McGraw offers advice on dealing with daughters

McGraw offers advice on dealing with daughters

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As the father of three girls, Tim McGraw understands the challenges that face dads who want to please their daughters. So the children’s book he’s co-written with Tom Douglas has some simple advice: As long as you’re spending time with them, it doesn’t really matter what you do.

“My Little Girl,” to be published today by Thomas Nelson, tells the story of a father — in a dark cowboy hat, of course — who spends a fun day with his little girl Katie doing ... nothing in particular. They stop by the farm co-op, gaze up at the clouds and play on a tire swing.

The 41-year-old country singer said he enjoys spending time with his daughters — ages 11, 10 and 6 — but if he did what they liked doing, he’d be spending a lot of time shopping at the mall or getting pedicures. “It’s something that as a father you kind of have to sacrifice what you want to do, because boys do what you want to do. If I want to go to the farm and shoot guns or ride four-wheelers in the mud when it’s 40 degrees ... the girls aren’t really interested in doing that,” he said.

But McGraw said he’s found that his daughters like coming along while he does simple, everyday stuff, like running to the grocery store or stopping by the office.

Today’s birthdays

Actress Joyce Randolph (“The Honeymooners”) is 83. Keyboardist Manfred Mann is 68. Singer Elvin Bishop is 66. TV judge Judy Sheindlin (“Judge Judy”) is 66. Actress Carrie Fisher is 52. Singer Julian Cope is 51. Singer-bassist Nick Oliveri (Queens Of The Stone Age) is 37. Keyboardist Charlie Lowell of Jars of Clay is 35. Actor Jeremy Miller (“Growing Pains”) is 32. Actor Will Estes (“American Dreams”) is 30.