How to DAD
How to DAD | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jordan Watson 2 January 1988 |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Subscribers | 1.5 million |
| Views | 241 million |
| Last updated: 5 September 2026 | |
Jordan Watson[1] (born 2 January 1988), better known as How to DAD, is a New Zealand YouTuber and Internet personality. In 2015 he began uploading tongue-in-cheek videos describing how to be a father, the first of which instructed viewers on how to hold a baby. In 2021 he co-founded the jandal company Golden.
Early life and education
[edit]Watson was born on 2 January 1988.[2][3] He was raised in Te Kauwhata, north of Hamilton. When he was eight, his parents divorced. At the age of 15 he moved in with his mother in Morrinsville, and he attended Morrinsville College.[4] During his youth he enjoyed rugby. At the suggestion of a career advisor, when he left college he began studying radio at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. At the first day there he met a woman named Jody, who later became his wife. After two months of dating, Watson began living with her in Auckland.[1]
Career
[edit]For some time Watson worked on the television series Eating Media Lunch, The Unauthorised History of New Zealand, Let's Get Inventin' and Jono and Ben.[1]
Social media
[edit]Watson created his first How to Dad video in 2015.[5] It was a toungue-in-cheek description of seven methods of holding a baby, with names for each of them, such as "The Standard Shoulder Hold", "The Dance Partner" and "The Other Dad's Superman Hold". He uploaded this video to his friend's Facebook page, and within 10 hours it had received 250,000 views. Several videos with similar topics ensued, such as "How to travel with a baby" and "How to get a baby to clean the house".[6] Watson has described his portrayal of himself in his videos as "just a typical Kiwi dad. Kind of taken to the extreme in the DIY style".[7] His first brand deal was with Tourism Rotorua in 2016, and he has since done brand deals with other companies such as McDonald's (to promote the Kiwiburger) and The Warehouse.[5] In about 2017 Watson left his job to work as a full-time YouTuber.[5] In 2018 he expressed his dislike of the terms "YouTuber" and "social media influencer", stating that they make him think of a "cocky little teenager whose rich daddy bought him some fancy camera gear and now he has millions of subscribers and is making ridiculous money through being a douche online".[8]
In 2019 Watson uploaded a non-serious audition video for joining The Wiggles.[9] In May 2020 he created a cooking YouTube series with HelloFresh, named "How to Dinner". It features several New Zealand celebrities, such as Suzanne Paul.[10] By 2023 he had uploaded 600 videos and had over 422 million views across YouTube and Facebook. In 2023 he was earning about $3,000 per month from YouTube, excluding revenue from brand sponsorships.[5] He told The New Zealand Herald that year that "I can't live off my YouTube money".[11] In 2023 he was uploading about two videos per week on his How to DAD channel.[5]
In late 2021 Watson co-founded the jandal company Golden, designed to prevent jandal straps from disconnecting from the sole. They do this by placing a replica bread clip at the end of the strap, and under the sole, so the strap cannot pop out. As of 2023 Watson owns 20% of the company. He has made several videos about jandals promoting the product, such as[5] in 2023 when he uploaded a YouTube video in which he unofficially broke the Guinness World Record for the longest 100 metre run in jandals.[5][12][13]
Television and web series
[edit]In August 2020 a six-part televion series called Last Man Standing was released, hosted by Watson and the comedian Melanie Bracewell. In the series, fathers compete on telling the best dad jokes.[14] In 2026 the web series Out of my League was released on RNZ video and YouTube. In each of the six 10-minute episodes, he trains with and competes against olympic athletes, such as Dame Lisa Carrington, in their respective sports.[15][16]
Personal life
[edit]In 2012 Watson married his wife Jody.[1] In August 2017 Watson announced that he and his wife were expecting their third child. He also made a video instructing people how to announce new children.[17] In about 2019 he became an ambassador for the charitable trust KidsCan.[4] In 2019 Watson and his wife moved to Tauranga, his wife's hometown, and they became first home buyers in the process.[18] As of 2024 they live in the suburb of Papamoa.[4]
In 2020 Watson suggested reducing the summer school holiday period by two weeks.[19]
See also
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "How To Dad's Jordan Watson: 'Cheap and cheerful is what's worked for me'". The New Zealand Herald. 3 March 2026. Retrieved 4 September 2026.
- ↑ "Jordan Watson: January 2, a terrible day to be born". Stuff. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Celebrating 37: A Guide to Fatherhood and Fun". TikTok. 2 January 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "How To Dad star Jordan's emotional mission to help Kiwi kids". Women's Day. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "How YouTube star How to Dad built a lucrative business out of video views". Stuff. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
- ↑ "How To Dad's new video: How to get a baby to clean the house". Stuff. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "How to Dad: New Zealander Jordan Watson on how his parenting went viral". The Guardian. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
- ↑ "Jordan Watson: Don't call me a YouTuber or social media influencer". Stuff. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "How to Dad 'auditions' for a spot in The Wiggles". Stuff. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Tauranga's How to Dad learns how to dinner". SunLive. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "How to Dad, Jordan Watson, on influencing in NZ: 'I can't live off my YouTube money'". The New Zealand Herald. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Become a world record holder with jandals". SunLive. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "WATCH: How-to-Dad breaks Guinness World Record for fastest 100m sprint in jandals". Rova. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "How To Dad and Mel Bracewell host new TVNZ show to find best dad joke". Stuff. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "New video series: Out of my League". RNZ. 11 February 2026. Retrieved 4 September 2026.
- ↑ "'Wannabe athlete' How To Dad takes on NZ's best". RNZ. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "'How to Dad' Jordan Watson announces another baby on the way". Stuff. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "How-to Dad: Dad dream complete, we're finally home owners". Stuff. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Let's cut the length of summer school holidays, they're two weeks too long". Stuff. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2026.