Dad Called ‘Inappropriate’ For Calling His Daughters Gorgeous
He doesn't see what the big deal is when it's just another term of endearment.
Inside Creative House | Shutterstock These days, interactions between adults and kids are all examined under a microscope, even when the adult should be a trusted person, like a parent.
A dad found this to be true when he realized how much criticism he received for simply trying to boost his daughters’ confidence. Unfortunately, people took offense to the fact that he was using words that connote beauty as terms of endearment rather than complimenting them on other aspects of their personalities outside of looks.
One dad called his daughters ‘gorgeous’ and was accused of being ‘inappropriate’ for doing so.
The 50-year-old father said on Reddit that he wasn’t sure why people were reacting in such a strange way to his choice of words. “I … have two daughters, ages 16 and eight,” he explained. “I call them a lot of sweet/affectionate nicknames, and one of the ones I call them frequently is ‘gorgeous.’”
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“Like, ‘Hi gorgeous!’ or ‘Goodnight gorgeous,’” he said to share an example. “My girls seem to really like it a lot, but some people who have heard me call them this nickname (mostly women) have told me that they think it’s inappropriate and that I shouldn’t use it,” he continued. “My wife has never said anything about it.” Basically, people are accusing this man of being creepy for calling his daughters gorgeous.
Other Reddit users didn’t see what the problem was at all.
While some people in the man’s life apparently found his use of the word “gorgeous” to be inappropriate, most people thought otherwise. “Dad’s, please praise your daughters,” one person said. “Tell them they are beautiful, smart, funny, creative, dazzling, gorgeous, etc. so that when someone’s dusty [expletive] son tries to tell them these things they are not impressed.”
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Someone replied to this comment saying, “Facts!! Dads play such an important role in shaping the way their daughters view themselves in future relationships. [The original poster’s] daughters will more than likely not settle for a guy who puts in the bare minimum.”
“If your daughters like it, that’s what matters most,” someone else argued. “People should mind their own business.” Another added, “People need to stop over-sexualizing basic affection.”
It’s completely appropriate for parents to use terms of endearment with their children.
Despite what some people may believe based on this man’s Reddit post, it’s actually totally fine to use terms of endearment when referring to your children. Another man shared a similar problem he had with MentalHealth.com. He called his daughter from a previous relationship “sweetie,” which his new wife took issue with.
When responding to his question regarding whether or not this was okay, Dr. Allan Schwartz, Ph.D., said, “To be brutally honest with you, I see nothing wrong with using a term of endearment with your daughter. Fathers continue to use terms like that with their daughters well into their adulthood.”
While some could argue this is a slightly different situation, as “sweetie” is a more common term of endearment for one’s children, it doesn’t change the fact that terms of endearment are completely okay to use.
While many people think of “gorgeous” in terms of physical appearance, the actual definition for the word from Merriam-Webster is “splendidly or showily brilliant or magnificent.” It would be perfectly natural for a parent to feel that way about their child.
Furthermore, while the use of “gorgeous” may be giving some women the ick, aren’t there plenty of other terms of endearment out there that the same could be said for? Country Living compiled a list of 140 terms of endearment that could be used for baby girls, which included unique selections such as “love bug,” “sweetsie,” “chunk,” and “bun.”
Clearly, it’s normal to call your kids some pretty rare nicknames. Compared to some others, “gorgeous” seems positively plain. This dad is really facing unnecessary criticism for just being a good father to his daughters. There are a lot of girls out there who don’t have as close of a relationship with their dads and would probably love to be called “gorgeous.”
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.