I consider myself to be a fairly manly Dad.  I have lived in the woods for months at a time, have rebuilt a classic Ford Mustang, can grow a beard by just thinking about it, and can get myself in way over my head in any DIY project.  But here is a poorly hidden secret, I can hold my own in the pink and sparkly realm of girly things.

I live in a house full of women.  Inside the house is my lovely wife, our two beautiful girls, and one female cat who dislikes all of us.  Outside the home there are five hens, that’s female chickens if you didn’t know.  I am the only male presence on our property.  Don’t worry, this post isn’t about prancing around in tutus and wearing makeup, it is about the importance of a manly man connecting with the women in his life.

The other day my wife had to leave for a while to take care of something important.  It was after dinner time and instead of plopping down in front of the TV with the girls I thought it would be fun to cook something.  I cooked all the time with our oldest child, but now having two little girls makes things a bit more challenging.  Baking with the girls is a messy process and things don’t always get accurately measured, but it is also a ton of fun.  We just made some basic chocolate chip cookies from scratch.  It was fun to see the amazement in the eyes of my two year old as ingredient were transformed into a tasty cookie.

I’m not saying that cooking is girly, but I did have to wear my wife’s hot pink “I kiss better than I cook” apron.  I believe there is a case for being a manly Dad but still doing girly things.  Here are my top 5 reasons:

1. You connect with the women in your life.  The differences between men and women are many.  Countless wives and daughters have often wondered what is wrong with the man in their life.  Occasionally dipping your hairy toe into the realm of girly things will help you connect with the women in your life.

2. You show affection through actions.  Most men have troubles expressing their feelings in words.  Holding hands has grown to be one of my favorite things.  When I walk my oldest daughter to school in the mornings she reaches for my hand and wants to hold it as we walk along.  It is a clear way to communicate our bond.  Many times while watching TV or laying in bed talking my wife and I will hold hands.  This also clearly communicates the bond in our relationship.  I know some men are too manly to hold hands or show affection in public, not me.

3. You earn big ‘points’ with your wife.  How would your wife react if she saw you cleaning the house, doing laundry, or cooking dinner?  Some have termed this “woman’s work” but they are wrong.  In our dual-income households, the manly thing to do is pitch in and help.  If you don’t know how to do it I am sure your request to help and learn would be greatly welcomed.  Flowers are nice, and jewelry is pretty, but the helpful husband trumps everything.  And every manly man knows it is important to always keep some extra ‘points’ tucked away for the times when we say something dumb or burn down part of the house.

4. You show your girls what a real man is.  This one is written specifically for the manly Dad who finds himself with a little girl.  In my ministry work I have seen a lot of girls who needed their Daddy.  The loss of his presence and example left a void in their lives that they filled with the first boy who came and paid them any attention.  Most often with disastrous effect.  Bless your daughters by showing them what a hard working, loving, handy, and fun-loving man looks like.

5. It’s fun.  There are a lot of things I write on this blog that might get my man card revoked.  I enjoy manly things like smoky burnouts in my Mustang and shooting guns, but I have to admit that girly things are pretty entertaining too.  You won’t catch me prancing around with bows in my hair anytime soon, but I enjoy helping my girls with an art project, playing dollhouse, or watching silly girl shows.  Learning about the world of girl things is like a grand adventure in a foreign land.

Being a manly Dad is important.  The women in your lives need a provider and a protector.  But being a cuddly teddy bear is also important.  Take the time to learn how to make a pony tail.  Learn how to paint fingernails….theirs not yours…men with painted fingernails must have their man card revoked.  You will be a better Dad if you find the fun and benefit in doing some girly things.