Did your dad never tell you he loved you or that you were beautiful?

[mackerelle]

Assuming you have/had a dad who was around for your entire childhood, did yours never tell you that you were beautiful or that he loved you?
Mine didn't and I don't know how normal that is.
Everything I read about dads says that these 2 things are the most important things a dad can do.

Not a single person told me I looked beautiful on my wedding day either, not even my dad who walked me down the aisle. I'm no great looker but I'm not a troll, you'd think someone would have said that even if they didn't really mean it.

Anyway, that's an aside, but does anyone else have a dad like mine? Is it normal? I know he's emotionally unavailable, but is it just a British stiff upper lip thing?

No mine never said it. Neither did my mum. Any attempt to look reasonable was met with accusations of vanity.

They did love me though.

I think when you go home to Wales folding clothes may seem less unappealing. When you are living somewhere where you are rejected it makes you feel like nothing will make you happy xxx

Mine told me i'd be pretty if only I looked like my sister, jeez thanks for that, haven't hated myself at all for 30 odd years

The one about folding clothes was the wrong thread sorry x

Not in words but I knew then and now.

Mine never did. He muttered something non committal on my wedding day but thats it. But he is the best, most fabulous amazing father I could ever have wished for. He's just not good at feelings and neither am I tbh.

He never said he loved me growing up, but no one I knew did that anyway back then. But I never doubted he did.

I grew up knowing I was secure and that my parents were always there for me. Words can cheap sometimes.

The one and only time he said was a few months before he died which made it al the more special for me.

Nor mine. He was a lovely dad, but would never have said such a thing.

As someone said up thread, he'd have needed a personality transplant! He certainly had his faults - but I know he really loved me. And he was probably more proud of my brains than my looks.

No and i'm 28 and my sister is almost 27 and he still tells my sister he loves her over the phone and not me. I'm not really bothered to be honest because he still a great dad and helps me put alot with my son and his actions speak louder than his words.

Nope, he never told me he loved me, not while growing up, not when it mattered. Nor did my mother but that's a whole other story. He tells me now, though, occasionally, now he's more aware of his own mortality, I guess. But it's too late for me, it means nothing.

No but it's obvious that he did/does. I could deal with him saying he loved me, but would cringe forever more if he said I was beautiful 😬

He's never told me he loves me, but I know for an absolute fact that he does- he's shown me in a million ways.

Mine has always told me how lovely I am and that he loves me, but he doesn't do much else apart from that.
He was barely involved in bringing me up as he was always busy doing other things. So being told you are loved isn't the be all and end all.

I do tell my son I love him and he says he loves me though

My dad's dad was not the best dad for him and actually disowned him at 18 when he refused to go to university and joined the police instead.

As a result my dad has always made sure that my sister and I are told and made to feel that we are loved and supported no matter what.

When we were children he used to call my sister and I his beautiful angels, I wouldn't change that and do not think that is weird in any way.

Not only did my dad not say it (he left when I was young and subsequently had a fantastic relationship with his new stepdaughter who was the same age as me and worshipped the ground he walked on) but my mother never said it to me either. I am in my fifties now and although I have a good relationship with my mother she has never, ever told me she loves me, nor does she pay me any compliments about my appearance or anything else.

I know she does love me, she's just weirdly incapable of saying it.

No. And neither did my Mum. But they are two of the most emotionally stunted people I know.

Never but I have never doubted his love for me

Yes, emotionally stunted is exactly the right phrase to encapsulate how I feel about both my parents, thank you Brown.

I think my dad knew his was emotionally stunted and basically very selfish but I don't think my mum has a clue and she'd be quite horrified to hear it!

I don't think he's actually used those words, but I have never doubted that he thinks those things and always has.
I just think some people from certain generations don't really talk like that.

No and neither did my mother.
We aren't a demonstrative family.

When I was a child I never had many holidays or fancy clothes, but I had parents who adored me and told me they loved me every single day. My dad was a king amongst men and all I can remember growing up was laughing and cuddling him