Daddy/Daughter Date Night – Necklaces

Before the Event:

Form a leadership team to determine the date and the menu that fits with your budget for the event. Also, order the necklace supplies in advance, here and here. One month before the event, start promoting it at church and on social media with the slide and promo video. For everyone who signs up, send a series of emails to start prepping them for this event, one immediately after sign up and a second just a day or two before the event (see samples below).

Sample Email #1 - After Sign Up

Hey dads!Thanks for signing up for our Father/Daughter event! Our goal for this event is to help you get connected with your daughter in a meaningful way. Sure, it’s always fun to dress up for a special evening. But more than anything, we want to create an environment where you can start talking about the stuff that matters with your kids. Our hope is that this event catalyzes a meaningful discipleship relationship that goes beyond the event itself.

We’ll create a special night for you and your daughter. We’ll make the environment especially girly, perfect for a date night with your special girl. You’ll get dinner and craft time where you’ll make a special necklace with your daughter that she can wear long after the event is done. And, once the event is over, we’ll send you home with all you need to go through a 3-week series with your daughter talking about stuff that really matters.

Dads, to prep for this event, be sure to watch this video before coming. 3 Tips For Raising Daughters

So, we’ll see you at the big event! Don’t forget to put it on your calendar:

[Include Event Title, Day and Time. Include link to calendar invite if applicable.]SignP.S. This event is still open to others. Know another father/daughter duo who might like to join us? Invite them along, and make an impact on another family in your world!

Sample Email #2 - Before Event

Hey dads!Our Father/Daughter event is almost here! Are you ready?

Remember, we’ll feed you dinner and have you work on a special craft with your daughter. 

Got questions? Just ask! And we’ll see you at the big event:

[Include Event Title, Day and Time. Include link to calendar invite if applicable.]

During the Event:

Here’s a basic agenda you can use for this event. Feel free to customize as needed:

1. Welcome and opener. Greet fathers and daughters as they come in, like they’re arriving at a special restaurant and seat them at one of the tables. Be sure to have some nice music playing during this time to help create a fun atmosphere.
2. Serve dinner, whether you have people acting as servers or set it up like a buffet. While they eat, every few minutes, throw out a question for Dads and daughters to discuss. This will help dads to get a conversation going with their daughter. Try these:
   1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
   2. If you could be any animal in the world, which one would you be?
   3. If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
3. Show the event video. While the video is playing, set out the supplies for making the necklaces. Once the video is over, have dads and daughters grab the supplies they need for their necklace and have them return to their seats.
4. Before they start making the necklace, explain to dads that there will be a special ceremony where they will put the necklace on their daughter once it’s completed. So make sure they don’t let their daughter put it on before the ceremony. Play music and allow the time for the dads and daughters to create a special necklace together.  
5. Once everyone has completed making their necklace, begin the ceremony. Have dads and daughters stand with dad holding the necklace. Then have them repeat the following message, “You are my special princess. There is no one like you. I’m proud of you. I can’t wait to see what God does in your life.I love you. I will always protect you. Wear this necklace to remember how special you are to me.”
6. Serve cupcakes and hand out the invite cards to dads inviting them to do the Dads and Daughters series at home with his daughter. And be sure to highlight the other topics that can be found on pursueGODkids.org. 

After the Event:

Follow up is important for this event. Be sure to reach out to the fathers with at least one more email that encourages them to make a habit of talking with their daughters. If you have another event on the schedule, this is a good time to plug it.

Sample Email #3 - After Event

Hey dads!Our Father/Daughter event was awesome! Thanks for coming. Now let’s talk about next steps.

Remember that our goal for this event was to help you get connected with your daughter in a meaningful way. We tried to create an environment where you could start talking about the stuff that matters with her. Now it’s up to you to keep the tradition alive!

We’ve created a special 3-week series for you to do with your daughter at home from pursueGODkids.org. Be sure to do this series. Then, make a habit of talking through topics from pursueGODkids.org. It’s easier than you think, and it will be one of the most important habits you ever form! Here are some tips:

1. Let you daughter pick the topics to talk about. This will give her more buy-in.
2. Don’t over-share. Be sure to ask questions to get your daughter talking.
3. Keep it short. A 5- or 10- minute conversation is still a win.
4. Be patient. Over time, your daughter will appreciate these little talks.

For more tips on using the pursueGOD tools with your kids, check out the training videos. And keep pursuing God!