Have you ever heard of the YouTube channel “Dad, How Do I?” It’s a channel created by Rob Kenney, dedicated to teaching children who grew up without a dad just like him. Kenney’s wholesome channel quickly went viral, and earned him nearly 5 million subscribers worldwide, covering a wide list of tasks from shaving beards to unclogging the toilet.
Kenney’s dad left his family when he was a teen
When Rob Kenney was barely a teenager, his father left, leaving him and his seven siblings behind. At the age of 14, Kenney found a new home with his 23-year-old brother and sister-in-law, residing in a modest mobile home. His journey faces a lot of hardship right from the start. In an interview, Kenney openly discussed his determination to avoid repeating his parent’s mistakes.
He decided to be the dad he never had
Kenney is currently a father of two, Kristine and Kyle. When he became a dad himself, he focused on raising his children into fine adults. “I never wanted to be wealthy. I never wanted to be necessarily successful. My goal in life was to raise good adults — not good children, but good adults — because I had a fractured childhood,” the channel owner said in an interview.
And he became a fatherly role model for many kids out there
Kenney has been married for 31 years now. It appears that for Kenney, the journey of fatherhood is a never-ending process. As his children are now full-grown adults, he embarked on creating YouTube videos for fatherless kids out there. Drawing from the wealth of knowledge and experience acquired during his years as a father, Kenney aimed to cover all the matters that a child might typically turn to their dad for assistance.
With his channel, Kenney definitely changed some people’s lives
Lacking paternal guidance during his younger years, Kenney doesn’t want others to suffer the same childhood he had. He uses his videos to provide step-by-step explanations, offering advice much like a father would. Covering a diverse array of topics, from cooking rice to saving money, his videos typically commence with a warm, “Hey, kids!” Kenney’s simple yet endearing approach resonates with viewers.
They heap praise at the talented dad in the comment section: “This guy is literally a dad for people without dads” and “I’m a 20-year-old guy who never had anyone teach me how to tie a tie. But now I know! I love this guy.”
“My dad also walked out on me. And honestly, I saw all your videos, which made me tear up. This is really amazing and beautiful that you’re doing this!” Another exclaimed in a different video, in which Kenney explains on how to iron a shirt.
Dads will do literally anything for their children’s sake, and Ira Latham is another good example. Latham wore a tiny top and shorts to a school meeting to protest the “inappropriate” student dress code, and his name quickly soared on the Internet as well.