Why are so many fathers protective of their daughters? (but not their sons) It seems they continue to think of women and girls as "the weaker sex".

I'm not so sure that they see them as the weaker sex. Maybe because they are men and know how men think causes them to be more protective over their daughters.

I think it's more of a lack of understanding of the opposite sex more than just an innate fear. Guys know that guys love sex (and remember a lot of the crap they pulled in their teens) and are afraid their daughter won't know how to handle it and get taken advantage of. Kind of like how a lot of women freak out if they find out their teenage son has some hidden adult magazines, while men already know it's normal. Basically each gender has a tendency to think their child of the opposite sex is "too young for that kind of thing".

I have a theory but not a fact on this.I believe when god made eve from adams rib as a partner and declared them the weaker sex it set us up for doom.Not all girls are innocent we see some on youtube.com who beat each other up in cat fights.We see them stabbing the boyfriends and husbands with kitchen knives on cops.The days of daddys little girl can do no wrong no longer apply.If you wanna know why the boys come around alot or why she has alot of boyfriends take a took at what she's pushing up on display with her blouse before she leaves for school.Got an extra change of clothes in that backpack of hers?I wander what the minnie skirt in there is for?.Wonder why she has so many condoms in the thing why does she need them?.It ain't always the hairy legged boys that are doin the chasing.

It probably has nothing to do with fathers thinking of their daughters as "the weaker sex".

Fathers and daughters bond differently than mothers and daughters. And differently than either parent with their sons as well.

Perhaps some choose to interpret that as thinking of daughters as "the weaker sex". But I really don't think do. I think there's far more to it than that. What, exactly, I am not sure.

But I will say this about my daughters: I most certainly do NOT think of them as "the weaker sex". They can more than hold their own, and I know it. But that still doesn't change how protective I feel of them when compared to my son.

And Heaven help anybody who thinks my wife is "the weaker sex"!

:):):)

When they are very young, fathers are equally protective. However, when older, boys are generally stronger and tougher and thus better able (and frankly expected) to fight their own physical battles. In fact, at some point, they may be stronger and tougher than their fathers. Obviously, the situation is different with girls.

My daughters will always be my little girls and I don't care what anybody thinks of it, to be honest.

The Evolutionary answer. Children are the carriers of their parents genes. The evolutionary reason parents love and care for children is because they carry their genes into the future.

But as gene distributors, boys and girls are very different. Girls can have only a few children in their lifetime, whereas boys, if they get lucky, can have many - particularly in a pre-civilisation context where successful warriors could dominate their tribe and claim many women. So for boys, high-risk, high gain strategies make sense. If our son does dangerous things - but they come off and make him a "Big Man", you will have many grandchildren through him. Of course, he may fail, get killed, and you will have no grandchildren. But overall, the odds pay off. But if a girl takes risks and succeeds, she will probably have no more children than if she stayed safe at home. For girls, risky behaviour does not have a high payoff. So fathers encourage sons to take risks, but discourage daughters.

in many cultures, including the hispanic culture there is a mentality that girls should be protected, but it's fine if the boys run around and get away with more than the daughters. the freedom is giving much more to the boys, while the daughters are protected more, and also the daughters are expected to stay at home. it used to be that it was considered unnecessary for a daughter to receive further schooling. so it wasn't so much to protect the girls any harm, it was the belief that their place was in the home, and she should not be allowed to venture outside. fortunately, much has changed in some places. how sad that a girl has to marry for the fact she needs a man to support her, just because her parents decided to not allow her to learn to fend for herself by receiving further schooling.

They remember how they were at the age of their daughter's boy "friends".