Loving Your Daughter on Valentine's Day

Valentine’s day is coming! There was a time in my life when I was not too fond of the day. It was only a reminder of what I didn’t have. Then Galentine’s came on the scene and it wasn’t so bad anymore because hanging with the girls distracted me from what I didn’t have.

The season that was the hardest for me was my teenage years. No longer was there one class where everyone sent valentines. You were in multiple classes and in one of them, a valentine could be delivered that someone had purchased as part of a school fundraiser.

Like most girls, I hoped that I might get a valentine. I also knew it was very unlikely unless I had a secret admirer because I never had a boyfriend in middle or high school. Sitting in each class and not receiving anything was hard only because I wanted to be the recipient of a valentine. 

Even though I never received any valentines from a boy at school. What I remember most during those years of valentines is that my father made sure to remind me how much I was loved. He never missed the opportunity to tell me and show me during that time in my life. He also made sure that I knew God loved me most of all. He would remind me that my value came from the Lord and no one else.

It's what my father did for me as a teenager on those Valentine’s days that helped me to ultimately be okay with not receiving a valentine. I knew from my dad that I didn’t need the attention of another boy to enjoy that day or even love my life. Sure, I was a teenager, I wanted that attention but I didn’t need it. But I would have taken me longer to understand that if it wasn’t for my father going the extra mile on Valentine’s day to make me feel special and remind me whose love mattered most.

I want to encourage fathers to be intentional with showing love to their daughters on valentines. Tell and show her in your own way how much she is loved. Remind her of God’s love for her and show her from His Word that her value comes from Him alone. 

Let me share with you some ways you can love your daughter this Valentine’s Day…

Breakfast Before School – Take her to her favorite breakfast spot or make her breakfast before she heads to school.

Lunch with her – If she takes her lunch to school, put a special note in it; bring a special lunch to school and eat with her and her friends; have a special dessert sent to her that she can share with her friends and add a special note with it

Date Night – Make it a night out on the town doing some of her favorite things

Special Delivery – Have flowers, chocolates, or something special with a card delivered to her school.

Whether you choose one or a combination of these make sure that you include talking about Jesus’ love for her as you spend time together. You could add a devotional to breakfast, share a few Bible verses on a card, or share with her over dinner together. Just remind her that she is loved and valued by God.

*For all those single moms out there whose dad isn’t a part of your daughter’s life, don’t let that stop you from being the one to show her love on valentines. Just make it a Galentine’s Day!