As a dad to three daughters, I absolutely love my girls, and I love time spent with them. I both cherished and dreaded the annual Daddy-Daughter Dance season. It felt like a scramble to try to make sure we could set a weekend aside to make it a priority. Then, there was the chaos leading up to the actual dance as they wanted dresses and I’d need to dress up as well. I felt the pressure to not mess this up for them—after all, there was one of me and three of them!
Then as the years went on, I also started bracing myself for when their excitement waned, and they would no longer want to go to a dance with me. That time has come, and now that all my girls have “grown out” of these dances, I remember snapshots of these unforgettable evenings I got to have with my daughters. (Pardon me while I attempt to finish writing this through the tears welling up in my eyes.)
Dinner Our Way
We loved buffets. I’m an enneagram 7, so it comes naturally to me. Not everyone in our family enjoys buffets the way my girls and I do, so we made sure that our tradition of these dances included dinner at a Chinese buffet in town. Not only did this mean we were all going to enjoy dinner, but it was so great to have one less thing that I knew I was going to have put a rule around or limit my kids. One year, one of my daughters wasn’t sure what she wanted to eat, and I’m pretty sure she just got three plates filled with little orange slices and soft-serve swirl ice cream.
The Vibe
There were several different daddy-daughter dances in the area that we tried over the years, but I think the overall favorite was the Daddy-Daughter Dance at Bent Tree that the Carrollton Police Department created. There was enough space for all of us to dance, explore, relax, talk, and connect. We could even sit and watch a show while we caught our breath if we needed to!
A "Fancy" Night Out
I loved being able to hold my daughters, look into their eyes, and tell them that I love them and love spending time with them—all while we were doing something “fancy.” They loved getting to dress up, have fun doing something outside of the normal routine, and enjoy a special evening with me.
You Don't Have to Go Alone
A few of the years, we invited friends to join us! Once was with a dad who I didn’t know all that well, but our girls were friends. Another time was with a dad I was close with, but our girls didn’t really know each other. Both times, we not only made wonderful memories together, but also had fun seeing our friends together as well. It didn’t take much to ask, and I heard from a few of my friends that they wouldn’t have gone had we not reached out to them, but they were so grateful to have had those moments with their daughter(s).
So, as we have another Daddy-Daughter Dance just around the corner, I’m encouraging you to prioritize this time with your daughter! As someone who now jumps at the chance to FaceTime my girls who are adults and misses being able to hold them on the dance floor—you won’t regret making this an important event on your calendar!
Also, if you have friends in your life who are also girl dads, make sure they know about this event and maybe even invite them to join you in going! It’s a great way to connect, encourage, and even share your faith while also having an incredible evening of bonding with your daughters!
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Login To Leave Comment