Michelle Watson
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Why I Sometimes Feel Sorry for You as a Dad
So Dad, I know that you don’t always have it easy when it comes to trying to understand your daughter. As a girl myself, I can truly say that much of the time we think you can tell what we’re feeling or needing or wanting just because mom does and it seems obvious to us …
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Dad, Here’s Why You Want Your Daughter to Push Back and Fight
Most dads I’ve talked with tell me they want their daughters to grow up to be confident, empowered, emotionally healthy women who are strong in their morals, convictions, and beliefs. But what happens when your daughter pushes the boundaries at every turn and challenges the values you are trying to instill, despite your best efforts? …
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How You Can Help Your Daughter Find Her Voice
I’ve heard it said that communication is 7 percent words, 38 percent tone of voice, and 55 percent body language. If you do the math, you’ll see that this means that 93 percent of communication is nonverbal. How’s that for significant? This little statistic serves as a reminder that as a reflective listener, we often say more by …
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25 Things to Always Say to Your Daughter
Last week may have felt a bit brutal with me giving you 25 things to never, ever, under any circumstances say to your daughter. I couldn’t leave you hanging without a guide to lead you back to center court. So, in a similar fashion that uses as few words as possible, is straight forward and to …
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25 Things NOT to Say to Your Daughter, Ever
I’ve had the privilege over the last five and a half years of fine-tuning my understanding of men through The Abba Project (if you’re new to the conversation, this is the dads’ group I lead in Portland, Oregon). As a result, I believe I’ve grown to understand and appreciate where you as dads are …
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10 Land Mines for Dads to Avoid With Their Daughters
Dads, staying the course with your daughter is easier said than done. Let’s be honest—when she was younger and used less words, she was easier to track. But as she has matured and grown, so have her needs and wants … and words! That’s often where you dads get overwhelmed and lost. As a way to support …
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Dad, What is it About Women and Their Shoes?
A couple of weeks ago I was walking down the sidewalk and complemented a woman on her cute outfit, only to have her turn her head as she passed by and say, “I love your shoes!” In and of itself that comment might not be worth mentioning except for the fact that I’ve heard that exact same thing about those exact same shoes from so many women over the past …
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How to Write a Letter to Your Daughter She Will Never Forget
One of the greatest gifts you can give your daughter is to affirm her through writing. In a world where written communication is most often casual (texts, emails, tweets), a letter in your own handwriting stands out. I’ll never forget when Abba Project dad Dennis surprisingly noticed that his 13-year-old daughter Olivia not only kept …
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What Does it Mean to Lead Your Daughter Spiritually?
Dad, I realize that I may be treading on sacred ground here as I provide suggestions about what I believe it means to be a spiritual influence in your daughter’s life. Please understand that I am approaching this subject with the greatest reverence. I am not seeking to dictate or dominate because I realize …
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3 Little Words That Will Change Your Daughter’s Life (And They’re Not I Love You)
My dad, like every dad, has things he’s done right and things he’s done wrong when it comes to parenting. There are things he’s proud of (especially the things that were 180 degrees different from what his dad modeled to him) and things he’d rather forget. But from my vantage point as a daughter there …
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Dadvice: This Might Work Better With Your Daughter
I am hopeful by now that you, Dad, really know that I’m one of your biggest fans. To underscore that fact, I have a tagline on my website that truly captures my heart, which is simply this: Helping Dads Become Heroes. You’ve heard me say time and again that in order to be a hero, you …
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Dads, This Is a Crucial Relationship Element As Your Daughter Matures
Think back to when you got your driver’s permit somewhere around the age of 15. Do you recall times when you stepped on the brake a little too hard or when you drove a little too fast and threw caution to the wind? Or what about that time you accepted the challenge to see who …
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Five Hair Don’ts and Hair Do’s
It’s a Friday afternoon in August. 2:30 p.m. –I had just gotten my hair cut and it turned out way shorter than I had wanted. The cut wasn’t bad—it just wasn’t what I expected. 5:30 p.m. –My parents pick me up and we head to Panera for dinner. Of course, I vent about my haircut. …
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Dad, What Kind of Mirror Are You?
I forget what age I was when I heard my first nursery rhyme, but there is one in particular that is burrowed deep into my memory bank like a steel nail into softened wood: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” This quote, as you probably remember, comes from the fairy …
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13 Wishes for Dads With Daughters
I wish for a world where every daughter will know her dad loves her completely, from her head to her toes. I long for the day when every dad will inspire the gifts in his daughter, saying she can go higher. I want every girl to believe she can do it while her dad cheers her …