In Which I'm Losing Connections With My Daughter And Bruce Chatwin Doesn't Help

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As the title suggests as she is growing older I feel as if I'm losing connections with my daughter (who is nearly fifteen) of course that happens to all parents as their children grow older and assert their independence more. What I didn't realise (and probably should have) is that when you have a girl then it's Dad who this will affect first....specifically because he's Dad.

For as she gets older specific issues and interests arise where I, in my official capacity as Dad, have absolutely no clue what to do. For example...

Hair: As regular readers of this blog know I have enough problems with my own silver thatch to understand the problems of young women. For cutting as well as styling "Ask your mother" is my response.

Make Up: To the majority of men. Makeup is a sort of biological chemistry set for which we barely have an idea what these strange substances and implements are. Another "Ask Your mother" issue.

Fashion: Daughter never likes my comments on what she's wearing. Wife thinks I'm "behind the times". So if I make a comment Daughter's response is to ask her mother.

And fashion leads to.....

Shopping For Clothes: Many years ago. When my wife was choosing a top for what seemed like an eternity I remarked to my daughter that one day she would be exactly like her mother. Well that time has come. And if I'm dragged into this kicking and screaming at what to them is not so much shopping more of an event then my only true companion is whatever book I'm reading.

And of course there's ......

Boys: Where I suspect I'll be the last person to know about a boyfriend until she's in her twenties and there's a ring involved.

As for television. Daughter is a fan of film musicals and dance/song talent shows.....as is the wife ....no interest in anything that involves sport and a ball at all.

Now this is no competition. I now know that even if I intended to make it so I'd lose heavily. I'm a man, and at this age my daughter's interests/needs are best served by her mother.

And I do have responsibilities. Though not "popular" ones. Homework enforcer, unwelcome alarm clock on school days and of course taxi. But it's not the same.

I was mulling on this yesterday as I was waiting outside daughter's school. Then decided instead to finish In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin. So let me confirm what I said on Sunday. I hated this book.

You know it's odd disliking a book not only popular but loved.But there we go. I hated the short chapters. The way he seemed to act superior to the indigenous people. The way history was jammed in and then rammed out. There was nothing smooth about this at all.

Not the worst book I've read this year. But so far unquestionably the most disappointing.

Went to Sully library and took out two books. This was the first:

Charlotte Betts -The Chateau On The Lake

I'm not expecting much here except being hopefully entertained.

The other was:

Alan Baker - The Edge Of Science

No idea what to expect here. We shall see.

As for what to do with my daughter. The answer I reckon is to find new interests where we can connect more. For the moment it turns out to be Ice Hockey. Since we went to the Cardiff Devils match last week I've recorded some more games on TV and amazingly she wants to watch them with her old man.

Father daughter bonding over ice hockey....thank you ice hockey.

Until the next time.