Salaam,
I have recently found out that the baby me and my wife are expecting is going to be a girl. And all of a sudden the prospect of having a baby has become even more burdonsome. It's as if I feel the task of raising a daughter will be much harder than raising a boy. I have immediately decided, perhaps as a coping mechanism, that I will do all I can to help our daughter become a doctor and not to get her married off for as long as we can.
I have all sorts of worries about how I can be a good father and ensure that my daughter has a good upbringing. I would like to ask forum members, especcially the sisters, what they think makes a good father-daughter relationship. I would like to know what I can do to be a good father to my daughter.
Thankyou.
Wa alaykum salaam, brother.
Congratulations on the great news
Why do you feel raising a daughter will be harder?
First of all, if you want to be a good dad then don't make life decisions such as your future daughter's future career path for her, right now! She may not want to be a doctor! Let her decide what she wants to do, but advise her as well, obviously don't just let her make very big stupid mistakes, that will negatively impact on her life.
Of course, if you mean you'll let her have an education rather than just make her get married once she turns 16 then fair enough, good on ya!
Hmm how to be a good father. Don't spoil her too much
look after her, feed her every now and again - or more often - not just to help out your wife, but because the more you do for/with her it will build a stronger relationship between you and your daughter, play games with her, as she gets older don't be too harsh and strict that she begins to resent you! Don't just demand things, but make her understand the reasons, be protective but try not to become over-protective, bordering paranoia 
create such a relationship that when she's older she doesn't feel awkward going to you for advice, help etc - I don't know about parents in general, but I think that is an issue with older generation asian parents. They can be hard to approach.
I think the teenage years are perhaps the hardest what with all the mood changes and what not lol. Beforehand you kinda know what to expect, of course every child is different, but unless there is something wrong, God forbid, then although it's hard you have some idea of what is expected, they may cry when they're hungry and annoyed and need a change, they may throw temper tantrums, but then they reach their teenage years and they have all these EMOTIONS and they want to be in control and all this other stuff that parents don't always react to very well.
But I think having a good relationship from a young age, would help make it easier for parents during this stage.
It's all a balancing act, and I guess for parents it must be super hard, and you have to go through a lot of trial and errors, don't worry about it too much, I'm sure all new parents feel like you, you'll pick it up.
errrrrr I don't know how much help that was, probably not a lot, some of the stuff I said was very vague and more importantly, I'm not a parent! (I am a girl though) But inshaAllah you'll be fine!
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
How will it be harder? Not all girls are hard to please y'know!
You know what makes a good father-daughter relationship? Understanding. That's the most important thing, I suppose. From personal experience and what I've witnessed amongst others.. if there's no understanding present then there's very little chance of success. Even if a girl can just go home one night and speak without hesitation, embarassment or fear. I know fathers tend to be quite overprotective.. but that's just natural. Just too much is posionous.
They should be best friends. Course its easy to spoil a child, but if you develop a good relationship from an early age, then there's nothing much to be worried about really.
Don't let negative thoughts get to you, its just a trap you don't want to fall into. No matter whether it is a boy or a girl, the fact that you're blessed with one is more than enough.
I guess I can only speak from what I think (without blabbing on too much), not sure how helpful that may be though. I mean to a baby girl you'll be a good father regardless of what happens!
make loads of duahs! put your trust in Allah! read islamic parenting books. think abt whether the prophet sallAllahu'alaihiwassalaam would do that or this with his daughters. inshaaAllah you'll be fine if you keep Allah and His prophet salllAllahu'alaihiwassalaam in mind always.
Nouman Ali Khan was actually saying that when you get to teenage years its too late. you have to develop the relationship before hand. teenagehood is when you have to start to let go, trust a lot more, they mostprob will make mistakes and fall flat on their face but you need to be there for them to turn to and try and protect them from falling into big-GER sins.
may Allah aid you.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Dear afzal
love love love her and you naturally will. So don't worry, lots of hugs and kisses, it's really so easy. The more you show love the more she will know love. Always be honest. And always know you're the best dad. Because now all your me time should be her time because she really is the best of you. Congratulations you are going to have the best gift ever!