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We were incredibly curious to learn more about the idea behind 'HowToBeADad.' Herald was happy to shed some light on this.
"HowToBeADad was created as a sort of anti-HowTo, the name is the first bit of satire really," he told Bored Panda in an email.
"If anything, it’s how NOT to be a dad more than anything. Most of the content is humorous and [has a] 'tell it like it is' vibe. It was a sort of parental rebellion against all of the authoritarian parenting books and blogs telling moms and dads how to parent," he said.
Bored Panda asked Herald when the project started getting popular. According to him, it was "sort of a pretty instant success."
"A humorous graphic (Zombie vs. Baby) blew up on Reddit, and shortly after, there was a global viral event with a series called Baby Sleep Positions, which was roughly seen by tens of millions of people, and got a book deal, and was created into a novelty book," he explained.
It's not just jokes and quips that are important here, however. For some parents, the comedy they find on 'HowToBeADad' can be a source of genuine support, comfort, and wholesomeness.
"Some of the responses from people were completely unexpected, beyond entertainment. One message that hit me hard, and let me know I was playing a bigger game than the internet equivalent of making armpit farts for giggles, was a message from a new mom who told me that she'd been crying a lot and my post made her, for the first time in weeks, cry tears from laughter."
According to Herald, it's hard to offer any parenting advice, as "it goes against the HowToBeADad ethos of not trying to conjure up some one-size-fits-all, overly-simplified instruction or guidance for parenting."
That being said, he gave one piece of advice to parents: "Try to stay off the internet for parenting advice (unless it’s my site/socials haha!) and to LAUGH. If you don’t cry laughing at it all, you’ll just cry cry."
‘HowToBeADad’ is a phenomenally long-lived social media project. Its Facebook account, created back in July 2010, currently boasts a jaw-dropping 509k followers. It has 165.7k followers on X (formerly Twitter), created the same month as the Facebook account. And 265k social media users follow the project’s Instagram account, which was started up back in September 2011.
Furthermore, ‘HowToBeADad’ also has a dedicated website, and has even published a book, ‘Dad Jokes: Hall of Shame.’ On Facebook, the team behind the project describes it as “an entertainment experience for parents, soon-to-be parents, or anyone who's had parents,” which includes everyone who’s ever lived. And, to be fair, it’s true. You don’t necessarily need to be a parent to enjoy quality comedy. Who doesn’t love a good meme or ten?
No matter if you’re a brand new parent or a parenting veteran, it’s essential that you remember: you aren’t alone. Not only are your family, friends, and acquaintances there to support you emotionally (and sometimes physically) when you need it, but the internet is also chock-full of groups, communities, and friendly folks who are there to hear you out.
People who are there to offer advice or simply listen to you vent are invaluable; especially if they actively listen to you and don’t judge you for your mistakes—something that we all make.
When it comes to parenting, there really isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. But in terms of core principles, ideally, you want to find a balance between clear rules and expectations on the one hand, and a nurturing environment full of unconditional love on the other. That way, your children can thrive and grow into more independent and confident adults than if they only have just tough rules or unlimited support at home.
Authoritative parenting is one of four main styles of raising children (alongside authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved parenting), and it’s this particular approach that embodies the idea of balance.
Authoritative parents essentially establish very clear guidelines for what kind of behavior is acceptable and not. They’re calmly assertive and provide their kids with a sense of predictability and stability.
What’s more, authoritative parents are also incredibly big on proper communication. They’re super transparent. They take their children’s thoughts and feelings into account.
And they put in the time and effort to talk to their kids about expectations, the consequences of their actions, and anything else that’s important. On top of that, they are incredibly supportive, loving, and warm.
Typically, children who grow up in authoritative households end up thriving immensely as they grow into adults. They have good emotional well-being, their self-esteem is healthy, and they have a proper understanding of who they are as individuals, beyond their achievements.
What’s more, they are more emotionally resilient, confident, mentally healthy, and excel academically.
