23 Ways To Show Your Daughter You Love Them

There are so many ways to express love to your precious daughter, even if you don't frequently use the words "I love you." You can convey your feelings through your actions, behaviors, and simple gestures of kindness.

Consider the various ways to say I love you daughter without actually stating it. Reflect on whether these suggestions already form part of your relationship with your child. If not, you might decide to start incorporating them, such as watching her play or giving her goodnight kisses, to strengthen your bond.

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Demonstrating your love to your daughter through actions can be just as vital as saying "I love you" aloud. Whether it's watching her play or writing her a heartfelt note, these 23 suggestions aim to strengthen your bond and support your dearest daughter's sense of emotional safety, joy, and love.

1. Use inductive discipline

Strategies such as inductive discipline, where parents aim to explain behavior and moral consequence clearly and fairly, may help children develop moral identity early in life.

As opposed to more authoritarian parenting styles, inductive discipline aims to foster the growth of empathy, which may strengthen the relationship between you and your daughter.

2. Model healthy relationships

Modeling healthy relationships with friends and loved ones may help your daughter develop stronger friendships and relationships of their own. You can try focusing on modeling healthy communication, honesty, compassion, and self-respect. You may want to discuss what unhealthy relationships can look like so your daughter can identify them in the future.

3. Ask their input

Asking your daughter what they like and dislike, or even their opinion on a point, can help you understand what matters to them. If you know your daughter's favorite song, for instance, you might consider playing it during a car ride or family gathering to make her smile. It's a simple yet meaningful way to express your love, show your daughter that you care about the things that matter to her and treasure her preferences.

4. Compliment academic efforts

Teachers and parents who compliment children's academic efforts may help build resilience to various challenges. To be effective, you should genuinely praise and applaud specific accomplishments.

For example, rather than praising your daughter for being innovative, you could focus on praising what they did well. Try to avoid praising things your child cannot control, such as appearance or intelligence.

This practice may help build self-esteem and personal agency as well as send love messages and support. One example of a compliment you might use could be, “great work getting all your test results correct. I thought your answers were so insightful!”

5. Celebrate accomplishments

Celebrating both significant milestones and small achievements can boost your daughter's self-esteem, making her feel lucky to have a supportive parent like you. Acknowledging her accomplishments will not only make her proud but also show her that you're interested in what matters to her, reinforcing the ways to say I love you daughter without uttering the words..

6. Validate their feelings

Instead of ignoring your child when they cry, feel sad, or act out, you might consider validating their emotions and offering a listening ear. Children often struggle to control their emotions when they're young, so teaching them that their feelings are normal, and it's okay to experience tough times can help them develop better self-soothing and emotional control skills in the future.

7. Spend one-on-one time together

Setting aside space for one-on-one time with your daughter away from other people for one hour per week may improve your relationship and enhance cognitive development.

8. Teach a positive outlook on failure

Teaching your daughter that failure is an opportunity for growth rather than a negative may help them take calculated risks and stay motivated in the face of adversity.

9. Actively listen

Actively listening to your daughters' thoughts without judgment, distractions, or unwarranted advice may strengthen your relationship and encourage them to trust you and come to you when they need help.

10. Discuss the world

With social media and the internet, many children have some awareness of current events. Studies show that 5% of adolescent girls meet the criteria for an eating disorder. Discussing the reality of body image in relation to social media early on may have a positive impact on your child.

Having age-appropriate conversations about world events can help address any confusion or stress it may cause your daughter, and open discussions can help build curiosity and compassion for others.

11. Make productivity fun

Making events that typically are boring, such as household chores, more enjoyable can be both productive and fun for you and your daughter. For example, you could turn raking leaves up in the yard into a competition to build an enormous leaf pile. Or you could clean up items throughout the house one color at a time (example: clean only red items first).

12. Have in-depth conversations

Having in-depth discussions and thoughtfully answering your child's questions may build trust and reward curiosity. When your child asks you a question, you may want to avoid the temptation to say, "because I said so," and instead use it as an opportunity to have a deeper conversation about the topic, perhaps telling stories of your first time encountering a similar question or situation.

