As I handed my young daughter the package, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She tore open the wrapping paper and gasped as she saw the flowers. She asked “Are you sure that these are for me?” When I answered “you bet,” she threw her arms around my neck and gave me a great big squeeze, as she whispered the words “thank you, Daddy.”

One of the best pieces of parenting advice for daughters I have ever received was to make sure I buy her flowers. If she receives flowers first from her father, then any other guy who buys her flowers will be measured against me. But there are other things a daughter needs to get from her dad before she gets them from someone else. If I don’t set the standard in these areas, she may go looking for meaning, fulfillment, and love in all the wrong places. Here are 4 things a daughter needs from her dad before she gets them from someone else.

1. Sincere Compliments

The moment she was born, it’s likely you were amazed by your daughter. This may be because you were captivated by her beauty. It might also be her many other qualities and abilities. As the man who loved her first and who loves her most, your compliments matter to your daughter. When a dad praises his daughter, it speaks to her heart. When you, as her father, tell your daughter what you find lovely about her, it comes with no strings attached, just as it should from any man, especially the one she marries. If you miss this opportunity, someone else with ulterior motives might begin to shower her with compliments, and she may more easily settle for a guy who’s only using her.