55-year-old Rob Kenney is a dad of two children yet he did not have a father when he was a child growing up himself.
Rob teaches children and adults, many of whom also do not have a father figure in their lives, fundamental life skills such as how to tie a tie, how to grill meals, how to roast marshmallows, how to jump start a vehicle, and a lot of other things.
In a very short period of time, millions of people throughout the globe have begun to follow him online. Rob is well aware of the depth of a child’s need for a father figure when they grow up fatherless.
As he was growing up, his parents’ marriage was strained as his mother had alcoholism and that his father was emotionally distant from the family.
After his parents separated, his father was awarded custody of Rob and his seven siblings, and he subsequently obtained a restraining order against his mother. However, his father was unable to successfully raise his children on his own.
Rob shared his thoughts by stating, “He obtained custody of us, but he didn’t truly want us. By that time, I believe he was very well done with everything.”
Rob’s father had abandoned him and his children by the time Rob was 12 years old. Rob’s relationship with his mother was tense, so he came to rely heavily on his siblings as he matured.
Rob started to experience the impacts of having a “empty nest” as his children became older and moved out. He came to the conclusion that he would use his spare time to produce movies that would be available on the internet for free viewing and would provide youngsters “useful ‘dadvice’ for day-to-day activities.”
Rob stated this about his videos: “I want it to be about daily duties, but I also would want to give along some of the knowledge I’ve learnt along the road to inspire others.”
The majority of Rob’s films are centered on uplifting and encouraging words, such as “I am proud of you,” “We need each other!” and “Be nice to yourself,” amongst others.
Many people who did not have a father figure in their lives as children have been extremely vocal in their support and gratitude for what Rob is doing.