rule 052

Teach her about the presidents, something unique from each one. If you teach it to her now, it will only make the lessons at school stick that much more. 

rule 050

Teach her how to read a map and help her gain her sense of direction. Start when she is little and make the connection with a certain thing she can see all over in your area & tell her just that one direction. It should stick. Also, teach her all the anagrams for NESW- never eat soggy waffles, never eat salty watermelon, etc. 

rule 051

No matter how long Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, etc. are in the league, never let her think they were better than Michael Jordan. Also, explain to her that she will hear all kinds of stories about how Michael Jordan got cut in high school. Explain the actuality of those stories. If you don't know them, look them up. 

rule 049

Teach her to read a map, and her North, East, West, and South directions. It will be infinitely

rule 048

Allow her to eat unhealthy now and then. She deserves it. She will thank you for the part your dinners played in her health, but for now you should probably just expect a "YES PLEASE!!!!" when you say you are going to McDonalds.

rule 047

Use animals to help her get in touch with her emotions. She may tell you close to everything, but she might still be holding something back. It isn't you, you're doing fine. Animals have an incredible sense of reading people's emotions. Knowing that she didn't have to even speak, and she's understood, can really give her a clear head.

rule 046

Support what she wants to do with her life, even if it's not what you thought she was going to do or what you wanted her to. She grew up with you allowing her to dream and find a passion in something that led her here. She's probably modeling that from what she observed you doing her whole life.

rule 045

Teach your daughter how to be outright hilarious. Teach her also how to let things roll off her back. People will respect her for not being a drama queen. But teach her limits because being class clown is one thing, but being a disruptive class clown is an entirely different thing.

rule 044

Make sure she knows you can't be the only one she leans on. She will have friends that she can reach out to, but also know that it is frustrating for her to have to explain a situation you have been there through the whole time. Also know that she holds you above the rest, so try to do what you can, but don't feel guilty when you have to step away. She will be frustrated and angry at the time, but she'll calm down and grasp this too.

rule 043

Explain the beauty in the simplistic of things. Simplicity itself is beautiful. No matter how chaotic things might be, simplicity is all around.

rule 042

Know that whether it was a joke or not, she cherishes little things that you made with your own hands. They might not be out being displayed, but I guarantee you they aren't in the trash.

rule 041

Teach her how to make mashed potatoes. They are cheap and easy and all you need is butter, milk, potatoes, and water. When she complains about not having any food when she's in college, remind her about mashed potatoes. She will probably grunt or moan or sigh, but chances are, that night she will be eating mashed potatoes.

rule 040

Take pride in where were you raised her. It molds the person she will turn into. Teach her to take pride in where she was raised. It will be a lot easier for her to want to come home when she is at college.

rule 039

Teach her how to act, dress, speak in public, according to social norms. However, allow a little elbow room for chances to throw caution to the wind.

rule 038

Always encourage reading, even if she rolls her eyes and brushes you off. Don't be angry, or hostile, or resentful if she does those things. That's her own lesson to learn, and trust me she will regret it. Do teach her however, that going to the movies made after books and then claiming to have read the book, is a thing she will regret.

rule 037

When shes little, tell her how important Chewbacca is to the world. Make up crazy but believable stories about him. That way when she watches star wars with you, he's one less character to be scared of. Not to mention he is just downright awesome.

rule 036

Buy her an edible arrangement, at least just once. She will appreciate it much more than flowers. Still buy her flowers though.

rule 035

She will get hurt along the way. Even though it hurts to see her cry, cherish the moments that she comes to you crying. Chances are you're going to be replaced. Make sure she knows she can call you and cry if she gets hurt whenever, and even if you get replaced, you're still bound to get a phone call.

rule 034

Allow her to experience situations that are completely random. She might just find a passion for something she might not have otherwise.

rule 033

Tattoos can turn out to be stupid. While she's under your roof she needs permission. Don't always say no just because you're set in your ways. She might want to show her loyalty and love and pride she has for her family. But if it's a lower back tattoo, say no before she even pitches the idea. She will realize later on how grateful she is that you didn't allow it.

rule 032

She should watch Secretariats race from 1973 at the Belmont Stakes. It is one of the most famous races in horse racing and in 2 minutes and 39 seconds, a lesson can be explained that might otherwise have taken years. No one believed in Secretariat and he had flaws that could put a wrench in being successful. However, the love of a daughter for her father was channeled into the love of the underdog. The Belmont Stakes proved that you can accomplish anything that anyone says you can't. But even more important, you can blow them out of the water.

rule 031

Show her how to find humor in things. If she can do that, she will be set for life. She might not find humor in you showing her baby pictures to her prom date though.

rule 030

Teach her how to do her nails. If she doesn't want to after that, less money for you to spend. If she becomes addicted, take her debit card. She might never wear nail polish again but she will thank you if she has a little girl who wants to learn how to.

rule 029

Teach her organizational skills early. These will play a HUGE role on the grades she gets and the success she can have. If you notice signs of ADHD, get them tested young. Before the third semester into college is a little harder to try to get used to.

rule 028

She will have fears and phobias. Some might stick with her for life so teach her that most fears are only as bad as you make them out to be. Help her with coping mechanisms and even pretend you're scared so you can "overcome" it together. Sometimes that still doesn't work. In that case, by spider spray.

