The Importance of a Father's Love in their Daughter's Healthy Development

I was reviewing some statistics on line regarding the influence of dads on their daughter overall quality of life forever. Some of the statistics are astounding. Thanks to all those great dads out there who are doing an awesome job, especially my husband.

• A father has the potential to give his daughter something that her mother cannot.
• Daughters who perceive their fathers care a lot about them, who feel connected with their fathers, have significantly fewer suicide attempts and fewer instances of body dissatisfaction, depression, low self-esteem, substance use and unhealthy weight.
• A daughter's self-esteem is best predicted by her father's physical affection.
• Girls with involved fathers wait longer to initiate sex and have lower rates of teen pregnancy

These are some of the reasons I am continually baffled at a mother I know trying her best to prevent her children's father's involvement in their lives. I don't know how a mother, in good conscience, can do something to their children that they know to be detrimental. But, given the work that I do and the things I see everyday, I guess I would be naive to be surprised.