Daddy's Girl: 5 Times Every 20-Something Girl Needs Her Father
When you’re dealing with life’s struggles, there are plenty of people who can give you a hand. However, you find yourself returning to dear old dad, over and over again.
He taught you how to throw a football when you were small, so when you reached pre-pubescence, all the boys thought you were the coolest.
He assured you that you looked great in your prom dress — even though you had another go-around with braces and it tainted all of the pictures.
Over the years, you’ve turned to your dad for various things. Now, here’s the advice you'll seek from him when you're in your 20s.
1. When you need financial advice
Sure, you can balance your checkbook. You know when you are going to overdraw your account or when you need to pick up another shift in order to cover costs.
But, when it comes down the nitty-gritty details, it helps to have someone advise you. (Stocks and bonds? CDs? What?) Dads have a knack for steering you in the right direction regarding which financial decisions to make and which may benefit you in the long run.
2. When deciding on clothing options (...when you only want to hear one answer)
When you have a big event coming up (like the wedding to which your parents are dragging you) and you’ve spent hours deliberating whether or not you can get by wearing the same shoes you did to the last wedding you attended, dads most often have the perfect response: You look beautiful.
You may or may not agree, but he’s right. Those shoes won't change the fact you weigh five pounds more than you would like, or your hair is a mess; you are who you are, and he thinks that’s amazing.
3. When your friends are driving you crazy
Remember when you would come home from school and relay all of the seventh-grade drama to your parents? Your friends could be real jerks, but your dad always had some sage advice on how to deal with Heather ignoring you or Molly being a better singer.
Even now, with a different set of issues and drama-filled instances, your father will always be there to remind you, just because Heather is getting married doesn’t mean you’re wrong for not wanting to, or Molly’s promotion doesn’t matter because she works for her own father.
4. When your potential love interests are driving you crazy
There are the good ones, the bad ones and the ones who break your heart. Your dad has seen them all.
He’s seen the beginnings of a new relationship, when you’re over-the-moon happy and the end, when you sulk in your pajamas for three days. He's there to remind you these things are never easy — and, eventually, you’ll find someone who makes you happier than not.
He reminds you of what you deserve in a relationship: someone who will be there for you during the good and bad.
5. The times when life feels like a disaster
Dads have been around a little bit longer than we have (on the biological timeline, it’s simply a fact), and know that what may seem like the end of the world to us is likely just a blip that will eventually pass.
On the days when you feel as though a legitimate freak-out session is more than merited, a quick phone call to Dad can reassure you things will be okay.
He’ll remind you that you’re a strong woman and you can handle it, or he’ll offer a suggestion that will ease your mind and calm your nerves.
Having dealt with the trials of life a little bit longer than you have, he often has the advice you need to conquer the day.
