End the Year by Leaving a Long-Lasting Legacy

With this being the last Dad-Daughter Friday Blog of 2025, I’m reflecting on my year and inviting you to do the same. When it comes to your relationship with your daughter, you’ve no doubt been investing in her this past year and this is worth celebrating.

As you think about the concept of legacy, let’s start by defining the term. Legacy is “the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or in a person’s life.”

And though legacy often refers to highlighting deposits at the end of someone’s life, for purposes of this conversation, let’s reflect on end of year relational investments with your daughter.

In the definition above, the words “long-lasting impact” stand out to me for a couple of reasons:

1. Sometimes we never know how little things have big impact. On the positive side, something you may not have thought to be a big deal----a gentle response or short hand-written note, a text or a phone call to check in---was all it took to make your daughter’s day better.

2. Conversely, one small but intense, negative response on your part may have stuck with her long beyond that specific interaction. And she may still be carrying the impact of that wound here at the end of this year.

The only way to know how your responses landed is to ask your daughter for input.

Why not end the year strong by inviting your daughter to respond---in person or in writing---to these two questions:

1. Can you remember any specific words I’ve spoken to you this past year that have stuck with you that made you feel better about yourself?

2. Can you remember any specific words I’ve spoken to you that have stuck with you this past year that made you feel worse about yourself?

Then, celebrate the positive investments and address the negatives.

Be willing to apologize and ask forgiveness. Without defensiveness, explanations or justification, even if your recollection is different than hers, let her know you love her fully and completely.

Ask yourself if you’d rather win the argument or win her heart.

With intentional focus, you can end the year well by checking in with your daughter by leading a conversation that cleans out any potential “closets” of unfinished business. Then you can affirm her for where you’ve seen her grow and mature this year.

This is what it looks like to end the year with an intentional commitment to leaving a positive legacy in your daughter’s life that will last long beyond this year.