1. Love her mom. Treat her mother with respect, honor, and a big heaping spoonful of public displays of affection. When she grows up, the odds are good she’ll fall in love with and marry someone who treats her much like you treated her mother. Good or bad, that’s just the way it is. I’d prefer good.
2. Always be there. Quality time doesn’t happen without quantity time. Hang out together for no other reason than just to be in each other’s presence. Be genuinely interested in the things that interest her. She needs her dad to be involved in her life at every stage. Don’t just sit idly by while she add years to her… add life to her years.
3. Save the day. She’ll grow up looking for a hero. It might as well be you. She’ll need you to come through for her over and over again throughout her life. Rise to the occasion. Red cape and blue tights optional.
4. Savor every moment you have together. Today she’s crawling around the house in diapers, tomorrow you’re handing her the keys to the car, and before you know it, you’re walking her down the aisle. Some day soon, hanging out with her old man won’t be the bees knees anymore. Life happens pretty fast. You better cherish it while you can.
5. Pray for her. Regularly. Passionately. Continually.
6. She will fight with her mother. Choose sides wisely.
7. Go ahead. Buy her those pearls.
8. Of course you look silly playing peek-a-boo. You should play anyway.
9. Enjoy the wonder of bath time.
10. Dance with her. Start when she’s a little girl or even when she’s a baby. Don’t wait ‘til her wedding day.
11. Tell her she’s beautiful. Say it over and over again. Someday an animated movie or “beauty” magazine will try to convince her otherwise.
12. Let her hold the wheel. She will always remember when daddy let her drive.
13. She’s as smart as any boy. Make sure she knows that.
14. When she learns to give kisses, she will want to plant them all over your face. Encourage this practice.
15. Letting her ride on your shoulders is pure magic. Do it now while you have a strong back and she’s still tiny.
16. It is in her nature to make music. It’s up to you to introduce her to the joy of socks on a wooden floor.
17. Never miss her birthday. In ten years she won’t remember the present you gave her. She will remember if you weren’t there.
18. She’ll probably want to crawl in bed with you after a nightmare. This is a good thing.
19. Introduce her to the swings at your local park. She’ll squeal for you to push her higher and faster. Her definition of “higher and faster” is probably not the same as yours. Keep that in mind.
20. Holding her upside down by the legs while she giggles and screams uncontrollably is great for your biceps. WARNING: She has no concept of muscle fatigue.
21. Let her know she can always come home. No matter what.
22. Remember, just like a butterfly, she too will spread her wings and fly some day. Enjoy her caterpillar years.
23. Write her a handwritten letter every year on her birthday. Give them to her when she goes off to college, becomes a mother herself, or when you think she needs them most.
24. Learn to trust her. Gradually give her more freedom as she gets older. She will rise to the expectations you set for her.
25. Ice cream covers over a multitude of sins. Know her favorite flavor.
