As a proud dad to two lovely girls, Lily, who’s 7, and Mia, just 2, I always knew parenting would be a wild ride. Growing up with an older sister, I thought I had some insight, but boy, was I in for a surprise. Little did I know that my daughters would have the incredible power to sway me into doing things I thought I’d never do. While I don’t consider myself particularly masculine, I never pictured myself painting my nails or playing with baby dolls—yet here we are!
Thanks to my daughters, I’ve found myself doing the following:
- Rocking a pool day with sparkly teal toenails.
- Mastered the art of removing lipstick, glittery eye shadow, and blush from my face.
- Engaged in an epic months-long debate with a determined little girl about adopting a cat. I was adamant that we wouldn’t get one—until I caved and brought home a furry friend.
- Learned to communicate in the languages of puppy, kitty, and princess—skills that won’t help my career.
- Caught myself humming along to some surprisingly catchy My Little Pony tunes.
- Felt a mix of dread and jealousy watching my daughter hold hands with a little boy.
- Endured a “glamorous princess” makeover with barrettes nestled in my beard.
- Discovered the superpower of sweet dimples and the phrase “I wuv you, Daddy” to get me to bend to their will.
- Swaddled a doll, rocked it to sleep, and showered it with kisses—no regrets!
- Memorized every word to “Let It Go” without even trying.
- Found myself belting out “Let It Go” alone on my drive to work at 6 a.m. because it’s permanently stuck in my head.
- Shed a tear when my daughter cried during a moment of disappointment.
- Dressed a stuffed panda in a princess gown and hosted it for a tea party.
- Truly understood the meaning of “all women are someone’s daughter.”
- Maintained my cool when a little girl declared me a meanie for cutting her toast into squares instead of triangles.
- Listened to a little girl tell me that I just don’t get it—and realized she was right.
- Adopted princess analogies to teach lessons on everything from kindness to hygiene—“Anna always washes her hands after using the restroom—let me tell you a story…”
- Recognized the importance of telling my daughters they are strong, creative, charming, determined, and intelligent, alongside how beautiful they are.
- Strolled through the grocery store with two princesses in tow, discussing the shopping list in a posh British accent as if I were their butler.
- Looked at my daughters and wished for a future where they can achieve anything, while grappling with the fear that equality is still a distant goal.
This is just a glimpse into the unexpected adventures of fatherhood. Each day brings new challenges and joys that have transformed me in ways I never anticipated.
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In summary, fatherhood has been a journey filled with surprises and lessons. Raising daughters has changed my perspective on life, love, and the future.