From the comments

The grandparent thing is not sex specific; has more to do with the decline of testosterone poisoning. Lot of men make better grandfathers than fathers.

@Gary–

Because men are brutes who (in the absence of a woman they care deeply about) will revert to loud talk, rough language, rasslin’, not bathing, and eating dinner straight from the can.

Obviously, I’m exaggerating, but there’s a special bond between any father and his children and if that child is a gentle member of the gentler sex, the father will be changed in a different way from how he was changed by his sons. And the original poster doesn’t say that sons don’t improve a man, too, only that daughters do.

PS Yes, there are stereotypes in my response, but many illusions about conditioning of gender behaviors are dispelled by actually raising children.

I don’t think it has to be a “gentling” effect, necessarily, more that it’s just a result of a close bond with impressionable children who happen to be female. My dad had two of us, both daughters, and I am always shocked to hear about what he was like and how he felt growing up — i.e., a lot more chauvinistic. But he raised the two of us pretty much the way he would have raised the sons he originally wanted, both of us tomboys, Santa gave us guns for Christmas, etc., and today he’s definitely a strong supporter of women’s rights in a way he never was before he was a parent. Still hardcore Republican, and he wouldn’t call them “women’s rights,” but when it comes to equality between the sexes or reproductive rights, he is gung ho all the way.

I agree with the comment.

One of my daughters can stop me mid-rant by quietly, yet firmly, saying “Dad” and then raising her voice just a tiny bit and repeating, “Dad.”

She has done this several times and it always makes me laugh. Mostly at my own foolishness.

No one else could do this but one of my daughters. And the result has been that I rant a lot less, and laugh a lot more.

A wise old (male) friend of mine once told me that there is nothing like the love of your daughters. And he is right.

And although I and most of the soccer dads I know are most definitely NOT feminists, don’t try telling me or any of them that some opportunity is closed to our daughters because of their sex.

Over time I have become downright intolerant of situations that if one of my daughters was subjected to some kind of treatment to which I would object and let my daughters know it was not acceptable, that treatment is not acceptable for anyone.

That might be “daughterism”.

@ anon : Are you the same anon who posted the original comment or a different anon ?

Once again I am disgusted at the astounding patriarchal sexism espoused by MR’s readership. I guess that’s what I get for coming to a forum filled with very conservative older men: Women are property, and when you have daughters you’re able to realize what special and delicate property they are.

I am glad I’m not any of your sons, I pity them.