After reading articles/posts on raising strong daughters for future and an article on how most of the married women are like married single moms, I just ended up thinking about my childhood days, how my parents brought me up and shaped the very thought process of their daughter..me! I feel my father has played a very crucial role in making me the strong, independent woman who is confident of her decisions and who knows when and where she needs to take a stand for herself and her beliefs. Once I was reading a quote to my hubby

A father's job is not to teach his daughter how to be a lady. It's to teach her how a lady should be treated

Now when I see myself and my daughter and hubby.. it makes sense and seems so right!

My dad taught me how I should be treated..with love and respect, as an individual with her own identity. Yes, he treated my mom like that..letting her take decisions for us, he didn't make her leave her job, giving importance to her work, taking care of me when needed..he fed me, changed my diapers, gave me baths, did my homework and played like best buddies! He didn't expect my mom to take care of me all the time but took care of me, letting my mother relax or go to her work. He is the man (with the superwoman of my life - my mom) who taught me to believe in my dreams, to be strong, to differentiate between good and bad, to raise my voice against wrong, to be compassionate for others and to stand up for myself!

I guess when I fell in love with my hubby, my subconscious mind wanted the same (it is said Dad is daughter's first love) and now I realize why I fell in love with my hubby! Here I am.. seeing my hubby and 10 months old daughter..

He tries giving her food, makes her bathe, changes diapers when I am busy and takes her away for walks or play when I sleep because he knows I get tired. They play and she wants him to play all the time.

Hearing his voice near the door, she wants to jump in his arms..

He runs to pick her when she cries, to comfort her, to sooth her.

He sings her to sleep and she sleeps knowing she is safe and loved.

I want to tell him that he is learning to teach his daughter how a lady should be treated.. Now he knows how my dad feels for me..as he feels the same for his little princess! I feel while raising a strong, independent, confident and compassionate child (whether boy or girl) fathers play a crucial role.

The role of father (mother is first and foremost) and terms of mother and father reflect in the mindset of child and shape him/her as an individual in future. I believe if we want to raise a strong and compassionate citizen for future then it is not just a mother's role but a father's role to be actively involved in the life of the child, to ensure and assure the child that we are there for them! And yes, I want to say thanks to my dad & my hubby for making me write this!

-Bhavna Singh Arora

Guest post on Credihealth Blog

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