"How Do You Find a Good Husband Like Daddy?"

​This is a question I was asked two nights ago after reading a fairytale to my two little loves. I don't know if it is my daughters' new infatuation with the movie "Frozen" and the smooch scene at the end or if it is just their age that is prompting their questions, but the question of finding a man to marry has come up more than once in the past few weeks.

I think it has to be every mother's dream to see their daughter marry well and when I say well I don't neccesarily mean financially. I mean to see their daughter loved and respected by a man.
I have the honor of being the mother to two of the most ingenious, talented, and headstrong little ladies in the world and I will support them anyway I can in finding a partner that is worthy of their loyalty. But I also believe they will have the power to attract the kind of man they deserve by being confident and independent women.

Now, I have told them that they don't have to worry about finding a husband for many years. They are only six and four, so thirty (the age at which I will let them finally move out and seek a marital partner :), just kidding--sort of) is still a ways off.

But we have already started planting the seeds of recognizing the kinds of behavior we look for in friends and eventually spouses. Being kind, respectful, and honest are all the same qualities we will encourage them to look for in a partner. It seems unreal to me that we are embarking on these questions already, but I am glad that their curious minds are talking to us about it instead of just using the fairytales and movies as a road map for finding true love.

I am happy to know that they both have called dibs on their daddy, telling me they will marry him when they get older. There is no need for me to go into why that won't happen for them now. They'll figure that out when they are older, but it does tell me that their father treats me with love and respect  and that they want the same thing for themselves when they get older.

Without a doubt I married a prince charming who has turned out to be an incredible dad to our two daughters. He empowers them daily by engaging with them positively, kissing them good night, and setting up expectations about treating people with respect.

I already dread the dating years, remembering the time from my own youth. But I can honestly say I think it will be harder for my husband to see his little girls opening their hearts to someone else. I pity the dates they will bring home, but pray my girls will find a match as good as the one I found.

Parents of little girls, let me know how you are dealing with this topic or what your greatest fears are in raising young women?