Today was a Daddy-Daughter Day for me and my teenage daughter Chani. My in-laws were nice enough to watch my 2-year-old son Ty for a couple of days, so that we could have some time to do things Chani enjoys.

She is on spring break this week, so we have several fun activities planned for the next couple of days. Today, we went shopping and to see a movie. Chani loves to shop, and I’m sure that she would have preferred to go with my wife Lori rather than me. She’s getting to an age when it’s a little awkward to be asking my advice about whether or not something looks good. Unfortunately, several VIPs from Lori’s company are in town this week, so she has to chauffeur them around instead.

I try to be a good sport when shopping with Chani, but it’s hard to be patient with the amount of time it takes a teenager to try on clothes. It’s not enough that something fits right - it has to meet the “cool” test too. She did get several outfits and a new pair of shoes, and she convinced me to buy a shirt and pair of shorts that she picked out, so I could look “cool” too.

I felt good about doing my part to spark the local economy today. People are still shopping, in spite of a recession.

Afterwards, we went to see the movie Penelope starring James McAvoy and Christina Ricci.

Here’s the trailer:

Chani said that it was a “chick flick” for young women and girls. She also said the movie sends a positive message to all girls. “If the way you look affects what people think of you, they don’t deserve you in the first place,” she said, after the movie. She really seemed to like it, and I was glad that it had a positive message for her.

The only problem I had with the film was that it continued to portray the father as a dimwitted parent who remained in the background, while his daughter went through a series of major emotional trials. In addition, the dad was spineless in his interactions with the mom, which I always find to be extremely unrealistic. When are film companies going to start portraying dads in a more positive and realistic manner? To be fair, the film also portrayed a stereotypical, overbearing mother who put her own selfish needs and desires before her child.

I did appreciate the message of the film, and we laughed during several parts. The moral of the story was that to be loved by others you must first love yourself…warts, pig nose, floppy ears and all.

I enjoy daddy-daughter days very much, as it gives me and Chani a chance to connect and talk. She’s a great kid, and she’s becoming a wonderful young woman. I’ve always appreciated her big heart, kind eyes and infectious smile. I often think, “If only I could freeze time.”

Feel free to leave your comments about Daddy-Daughter Days and fun things to do together!

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