Dads raising daughters

Many dads step back as their daughters grow up, thinking this is women's business or simply not knowing how to act. A girl can read that differently: Dad is awkward around me now, so there must be something wrong with my body. Staying calm and close gives her a great deal.

You do not have to know everything, but learn the basics, especially if you are raising her alone or there are no women at home. Keep pads in the house and buy them as you would any other household item. If she feels shy, bring in a female relative she trusts, but do not avoid the subject altogether. Saying 'I don't know much about this, let's read up together' is perfectly fine.

• Spend time together: walks, cooking, games, car journeys.
• Ask her opinion and listen to the answer.
• Praise her brains, courage and effort, not only her looks.
• Never joke about her weight or body.
• Respect her privacy and knock on her door.

She learns about relationships from you. She sees how you speak to her mother and to other women. Teach her that she can say no, even to hugs and kisses from relatives. Explain the rules of the house, and do not build them on fear. A daughter who is afraid of you will not come to you when things go wrong, and she will hide her mistakes.