Randall Murphree
AFA Journal editor
June 2007 – On Father’s Day, I’m always a little sad that I can’t go see Dad anymore. But sadness pales in light of Eternity and the rich Christian heritage he passed on to me. I know I’ll see him again in heaven. I often tell the story of Dad taking his family of six to church on a snowy Christmas Sunday morning more than 50 years ago. The weather was so bad, we Murphrees were the only ones who showed up. It is one of my earliest childhood memories, and as the years have passed, I realize what a treasure it is.
Those of us who were blessed with Godly fathers too often take them for granted. Unfortunately, the Godly father is an even more infrequent phenomenon today than he was just a generation ago. In fact, there are people in contemporary culture who insist that fatherhood is a dinosaur, a useless relic of an unsophisticated era.
On the other hand, strong family advocates have always recognized and preached the value of fathers being a positive role model for sons and mothers likewise for daughters. Over recent decades, psychologists and scholars have also explored the nature of crucial cross-gender relationships of parents and children.
Meg Meeker, M.D., author of a new book about fathers and daughters, cautions dads: “Your daughter takes cues from you, her father, on everything from drug use, drinking, delinquency, smoking and having sex, to self-esteem, moodiness and seeking attention from teen boys.”
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know delivers some serious challenges along with practical principles showing a father how to strengthen or rebuild the relationship with his daughter. It is not by definition a Christian book, but Dr. Meeker’s principles and many of her case studies and anecdotes reflect clear Christian principles.
Among the startling truths pointed out in the book are:
▶ Toddlers securely attached to fathers are better at solving problems.
▶ Girls with doting fathers are more assertive.
▶ A daughter’s self-esteem is best predicted by her father’s physical affection.
▶ Fathers help daughters become more competent, achievement-oriented and successful.
▶ 76% of teen girls said their fathers influenced (for good or bad) their decisions on whether to become sexually active.
▶ Girls with involved fathers are less likely to flaunt themselves to seek male attention.
And those few facts just scratch the surface. Dr. Meeker has 20 years experience practicing pediatric and adolescent medicine and counseling teens and parents. She defends traditional moral values and disdains the feminist fallacies and politically correct propaganda that undermine the role of fatherhood.
After reminding dads of the pressures girls face in today’s culture, she tells them, “Protecting her and teaching her about God, sex and humility doesn’t require a degree in psychology. It just means being a dad.”
Dr. Meeker’s 10 secrets? “Protect Her, Defend Her (use a shotgun if necessary)” and “You Are the Most Important Man in Her Life.” You’ll have to read the book for the other eight. Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters (Regnery, 2006) can be an invaluable resource for every dad who takes its message to heart. 
