One of the greatest things that ever happened to me was becoming a dad. Without question I love both of my children unconditionally. Though our situation has never been the ideal, and we have had to fight for every bit of happiness we have ever experienced, I would never give my kids up for anything.
There are times when I feel as though I am the worst father ever. Whether it is because of mistakes that I have made or other life problems, I have never really seen myself as a very good dad.
My son disagrees with me on that point. My daughter on the other hand has had a dad who has interfered in her life way too often.
As I have sought counsel recently to try and figure out why, as dads, we respond differently to life's struggles it has come out that we feel as though we are our daughters' protectors. Even if they don't want us to be.
As I have recently found out, we need to back off and let them live their own lives. It is so hard to do when your identity is wrapped up in the idea that your purpose on this planet is to protect your little girl from every conceivable heart ache. Before long, you become the heartache in her life, the person that she needs to run from rather than too.
I am learning this the hard way, but you don't have to. Learn from my mistakes. Trust that your daughter is intelligent and strong enough to make her own decisions and is capable of dealing with the consequences of those decisions. Let her go. She needs space to run free. She needs to be allowed to be independent. She is not just your little girl, she is also a woman who is an individual. Let her grow up.
I am sorry sweetheart, that I do not always make the right decision. But I am ready to get out of your way and let you become the woman that you want to be.
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