13. Keep a joint journal

Keeping a joint "You and Me" or dedicated journal with your daughter can help them learn to express themselves and develop writing skills. You could consider adding quotes from meaningful or silly conversations you've had together or sketches from fun activities.

A joint journey from your daughter's early childhood can be saved and make for a thoughtful gift when your daughter is older.

14. Look at photos from the past

Looking at stories and photos from your daughter's childhood, your life, and their grandparents' lives, perhaps reminiscing about when she was born, may help your child feel more connected to you and their heritage. Having these memories during a quiet night together, maybe even under a blanket of stars, can create a warm and intimate experience.

15. Prioritize your child's mental health

Children may experience mental health conditions, trauma, and stress. Show your daughter that you love them by allowing them to talk about their experiences with mental health. If your daughter comes to you with a concern or tells you that they’re being mistreated or abused, follow up with a professional and take your child seriously.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

16. Ask about their day

Asking specific questions about your child's day, such as how a presentation went or what new thing they learned in science class, shows genuine interest, and may lead to more in-depth conversations than asking, “how was your day?” You may ask:

• Who did you have the most fun with today?
• Who is your favorite teacher?
• What projects did you work on?
• What was your favorite part of the day?
• What are you proud of today?
• Have you done any drawings or art projects lately?
• What’s one thing you wish went differently today?

17. Create an identity safe space

Creating a safe space for your daughter to explore their identity may help them develop a strong sense of self. You can do this by encouraging your daughter to explore their sense of style, taste in music, and opinions about the world.

If your child comes out to you as LGBT, consider reacting with support and love. Accepting your child’s gender identity or sexuality may positively impact their self-esteem.

18. Keep them physically safe

Keeping your daughter physically safe may show that you care. You can remind your daughter that their safety is essential when you instruct them to use a seatbelt in the car and wear a helmet while riding a bike. You may also put specific rules in place, like a “no talking to strangers” policy or other similar rules that help keep yourbaby girl safe.

19. Accept their ambitions

Accepting your daughter's career ambitions and desires for life can demonstrate your love and make you feel proud of her aspirations. For instance, if she dreams of becoming a musician someday, you might best support her by buying her an instrument or a microphone to sing into for her birthday, all the while listening attentively to her performances. Make sure you tell her “you make me proud” no matter how skilled she is.

20. Prioritize compassion

Prioritizing showing compassion and the ability to forgive for your daughter over competition can help her manage emotional control. Teaching her to consider the perspective of her peers rather than focusing on comparisons and competition may help your child develop into a better citizen later in life.

21. Practice patience

Practicing patience and being ready to hear your child may help them feel more comfortable talking with you. If you consistently struggle to get your child out of bed and out the door in time for school in the morning, consider setting an alarm for a few minutes earlier, allowing your daughter more time to get ready. This way, you can avoid feelings of stress or impatience.

22. Encourage uniqueness

Encouraging your daughter to form their own ideas and asking about their opinion may help build confidence by demonstrating that you trust them. You could ask your daughter what they thought of a movie you saw together or let them decide where to go for dinner.

You can also embrace uniqueness when it comes to showing and expressing your love. For example, if saying something like “I love you my daughter” feels too formal, you can always send “love you” messages, give thoughtful daughter quotes that reflect your love for your daughter, or show your love in another way that feels right for you and your daughter’s relationship.

23. Try online therapy

No one wants to see their sweet daughter struggle with their mental health. If your child is experiencing symptoms of anxiety, stress, or depression that are straining your relationship, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is shown to be an effective strategy to address these feelings.

For anxiety disorders, a 2021 study found that online CBT is as effective as in-person CBT for adults. A study is currently in progress to assess the effectiveness of online CBT for children aged 3-18. If you’re worried about your child and want to talk to a therapist, online sites like BetterHelp may offer relief to you.