You might be wondering why Girl Power! is focusing on what you can do for your daughter on your day. There are several studies suggesting that the time you spend with your children now helps shape their health behaviors and has an impact on the choices they make that might affect the rest of their lives. Dads are Power!ful influences, role models, teachers, parents, and leaders.

That's right, dads really do have an effect on the behavior of their children. Just being involved in your child's life decreases the chance that he or she will engage in unhealthy or risky behaviors now, as an older teen, and as an adult. In fact, when parents engage in regular and positive activity with their children over the course of a year, their children are 46 percent less likely to use drugs, 27 percent less likely to use alcohol, and 52 percent less likely to skip school.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsors the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. The message of this campaign is that parents are the anti-drug. According to ONDCP, one of the most important things you should do with your children is listen to them: "Student surveys reveal that when parents listen to kids' concerns and feelings, kids feel more comfortable and are more likely to stay drug free. Kids who receive lots of love and attention from parents feel more secure and have a higher sense of self-esteem. When they confront new or stressful situations, they are less likely to turn to drugs or alcohol." For more information on kids, drugs, and parenting, please visit the ONDCP site at www.theantidrug.com.

Fathers and Daughters

Studies show that close healthy father-daughter relationships foster a sense of competence in daughters' mathematical ability and a stronger sense of femininity in girls. Furthermore, girls who live with both their mother and father do better academically. In addition, they are less likely to engage in early sexual behavior and in the use of alcohol or illicit drugs.

Fathers and Children

All children, not just girls, benefit from having a positive relationship with their fathers. It has been found that children whose fathers share meals with them, spend their leisure time with them, or help them with their homework do significantly better academically than children whose fathers do not. The points below, which indicate some of the positive outcomes of spending time with children, come from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fatherhood Initiative. To read more about the Initiative, visit fatherhood.hhs.gov

Although negative peer influence is the major reason kids use drugs, research suggests that positive family influence is the main reason kids don't use drugs. Both boys and girls have a reduced risk of drug and alcohol use if their fathers are involved in their lives.

Father involvement is important even for very young children. Good fathering during infancy and early childhood contributes to the development of emotional security, curiosity, and math and verbal skills.

Higher levels of involvement by fathers in activities with their children, such as eating meals together, going on outings, and helping with homework, are associated with fewer behavior problems, higher levels of sociability, and a higher level of school performance among children and adolescents.

Involvement by fathers in children's schooling, such as volunteering at school and attending school meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and class events, is associated with higher grades, greater school enjoyment, and lower chances of suspension or expulsion from school.

Kids who learn from their parents or caregivers about the risks of drugs are 36 percent less likely to smoke marijuana, 50 percent less likely to use inhalants, 56 percent less likely to use cocaine, and 65 percent less likely to use LSD than the kids who don't learn about these drugs from their parents.