Dating rules may change; dads don't

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen
• Videos

By

My husband loves to tell a story about his buddy, Dave. Dave's daughter had a date with a new boy. When the young man arrived, Dave greeted him at the door. "I'm working on something in the kitchen," he said. "Come on in."

The boy followed Dave, only to discover that he was in the midst of cleaning his shotgun.

Being an avid outdoorsman -- not to mention the father of three girls -- Jim appreciates the not-so-subtle message in his buddy's welcoming gesture.

In fact, Jim promises our daughters he'll be similarly occupied when some brave boy rings our doorbell. Usually, his fantasy of intimidation generates sighs and eye rolling.

Or this: "That's great dad. Threaten the first guy who finally asks me on a date."

Our girls just don't understand how hard it is to be a dad to a daughter.

On the one hand, dads of daughters feel immeasurable pride in the lovely, talented young women growing up under their roofs.

On the other hand, dads know what boys have in mind.

Recalling the lewd and lascivious ideas that occupied their own thoughts when they were teens, they can't bear the notion that their innocent, unspoiled girls might play the starring role in some boy's dream of romance.

In my husband's case, the idea that our daughters willone day end up in the arms of some undeserving boys makes his face scrunch up in painful horror.