Your Valentine's MONTH Challenge, Dads!

You may think you misread my blog title because I used the word month instead of day. But I assure you that you’re seeing things correctly! Let me tell you why.

For many men, Valentine’s Day is that one day each year when they know that if they forget the card, candy, flowers, or the fancy dinner, they’ll be in the doghouse. So the motivation sometimes is more about not getting in trouble than it is on reaching the heart of the one you love.

Here’s the inside scoop to better understand the women in your life: The underlying desire for most women is that we just want to know that we’re valued and treasured more than one day here or there. And especially when it feels a bit forced on Valentines’ Day, we appreciate the “over-and-above” reminders that we’re really loved beyond that 24-hour time span.

So if you, as a dad to your daughter, want to be intentional with heart investments in her throughout February, it’s time to capitalize on this opportunity of communicating love to show her your love for an entire month, not just a day.

Here’s a not-very-hidden Venusian secret: We women love love. We love stories about love. We love being in loved. We love being the one loved.

And though some women are less outwardly demonstrative when it comes to emotional expressions of their longings, inside the heart of every girl and woman is a God-given desire to be pursued and cherished, adored and known.

Since you were the first one to hold her heart, your love deposits carry a lot of relational weight. If you as a dad miss the opportunity to pursue your daughter’s heart, she’ll be more apt to go looking for love elsewhere because this is a legitimate need, not just a want.

Let me back up my statement with an illustration. 

Did you know, according to Hallmark and industry sources, approximately 150 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually in the United States, making it the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas?! And if you add in kids’ classroom Valentines, there could be as many as 1 billion cards sold each year. 

Adding to Hallmark’s awareness of a woman’s desire for romance and love, especially this time of year, they continue to expand their movie empire every single year.

Since stats are a powerful way to underscore a point, here are some confirming facts regarding their nationwide domination in the area of romantic cinematic expression:

• In 2010 there were 6 original Hallmark holiday movies

• In 2014, there were 12 

• In 2015, the network added 21 new movies to their lineup

• In 2017, they produced 33 more

• In June of 2018, they announced they were debuting 90 additional new movies that would span all year long!

• In 2020 they premiered 40 new original holiday movies

• In 2023, 40 more 

• And in 2025, 24 MORE were added to their vast repertoire! 

What this says to me is simply this: If a woman isn’t experiencing true love in her life (which may or may not include heartfelt romance, but definitely includes agape love, which is selfless love from another----which includes you as her father), she will be drawn to watching someone else live out her romantic story.

And even though every single Hallmark storyline is predictable, cheesy, unrealistic, anticipated, scripted, and improbable, we women have an internal draw to the fantasy, which can become a substitute for reality, particularly when it’s non-existent.

So Dad, here’s where you get to shine. 

Become the Prince Charming in your daughter’s romantic story. Whether she has a special someone or not, you can let her know every single day during this entire month of February that she is your treasure.

Start today and make a commitment to communicate love to her daily for the next 23 days of this month. And rest assured that some days will be more significant in terms of your time, money, and energy, yet by mixing it up it will add strength to the impact of your loving expressions.

Here are some practical ideas to get you started:

• Text her an affirming message (to highlight something you’ve not typically highlighted before, such as a character quality that you admire in this season of her life)

• Write a note and send it via snail mail so she sees your loving words in your own handwriting (and if she’s like me, she’ll save it forever)

• Call her to tell her why you thought of her today (leaving a voicemail message is a great idea so she can replay it again and again)

• FaceTime her and ask questions about her day, her feelings, her fears, and her dreams (make it your goal to get her to talk while you listen)

• Send her flowers (and make sure to send a card that tells her why she’s amazing in your eyes)

• Buy her a gift or two (tangible expressions of your love---where you put your money where your mouth is---will remind her that she’s your treasure for days and months to come)

• Stop by her workplace or school and leave a treat with a note (which I guarantee will be shown to all of her friends and they’ll wish you were their dad!)

• Take her out to breakfast, lunch or dinner (let her choose the place…and then between the time you set up the date and the time you spend together, it will bring joy to her heart as she looks forward to time with you)

So there you have it, Dad: your February challenge.

I can hardly wait to hear how you, as dialed-in dads, give Hallmark a run for their money this year by showing who the real hero is in your daughter’s story.

Write me at drmichellewatson@gmail.com and tell me how it goes so I can celebrate with you!



[P.S....Speaking of Hallmark, I was recently invited to write one God story in a friend’s devotional titled "Written in Heaven: His Story, Our Lives," where 40 women each shared a powerful God story in their own life. I talked about my singleness and getting married at the age of 60, and I titled my story, “Better Than Hallmark.”

This book would be a great gift for your daughter, wife, girlfriend or female friends because 40 women will be encouraging them in them in their own faith journey. I highly recommend it!]