by Kimberly Wolf

Created on: January 26, 2009   Last Updated: February 03, 2011

When a girl enters young adulthood, she begins to develop unique bonds with each parent. A maturing young woman will endure many physical and emotional changes and a father may find it difficult to successfully maintain a good relationship with his daughter through this whirlwind of change. Keeping the lines of communication is crucial to achieving this success and will ensure that your bond with each other stays solid through the years to come.

Don't Place Unrealistic Expectations on Each Other.

Sometimes we tend to do this to the people in our lives and it certainly isn't uncommon to be seen in a father-daughter relationship.

An example of this can be a father or daughter who feels the other doesn't talk to them enough, leading them to question their worth to the less talkative one. Both father and daughter may feel justified in demanding certain expectations from one another but one thing that needs to be understood is we cannot expect to change each other. Chances are, if the father or daughter was never a regular chatter box, it can't be expected that they can or will feel comfortable with turning into one now.

Instead of expecting an unrealistic and drastic change from one another, you can tell your father or daughter how much you appreciate their compliments and enjoy their conversations. When you approach them with kindness instead of criticism they are more likely to make an effort to initiate a conversation every once and again. Don't expect miracles, but appreciate and acknowledge the effort that's made.

Respect One Another's Boundaries.

From child to teen to adult, boundaries set between father and daughter will change and almost certainly be tested on both sides. Fathers, who begin setting strict boundaries for their little girls as a means to guide them in their early years may have a hard time loosening those boundaries for their teen daughter and ultimately relinquishing control when she becomes an adult. It could be equally as difficult for the daughter to abide by and adjust to their new boundaries at the different stages in her life.

This is okay, as long as both father and daughter acknowledge the difficulty and handle it in a non critical or negative manner that could cause a fissure in their relationship. It might help to tell one another when you are having a difficult time and explain why.

Find Common Ground.

From make up to manicures, it can be difficult for a father to find common ground to share with his maturing daughter. Finding something in common such as a mutual love of comedy films can let you spend some enjoyable quality time together.

Appreciate the Differences.

Showing interest in parts of your father's or daughter's life that you don't know much about is an excellent way to open the lines of communication. When dad is watching a football game, ask who he's routing for or any other question that gives him a chance to talk about something he enjoys.

When your daughter breaks out the sketch pad, ask her what she's drawing and what artists she admires. You can take it a step further by taking her to a museum and letting her tell you about the different pieces and why she likes them.

Giving one another the opportunity to express what interests them lets the other person know that even if you don't understand everything about them, you respect their interests and want to learn a little about what's important to them.

The relationship between a father and daughter is a unique and special bond that can be strengthened and maintained over the years with a little respect, quality time, and steady communication.

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