INTRODUCING …

A new column by Tiffany Doerr Guerzon makes its debut in today’s Reporter. Guerzon will write on topics related to parenting, home economics and consumer issues. She lives in Maple Valley with her husband and three children. In addition to her writing, she is a certified physician assistant and worked in family practice for several years before stepping away six years ago to be at home with her children – two daughters who are 8 and 4 years old and a son who is a month short of his first birthday. Besides spending a lot of time with her family, her interests include organic gardening, scrapbooking, reading and ballroom dancing.

They say that a girl’s relationship with her father is one of the most important of her life, setting the stage for all her future relationships with men. Well, if that’s true, then there are going to be a lot of very well-adjusted women around here in the future.

I was able to get a peek into the Tahoma Learning Community’s annual Father-Daughter Ball April 19, and it was quite a sight to see.

The event has grown steadily over the past 12 years. About 900 dads and daughters pre-registered for the ball in 2008, and many more tickets were sold at the door.

The theme was “Under the Sea,” and for one night, the Tahoma High School commons was transformed into a magical ocean scene. The first stop for the couples was at the photographer who took their picture against a backdrop, just like at a high school prom. Inside, men could be seen sitting at tables decorated with blue and silver balloons while the daughters ran around the room with their friends. The girls were all in fancy dresses, most wearing wrist corsages, and many had obviously been to the beauty shop to have their hair and nails done. The fathers, many wearing boutniers, were dressed in everything from jeans and boots to tuxedos or military dress uniforms.

A DJ played music as “couples” – the girls ranging in age from toddlers up to teens – packed the dance floor. The dancing styles varied, from little girls in their fathers’ arms to girls just jumping up and down while their fathers held on for dear life, to ballroom style. But all were obviously having fun.

My husband has attended with our daughters for the past four years, and for the last three years, my 89-year-old grandfather has traveled from his home state of Oklahoma to attend as well. My girls look forward to this event all year long. One looks forward to the dress, the other looks forward to the cookie selection. But they both look forward to a special evening with daddy and great grandpa.

Joanne, from Tahoma Learning Community (TLC), said that this year there was a father and daughter attending for the 12th time. They went to the first ball when she was 5, and she is now a high school senior. Joanne said the dad had to beg her to go this year.

The TLC staff enjoys seeing the girls dressed up and getting out of their cars. Some even arrive in limos.

I managed to catch up with a couple of dads in between dances. Kurt Eby of Black Diamond said, “It’s one of the most laid-back kid events I’ve ever been to. The girls spilled juice and got cookie crumbs on their dresses, but there were no moms around to worry about it. The 10-second rule was in full force.”

Attending for the fourth year with daughters Annika and Bria, Kurt also said, “Every year I am amazed and thrilled to see the number of dads in this community who care enough to never miss this. My girls start asking about the next Daddy Daughter Ball approximately one month after the last.”

Rob, attending with daughte, Jessica for the third year, said the ball is “getting bigger every year. It’s a social event as well as a dance.”

Our conversation was interrupted at that point by his daughter, who said, “Daddy we have to dance to this song.”

“Gotta go,” he said over his shoulder, smiling as his daughter pulled him onto the dance floor.

This night seems to capture a moment in every father-daughter relationship – the time when daddy is the most important man in a girl’s life. Dance on, dads. This magical time with your little girls will be gone before you know it.

Tiffany Guerzon lives in Maple Valley. She can be reached through the Reporter at pjenkins@reporternewspapers.com