Reply #42: I love my Dad, but

[TZ]

I don't have too many memories of being "Daddy's little girl"(of course there were three of us). Didn't help that my Dad hated showing emotion AND that he and my mom divorced when I was young AND that in 1980 he moved 500 miles away from us (it could have been worse, the choice was either Ohio or California, CA being the better job, but he didn't want to be so far from us)
Seemed like I spent most of my childhood and adult life to trying to live up to my Dad's expectations, and often failing.
Criticism comes much easier to him than praise.
Now, in his old age (and because of the really nice woman he married about 10 years ago) he has softened up quite a bit and says "I love you" quite a bit. Why couldn't he have been like this when I was younger
In many ways, this thread depresses me because of that. Well to all you Daddies of Daughters here, take my words into consideration and remember them so you can avoid the same mistakes.