Our favourite Dadfluencers to inspire your parenting style

Kids are the big winners when dads are hands-on. But if your dad was old-school, you might not know where to start. Read on and we’ll introduce you to some dads who reckon they’ve got this parenting gig figured out.

There’s no doubt we’re in the midst of a cultural shift that is seeing dads increasingly taking on a hands-on approach to their children’s lives. Paid paternity leave and a greater acceptance of flexible working hours is giving more dads the time to be present in all aspects of their children’s lives. That’s great news for families, but it can be tricky to navigate this new way of life, so we’re sharing some of our favourite social media ‘dadfluencers’ to help inspire you:

The Dad Lab:

UK dad Sergei Urban has grown a huge following sharing fun, kid-friendly science experiments and crafts online. His simple activities and clear instructions – as well as a good smattering of things that foam, fizz and change colour – make him a worthwhile addition to your social media feed. He has more than 4 million followers on Facebook, where he admits he’s neither a teacher or a scientist, just a dad sharing his fatherhood journey with his two sons. He’s on all the other social media channels too.

What Dad Did:

How wonderful to get an insight into this amazing life! UK-turned Aussie Ashton Jean-Pierre and his wife are both deaf and are raising their three-year-old daughter to be bilingual, communicating in both English and Auslan sign language. While that in itself is pretty inspiring, their uplifting Instagram feed shares great tips for all parents on how to teach little humans to grow into capable children.

The Real Dads of Melbourne:

Jarrad Duggan-Tierney shares beautiful images on Instagram of his modern life of two dads raising their son and providing a home for foster kids. They swim, fish, hang out with friends and enjoy eating out – and it looks like great fun.

Tidy Dad:

Squeezing a family of five into a two-bedroom apartment is no mean feat, and American teacher and father of three Tyler Moore has all the tips to keep things tidy, from involving the kids in a weekly cleaning routine to editing everyone’s wardrobe at the start of each new season. But it’s more than just about cleaning. Moore reckons a tidy life means more time to spend on what’s important – family. You can’t argue with that. Check out his website, where there’s links to Instagram and Twitter too.

How to Dad NZ:

Join the 295,000 others scrolling through Kiwi dad Jordan Watson’s @howtodadnz feed on Instagram for a good belly laugh at his Kiwi humour. Watson shares relatable videos on life as a hands-on dad, including gold advice on how to cut a toddler’s fingernails. How to hold a fitted sheet is pretty accurate too!

The Tired Dad:

A little bit of humour and a whole lot of heart. Jon Gustin’s Tik Tok videos have all the feels, with heart-hitting reminders that the little people in our lives are everything. There’s tips for what to do when you’re too tired to think for yourself and poignant images that inspire us all to keep on trying our best.

Dad Jokes:

Kids love to roll their eyes at them, but they can’t help but laugh too! Here’s a link to our favourite dad jokes on Instagram so you’re sure to always have fresh puns to keep your kids giggling.

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