 Photo by Orione Conceição "A daughter needs a dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men." – Unknown Fathers, do you know how important you are? Listed on the Fatherhood Resource Hub website, it stated that "Children who grow up with involved fathers experience better mental, emotional, educational, and social outcomes, and are: *39% more likely to earn mostly A's in school *45% less likely to repeat a grade *60% less likely to be suspended or expelled from school *2X as likely to go to college or find stable employment after high school *75% less likely to have a teen birth *80% less likely to spend time in jail."  Photo by Pavel Danilyuk "Fathers, be your daughter's first love, and she'll never settle for anything less." – Unknown Wow! The role and participation of a father is vital to his child's success and overall development. My children are so blessed to have an amazing dad. My husband Bryan had a very involved father. As a result, he learned how to commit himself to loving our children in such extraordinary ways. But I will say that I think my girls, in particular, are a wee bit spoiled. I don't mind it on most days, but on some days, it drives me crazy! Watching my husband interact with my children inspired me to write a story about the beauty of the father-and-daughter relationship.  In my upcoming book, "Fire-Lit Lovely: A Daddy and Daughter Love Story" the dad takes his daughter, Rose, on a date. They attend a father-daughter dance and have the best time together. Rose understands that she holds her daddy's heart.  Written in lyrical verse, Rose shares how "Magically aglow, I brighten up his days and nights… I'm his mesmerizing ember... I'm his bright and brilliant delight..." As a little girl, she understands the sacredness of their relationship. And it's my hope that once girls and fathers read this book together, they will cherish the beauty of their connection.
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 Photo by Ketut Subiyanto “A little girl giggles when she is denied an ice-cream by her mother. She knows daddy will get her some later.” – Unknown Dads and daughters have the opportunity to have an extraordinary relationship. One of my fondest memories connected to my father occurred when I was about 3 or 4 years old, competing in my first track and field All-Comers Meet. I was running the 400-meter dash, and the track at the University of Oregon's "Hayward Field" seemed like it went on forever. My dad was a long-distance runner, and since we lived in Eugene, Oregon, better known as "TrackTown USA," he wanted my sister and I to give running a chance. More than running the race that day, the part I remember most is seeing my dad running along the track with me. I remember him saying, "Run, Yani, Run!" (Yani is my childhood nickname). And even though I wanted to quit because the race was so tough, he encouraged me every step of the way. Last month, I was taking a walk in the park and witnessed the "IronKids" running half a mile. Seeing parents run alongside their children flooded me with the beautiful memory of my father doing the same for me so many years ago.
Fathers, please don't underestimate the power of your active presence in your children's lives. They really need you. They need your provision, your protection, and for you to take pleasure in their presence. Knowing that fathers have such an impactful role in child development, I wrote my recent book, "Fire-Lit Lovely: A Daddy and Daughter Love Story." It's the perfect book for dads who want to connect with their little girls ages 5-9. The illustration below is based explicitly on the memory of my dad supporting me on the day of the All-Comers Meet.   I wrote Fire-Lit Lovely to promote fatherhood, the special connection fathers have with daughters, and to provide an opportunity for little girls to sit in their daddies' laps for storytime. In addition, I created the companion activity book, "Daddy-Daughter Connect and Bond Coloring & Activity Book." This activity book takes the beautiful message from the picture book and gives dads a way to continue to build upon the connection.  The activity book, provides over 50 activities that dad and daughter can do together, like word scrambles, play time ideas, crossword puzzles, and so much more! To find out about the upcoming book release please sign up for the newsletter.  I am so excited to share the news about my latest children’s book, “Fire-Lit Lovely: A Daddy and Daughter Love Story.” This story is perfect for fathers with daughters ages 5-9. It showcases a father’s love and adoration for his daughter, Rose, who was born with bright red hair. Beautifully illustrated, the text reads as a lyrical poem spoken by Rose, who, throughout the story, talks about her beloved and cherished relationship with being “daddy’s girl.” From beginning to end, readers will see the tender way Rose and her father interact and how he encourages her to reach her fullest potential.  I wrote this story because there aren’t enough books about all the amazing Black fathers who love and cherish their children. I am absolutely in love with social media accounts like “Bourgiedads” on Instagram, which put on beautiful displays of Black men actively loving on their children.  I grew up with a loving father, and my children are also blessed with an incredible dad. Fire-Lit Lovely displays the power of a father figure, specifically in his daughter’s life. Any father of any ethnicity will find beautiful treasures in this book to share with his daughter. They will also enjoy the accompanying “Daddy-Daughter Connect and Bond Coloring & Activity Book.” Sometimes fathers don’t know how to maximize their time with their daughters, and this activity book provides some entertaining activities that dads can complete with their daughters.  |
AuthorAyanna is an author that enjoys writing fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, and poetry for children. As of today, she has published over 6 children's picture books and has more coming out in the near future. Archives
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