rule 027

Teach her what good music is. Don't be afraid to take the Elmo CD out and play some of your music. Chances are she will like them and they might even spark a piece of her that is essential for her being.

rule 026

Teach her to never be ashamed of her likes and dislikes, Instead to embrace them. She might ignore you during middle school, but never stop reminding her. She will remember when it's important.

rule 025

Prepare her to see death. But do it carefully and respectfully to everyone involved. It won't be easy or pretty. But it will be much better of you do it when you can be there to hold her hand instead of when she's far away and you can only listen to her cry over the phone.

rule 024

Teach her basic first aid. Advance her learning of it based on her hobbies and interests. Just know it will teach her a lot more about healing if she knows how to begin the process.

rule 023

Have dogs around when she's younger of possible. Or better yet, have her around dogs as much as possible. She will pick up a lot of how to treat them in the future, but she'll also pick up a bit on how to treat people.

rule 022

Attempt and steer her in the direction of picking heroes and role models carefully. They can be a big factor in the success, and failure, of her choices in life.

rule 021

Teach her to hunt if you are into that. Chances that she will be into it are probably 30/70 that she'll want to do it again. It will be a good judge on how to spend time with her, or how not to.

rule 020

Teach her how to bake, but teach her how to bake creatively. Anyone can bake an apple pie, but SHE can bake it inside of an apple. If she doesn't pick up on that, that's fine. Because no one can make an apple pie like HER.

rule 019

Watch storms with her and try to answer her questions as best you can. Understand that she isn't as smart as you yet, so try not to throw a college meteorology class her way. And if she's scared, let her sit on your lap while you watch. Respect it if she doesn't want to to watch it.

rule 018

She will probably ask for a pony when she's little, don't buy into it. Except, if she continuously asks for one past the age of ten. Consider it and if you can financially handle that big of a monetary responsibility, than buy one. If not, there are a million barns out there who would be more than willing to allow her access to one once a week or so. Horses teach lessons humans can't.

rule 017

Sports will, at some point, come up in a conversation down the road. Teach her enough to avoid her feeling left out in future conversations, but leave it up to her to ask for more rules, regulations, terms, etc.

rule 016

Teach her that mistakes happen. There are three parts to this- when she's younger most likely a mistake will happen and she will be either embarrassed or hard on herself for it. Reassure her, it will help her understand that over every mountain is a downhill slope.
Next step is when she's starting to become a little more independent. When she makes a mistake, reassure her and show her how to clean it up and also how to do it differently next time. This shows responsibility.
The next step is when she is on her own and the mistake is much more monumental than spilling Cheerios. Be patient, be kind, be loving, be supportive. If she's not physically there, she will want a hug over the phone. Give her advice on what to do, but also know she might do something completely different. Tell her you love her, a million times... Daily.

rule 015

Let her watch Star Wars. Let her form her own opinions about it, but I'd you like it and you show that you like it, chances are she will grow to like it too.

rule 014

Teach her way her food REALLY comes from. Take her to a dairy and explain milk, take her to a canola farm in late Spring. She won't only understand better than most kids, but also get to take her own piece of beauty home with her.

rule 013

Inspire creativity, it may be repressed for a while, but she will get it back and thank you for allowing the chances for it that you did.

rule 012

Flowers from you will mean more than flowers from anyone else, and forever will.

rule 011

Teach her how to fish. Make sure you go fishing regularly. Patience is learned that way. Dads: she will use this as a way to impress you for a while. Cherish that, unless she really loves fishing, chances are she will use it to impress another boy down the road.

rule 010

Teach her all about America. What it stands for, how our rights were earned, all the cool monuments there are. Be sure to explain how important our freedoms are and tell her that we had to work hard for them. They are not a right. She will feel more passionate and careful about what she chooses to do with her freedoms.

rule 009

Be honest about your perspective of beauty. I guarantee when she gets older, she will have her opinion but most of it is similar to yours. She will be more apt to send you pictures of sunsets when she's in college because she wants to connect on that shared feeling you both have.

rule 008

Let her sleep on the living room floor. It probably won't teach her anything but it will allow her to be close to you, even if she is completely out.

rule 007

Teach her how bacon is the key ingredient to happiness. Teach her how to cook it the right way. Just be careful dads, keep in mind you're setting her up for a talent that boys love...

rule 006

Teach her to sew, by hand first then with a machine. If you teach her to sew by hand, you won't have those precious conversations.

rule 005

Teach her how to hand wash dishes far before teaching her how to load a dishwasher. It will make that simplicity so much more valuable if you do so. Also, teach her that dish soap isn't a substitute for dishwasher detergent.

rule 004

She needs to watch The Lion King. Over, and over, and over. Be prepared to know the songs by heart. Same goes for any movie, TV show, or toy that has music. Just find ways to have fun with it. Also help her remember the lessons they teach. They are important for growing up even though at the time, eating bugs and running away is the opposite of what you are trying to teach her. She will later understand what those were metaphors for.

rule 003

Teaching her the importance of family is critical to the person she will become. Too many kids these days don't have that same understanding.