Dad created a practical how-to YouTube channel for people without fathers

When you’re faced with a task you’ve never done before — say, fixing a running toilet or checking the oil in your car — and you need some guidance, you might ask your dad or mom for help if they’re around. But for many kids (of all ages), asking a parent for advice simply isn’t an option.

For these guidance-seekers, one man has created a YouTube channel with how-to videos that instruct viewers on how to tackle everyday issues like unclogging a drain and ironing a dress shirt.

The channel is titled “Dad, How Do I?” and the brains and heart behind the operation (and star of the show) is Rob Kenney, who grew up without a father himself. As Kenney states in the show’s description, his aim is to “provide useful, practical content to many basic tasks that everyone should know how to do.”

In his video about how to tie a tie, Kenney walks viewers through the steps using a calm, matter-of-fact tone. He even throws in tips about how to choose a tie to go with your shirt and how to avoid looking “dorky.” Check out his YouTube video here:

In an interview with Shattered magazine, Kenney revealed that his father had left him and his seven siblings when Kenney was 14 years old. Kenney moved in with an older brother. Later, he married and had two kids of his own, and made it his mission to provide them with guidance along the journey to adulthood.

“I never wanted to be wealthy,” Kenney told Shattered. “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.”

Upon reaching this goal (Kenney’s children are now grown), he set his sights on helping other people’s kids by teaching practical skills — and providing some soulful encouragement as well.

“I want it to be about everyday tasks, but I also would like to pass along some of the wisdom I’ve learned along the way to encourage people,” Kenney told Shattered.

For example, check out this recent video Kenney uploaded to YouTube on May 21, in which he imparts some life wisdom to all his “kids” and lets them know that he’s proud of them.

If you’re not in tears by the end of this video, you just might be made of stone!

“I thought I was just going to be showing people how to do stuff, but it’s kind of resonating on a whole different level,” Kenney told Shattered.

I’ll say! Perhaps because we’re all craving good news lately, Kenney’s story has spread like wildfire across the internet, and his YouTube channel now has nearly 2 million subscribers. (To put this in perspective, Kenney only started the channel on April 2, 2020. He has racked up 2 million subscribers in less than two months!)

Kenney has accomplished something else that is almost impossible in this day and age. He has caused the entire internet to agree on something: that his videos are pure, sweet goodness. People have been moved to express their appreciation for Kenney and his dadly service on social media, like Twitter user @justdeepti who says that this is “one of the sweetest things” she’s seen recently:

Many folks commented on how wholesome and pure his efforts are, as Kenney was motivated to create the channel simply to help others with things he was never able to ask his own dad about. Twitter user @earthygissel remarked that “this is the purest thing” followed by the sobbing emoji.

And Twitter user @aceeyxx is proud of the collective internet community for increasing Kenney’s subscriber base, pointing out that this is the best thing we — the general “we” — have done in a long time.

Good job, all of us!

And now that Kenney has become everyone’s dad, his Father’s Day this year is going to be extremely busy!