Book Review – Be The Dad She Needs You To Be by Kevin Leman

Posted by on Jun 23, 2014 in Resources | No Comments

One of the most important relationships a daughter will ever have is the relationship with her father. This relationship is critical, and as a result, many dads fall short in this area. It’s not for a lack of willingness as much as it is a lack of understanding. Many dads simply don’t understand their daughters, and they don’t know how to build that connection.

Dr. Kevin Leman inspires dads to be the dads that their daughters need them to be in his newest book, Be The Dad She Needs You To Be. As a father to three daughters, I can relate to the struggles many dads face trying to relate to their daughters. Leman addresses most of those fears in this book, and leaves dads with the knowledge that they can make an impact in their daughters’ lives. And that it’s not as hard as it seems.

Covering almost every topic under the sun, Be The Dad She Needs You To Be is a pretty comprehensive manual for dads to keep handy. Each topic is approached in a manner that is easy to read and understand, but leaves dads with the ideas, tools and resources to make strides in that area. Here is a list of the topics covered, by chapter:

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  • The Relationship That Matters Most – Why the father/daughter relationship is so crucial
  • Dads Do It Different – It may not be the way Mom would do it, but Dad can get it done
  • Know Your Duckling – Knowing your daughters individually
  • Walking The Balance Beam – Living a disciplined, balanced lifestyle
  • The Bird, The Bees, And “The Talk” – This one seems rather obvious…
  • Help! Civil War Just Broke Out In The Family Room – Dealing with conflict
  • The Critical Eye – Keeping criticism at a low
  • A Cake Without Sugar – Relational versus material
  • Are You A Man Or A Mouse? Squeak Up! – Helping your daughter identify the type of man she wants to marry
  • If You See A Turtle On A Fencepost… – Keeping encouragement at a high
  • Time Is Tickin’ – Keeping focused on your priorities as a dad with a daughter
  • A Dad’s Lasting Legacy – Leaving an indelible imprint on your daughter’s heart

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Leman gives great pointers on how to be a great dad to your daughters. But he also includes some incredible insights in how to partner with you wife to be the most effective dad that you can be. So moms can read this as well, and gain a lot of practical advice on how to make a lasting mark in their daughters’ lives.

At first, I felt that Dr. Leman’s style of writing was juvenile, and had a tough time staying focused. And although I still think I would have written some parts a bit differently, the quality of information passed on outweighed the distraction of his writing style. Based on what I’ve read of Leman’s other books, this just seem to be his style. While I don’t particularly like that, it’s not something that will keep me from reading, and in fact, may be a bonus for dads who don’t read much at all. His writing style may keep a lot of guys connected.

Overall, I appreciated the input I gained from reading Be The Dad She Needs You To Be. And with three daughters ranging in age from a teenage high school student to a toddler, much of what I learned here will come in handy for a long while. If you have daughters, no matter their age, I highly recommend that you read this book. It will change the way you parent, and even the way you relate to your daughters.

I’m pretty certain that this book will become a go-to resource for me as I navigate the coming years, raising my daughters as best as I can.

Are you a dad of daughters? What do you do to keep those relationships a priority? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in reading Be The Dad She Needs You To Be, by Dr. Kevin Leman, you can purchase it at Amazon.com in print or for Kindle.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Harper Collins Christian Publishing as part of their BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“