantasy football league.”
More times than not they regret not spending more time with her. I challenge all the dad’s of daughters out there to pick up a bottle of nail polish after work and surprise your daughter with an impromptu pedicure. Trust me you will never be happier to have pink toes in your life.