Your Bond With Your Dad When You Were A Kid Vs Now

Your dad will always be your dad, but the dynamic the two of you have will obviously shift over time. Your teen years are difficult in all aspects, but your relationship with your dad and mom will take the biggest hit. It's when you're the most vulnerable, rebellious, clueless, and cocky, so it's definitely a tumultuous time. Now that you're an adult, you can look back on that familial struggle fondly and with a mature perspective. All those eye rolls you tossed at your dad whenever he tried to bust a move or when he cheered you on at a sporting event are now regrettable, because all the man was trying to do was support you and make you smile.

So in honor of Father's Day, take some time to acknowledge the stages of development your father-daughter relationship has gone through. Now you and your dad are so tight, you are practically besties. But it wasn't always that way. The ups and downs of your bond with Dad have created a mutual respect and loving friendship that will only get stronger as you both get older. Here are all the ways your relationship with your dad has changed since you were a bratty teen:

Quality Time Together

Then: You were too cool to hang with Dad. You had boys to impress, and friends to gossip with.

Now: You love hangin' with Dad. You look forward to it. He was right about all those former boyfriends being fools, and like your dad, you give zero f***s about what others think.

Getting Advice

Then: Dad always offered his advice even when you didn't ask for it. You never listened, and you assumed he knew nothing about your life or feelings.

Now: You understand that Dad has a crap-ton of wisdom and life experience. He has valuable insights to share. Now you regularly ask for his opinion and advice on things happening in your life.

Level of Trust

Then: He didn't really trust you, because you always wanted to break the rules. Honestly, he kind of had good reason not to trust you.

Now: He's seen you break the rules and pay the consequences. You've learned from enough mistakes to make responsible choices. Dad trusts you, and you trust him.

Having Disagreements

Then: They were frequent and extremely heated. If you went a week without a verbal throw down with Dad, it was a very good week.

Now: You still have arguments, because you're your own person with feelings based on experiences, just like him. But at least now they're about real issues and not whether or not it's a good idea to date that punk with the motorcycle who just got suspended for spitting on a teacher.

Enduring Personal Struggles

Then: Every second of your life was a personal struggle. There was drama everywhere, because you were a hormonal teenager. Dad probably humored you when it seemed like an ACTUAL problem.

Now: He takes these seriously now, because they are few and far between. He probably shares his own struggles with you, because now it's a two-way street.

Level of Honesty

Then: You didn't tell the truth if it meant that something could be taken away from you. And in order to keep you in line, he probably told a few fibs of his own.

Now: You're in the real world these days, and you know how dark things can be. Dad tells you the truth now, because he knows you can handle it, and you do the same because you rely on him for support and comfort when everything sucks. And he will always be there when life is just the worst.

Image: Fox; Giphy (6)