Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters

By: Meg Meeker

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's Summary

Drawing on her 30 years' experience practicing pediatric and adolescent medicine, teen health expert Dr. Meg Meeker explains why an active father figure is maybe the single most important factor in a young woman's development. In this invaluable guide, Meeker shows how a father can be both counsel and protector for his daughter as she grows into a spiritually and mentally strong young woman. From cradling his newborn to walking her down the aisle, a father must relish his paramount responsibility - guiding the course of his daughter's life.

Meeker reveals:

• How a man can become a strong father
• How a father's guidance influences every part of a woman's life, from her self-respect to her perspective on drugs, alcohol, and sex
• How to lay down ground rules that are respected without creating distance in your relationship with your daughter
• Why you need to be your daughter's hero
• The mistakes most fathers make and their serious consequences
• How to help daughters make their own good decisions and avoid disastrous mistakes
• How a father's faith will influence his daughter's spiritual development
• How to get through to your daughter, even during her toughest don't-talk-to-me years
• True stories of daughters who were on the wrong path - and how their fathers helped to bring them back

Learn how to grow, strengthen, or rebuild your relationship with your daughter to better both your life and hers in the best-selling Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know.

©2006 Meg Meeker (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Trash

This book is clearly written by a feminist. There is no reason for a woman to be telling a man how to be a father. That advice should come from a man who has successfully completed the task.

According to the author everything bad in the world has happened because a father failed his daughter. The authors also demands that a man/father must sacrifice himself for the benefit of a daughter and wife. This sacrifice has not limits. I am pretty sure it is possible to be a good father without becoming the door mat of a wife and daughter and subject yourself to the whims of every psychotic thought that goes through a woman’s head.

I truly hated this book and it was torture forcing myself to finish it. The only thing I found of value was the narrative the author gave about the thought pattern of a teenage girl. I found that part scary.

If you are a father to girls like am, I recommend you seek advice from someone who has successfully raised daughters. I haven’t found the enlightenment I was looking for here but will continue to search.

Misleading and disappointing

As a dad of two little girls I was primed to really enjoy this book. The start had me ready to dive in. But I was extremely disappointed to find out that this was conservative morals disguised as a book for father to true understand and help their daughter. After the introduction it starts immediately with straw man arguments and becomes very preachy with very little research based input. It is all under the illusion of I am a doctor and therefore I am qualified to comment on this subject. But you can tell it is all very superficial and has another agenda. I can’t say the narrator did a bad job. But the content left a lot to be desired.

Insightful

Dr. Meeker does a superb job describing the unique relationship between a father and his daughter and then discussing the importance of the relationship. An excellent listen.

Terrible

Not at all what I expected. It teeters on homophobic messaging and relies on antiquated views on father/daughter relationships as opposed to relationships that are self affirming and confidence building.

Every dad should read

Absolutely loved this book. I sincerely believe the content will help me be a better father to my precious 9 year old daughter.

Dr Meeker has the ability to present this information in a well-researched, scientific manner, while also clearly expressing the love of a parent and pediatrician.

If you are a Dad, please please read this book. I sincerely believe your daughter will thank you for it.

Kind of sweet, kind of preachy

I like the idea of this book, as a source if inspiration and guidance for fathers of girls. It is nice to hear how much influence we have in our girls' lives, and in ways we don't always realize.

That said, this book is high opinionated and voices its opinions in a way that makes them sound like facts. It uses a lot of "shocking" statistics to prove how scary the world is and how bad things are getting for girls. These facts are rarely put in a larger, more optimistic context that includes the amazing progress that the world is making for our girls. I found its "the sky is falling" attitude uninspiring and got tired of being lectured and moralized at.

In many ways, this book is the opposite of the much more effective "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk", my personal favorite parenting book of all time. If you read this book, then read "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk" as a counterweight!

Some decent ideas but...

If you're a straight, conservative, Christian, married man, this book might be for you. I found it a bit close minded and seemed like everything came down to promoting abstinence and how to avoid eating disorders. Those are valid concerns but it wasn't very enlightening.

invaluable resource for this father

I have read and listened to this book many times and will again and again! As a dad w/ a teenage daughter, I need reinforced guidance on how to navigate the landscape. this book is an invaluable resource!

awesome

I just can't say how valuable this book is to raise daughter's, I am really grateful because I have learned so much as a Mom and the change in my Husband's relationship with my daughter is already showing in her behavior... wisdom in every minute!

Listen to this, if not for you then do it for your Daughter!

This is an excellent Audio Book, that covers a wide range of topics that will help you be the best dad you can be, but more importantly give your Daughter the best she can be, giving her the tools to create the life all our children deserve.

I would recommend this to any Father with children of any age, whether they be a baby, toddler or adult woman. The teachings in this book will be of great benefit & add to your skills as a parent.

I would also recommend this to any mothers who do not appreciate the importance of a father in their child's life. This follows my experience of being separated from my little 3 year old Angel for 9 months after her mother TRIED to stop me from ever seeing my daughter again. Fortunately my Daughter & I won the battle.

Fantastic Read - Thankyou for sharing

extremely disappointing... very religious

very disappointing, overly right wing religious ideologies.

I would not recommend, was unable to get past chapter 2

Very biased towards certain politico-religious

As a new father, I thought this would be a helpful book. The narration is fine, but unfortunately the science is wrapped in and often conflated with right-wing Christian values. As such it came across as very judgemental of non-traditional lifestyles, including divorcing parents (going so far as to suggest that fathers should “stay with their [daughter’s] crazy mother” even if miserable, because to do otherwise would harm their kids. I managed about 2 hours of trying to discern fact/ science based advice before giving up and returning it to Audible.

I also thought the disparaging way the author spoke about other professionals, such as psychologists, was inappropriate and disrespectful.

Plenty to think about

This is a good listen. You may not agree with everything suggested in the book, but it certainly makes you think. Listen to this sooner rather than later!

I really liked it

It's a very good read. Then up to you to filter out what is relevant for you and what not.

Sometimes the points are built on really extreme situations, which don't really apply mainstream.

I encourage anyway every dad to give it a go.

Doctors are not psychologists

The book is definitely written from the viewpoint of a physician. However, doctors on not supposed to deal with the emotional issues of their clients. They are trained to prescribe medicine and to diagnose physical issues. Psychologists on the other hand are trained to diagnose and treat mental problems. Being married to a psychologist, I can see that very little of the "advice" in this book is based on psychological assessments.

amazingly helpful. practical and honest.

Meg writes so well with helpful, open and honest advice to Fathers. The personal experience she shares from her work with kids is especially good

A counter-culture book

Very easy reading and full off great advice. I feel like it could be more detailed regarding some advice, but overall it is a very informative and an eye opening book. Just wish many more men could read it, even if they have boys instead of girls.

Evidence based and straight talking

A must read for any father who seeks to protect, nurture and give his daughter the best chance of growing up emotionally and physically whole.

A lot of useful things to know

A lot of the content of this book is good common sense. The author emphasises how important a father's role is to his daughter's life, which I think is true but I often forget. This book has been a good reminder. As other reviewers have commented the author writes from a Christian perspective. Whatever your view on this, Christianity offers a view of what's good for human flourishing, which is interesting to hear. Sometimes I think the author is a little too fearful. She works as a doctor and sees lots of problems, which perhaps colours her perspective. Nevertheless it is good to know some of the things that can go wrong (EG anorexia) and how to recognise some of the symptoms.