Dear Daughter, here’s why you should take a short walk with your dad daily

Attention daughters! Do you walk with your dad? When was the last time you went on a stroll in the park with your father? Can’t remember? Well, maybe that could be the reason why you feel a little disconnected from your pops.

If you’re still wondering what this is all about, hold tight. A new study from the University of Essex found that something as simple as a daily walk with your dad could be the key to strengthening your relationship with him. Yes, that’s right! The study led by Dr. John Day of the School of Health and Social Care from the University of Essex suggests that taking part in a physical activity, be it walking, swimming, or just discussing it, could develop deep emotional connections and transform the stereotype of distant dads. The study is published in the Families, Relationships and Societies journal.

“My research shows daughters have always sought for a way to grow closer to their dads, while this has only recently become more of a focus for fathers. From a father's perspective, physical activity can simultaneously function as a method of upholding a masculine identity while performing one-to-one parenting, so they feel much more comfortable in this environment,” Dr. Day said.

In order to understand how a simple walk could improve the bond between a father and daughter, the researchers interviewed 14 women born between 1950 and 1994. Those born in the 1950s spoke about how their dads fulfilled the role of the provider for the family, and remained somewhat on the periphery as a parent. However, those born in the 1980s and 1990s were raised in social conditions that allowed them to realise and build more emotionally connected relationships with their fathers.

Activities such as walking, swimming, and cycling played a huge role in how they bonded with their dads.

A woman born in 170 said her time together meant a means of gaining approval for her, "He spent a lot of time either at work… doing his exercise [laughs], or doing his studies, he was quite absent from our lives… I was probably about 12… and he said ‘Do you wanna come for a run with me?’, and I went out for a run with him. It nearly killed me, and then we went for a swim afterwards, and then it became a bit of a regular Saturday morning thing. I think it was my way of just spending time with my dad, and it was the way I got approval from him."

While daughters appreciated the emotional connection and health benefits, the study also noted that some showed disinterest when their dads turned these bonding activities into competitions. Still, many young women reflected on how these moments brought them closer. “Key factors associated with fatherhood that have enabled this transformation are the increased prominence of involved fatherhood ideals and physical activity becoming a parenting and health-related practice that fathers feel comfortable performing and talking about,” Dr Day said.

He added, “Crucial to this is the UK context, where intimate interdependence is indicative of sought-after relationships and a public health context where physical activity participation is championed to reduce non-communicable disease.”


So, the next time your dad asks you to join him for a walk, go ahead. Or if he doesn’t, maybe you should take the initiative. Take a stroll, have a laugh with your pops, and see your bond flourish! Also, it could be a little practice for walking down the aisle.