One Seattle man is doing his part to make sure kids who don’t have a father figure in their life still receive important fatherly lessons and advice. Rob Kenney’s father walked out on him and his family when Kenney was just 14 years old.

He struggled to figure out on his own many of the basic skills that most young boys are taught by their father. After marrying and having his own children, Rob started thinking of his childhood and all the other children who are growing up like he did, without a father figure. He decided he would start making YouTube videos where he posted “how-to” tutorials that covered a wide-range of practical life skills.

Visitors to his channel called “Dad, How Do I,” can access a variety of videos that teach things such as how to tie a tie, how to change a flat tire, or how to shave your face. The channel exploded, with over three million people subscribing to his page.

As comments started pouring in, Kenney was overwhelmed by the heartbreaking stories his followers shared of their own experiences growing up without a good father figure in their lives. He realized his “dadvice,” as he called it, needed to cover more than just how to fix things. The role of a father encompasses so much more than that. In speaking to TODAY PARENTS, Kenney shared:

“A big thing is admitting your faults to your kids … If you pretend to be perfect, your kids are going to find out you’re not, and that’s where a lot of rebellion happens. (They think), ‘Wait a second, he’s been pretending to be perfect, and now I’ve discovered he’s not. What else has he not been real with me about?’ … Kids are gracious. They’re quick to forgive you if you just admit it, but unfortunately, we don’t always … Our pride gets in the way.”

He began to include videos that touched on more complicated life challenges. He discusses how to be a good father, even if you didn’t grow up with one. He speaks on the importance of being on time. He addresses how to handle heartbreak. Above all, every video is filled with encouragement for those watching.

“I used to teach Sunday school, and I would put up on the board the word ‘courage.’ The word ‘courage,’ it’s like power … and then if you add to it and you put ‘encourage,’ you can give that courage away to somebody … but the other side is ‘discourage.’ By your words, you can take courage away from somebody, and that’s powerful, too.”

We look forward to seeing more of Kenney’s videos and hearing from the people whose lives he’s touched through them.

This piece originally appeared in UpliftingToday.com and is used by permission.

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