Ask-it Basket

Q. I’m a girl , and I’m closer to my mom than to my dad. Is there anything wrong with that?

A. It’s not unusual for girls to have a closer relationship with their mothers than with their fathers. Because of their unique responsibilities , mothers usually play a more major role in their children’s lives than fathers. And when it comes to certain things , girls just naturally feel more comfortable talking with their mothers than with their fathers. There’s nothing wrong with that. Mothers are very special people and can play a very important role in the lives of their daughters.

But that doesn’t mean that girls can’t be close to their fathers too. The father-daughter relationship has a lot to do with how a girl matures emotionally. It even affects her ability relate to males later on in life.

Why not make a special effort to get closer to your dad? Ask him to set aside some time to spend with you on a regular basis. Maybe he can take you on a favorite outing , or if that’s not possible , the two of you can just spend some time at home together doing something you enjoy.

Remember that communication is the key to happy relationships. If you’ve had some disagreements in the past , be willing to forgive and do what you can to make things better. It could be that your dad has been wanting a closer relationship with you but just didn’t know where to start. You can break the ice by letting him know you want to have a closer relationship and making the effort to do something about it.