Charismatic Jordan Watson, creator of viral sensation How to Dad and The Parenting Hangover podcast, is also a devoted ambassador for children’s charity, KidsCan.
Jordan Watson’s rise to internet fame began in 2015 with a simple yet hilarious video posted on YouTube. “I had a friend at work who had a baby on the way, and we had two kids. One weekend, my wife took our two-year-old out, and I was left at home with our four-month-old,” Jordan recounts. “Bored and dressed in my usual weekend attire of stubbies and a bush shirt, I thought it’d be funny to make a video for my friend at work.”
Little did he know that that video, ‘How to Hold a Baby’, would go viral overnight. “I woke up to notifications from YouTube: 10,000 views, then 50,000, then 100,000. It just kept growing,” Jordan says. That initial success sparked the creation of the How to Dad brand in 2016, where Jordan started sharing comedic parenting adventures and tips with the world. By mid-2016, two more videos – ‘How to Put a Baby to Sleep’ and ‘How to Travel with a Baby’ – went viral, garnering millions of views.
As Jordan’s online presence grew, so did the opportunities, eventually making it his full-time gig. Among these opportunities was the chance to support causes he believed in. “When you have a big following, you can make a real difference, and I felt it was my responsibility to do so,” he says. “KidsCan resonated with my wife and I the most. Being a father of three girls, the thought of kids going to school without lunch or socks and shoes baffled me. I also wanted to wake New Zealanders up because most of them have no idea how bad it really is for so many Kiwi kids.”
Being a father of three girls, the thought of kids going to school without lunch or socks and shoes baffled me.
Since 2018, Jordan has been a passionate advocate for KidsCan – New Zealand’s leading charity dedicated to helping Kiwi kids affected by poverty. “The first video we did to announce my ambassadorship was at a school in Otahuhu, where we gave kids jackets. Seeing their faces light up was incredible,” he shares. “To some kids, a raincoat is nothing to be impressed by, but to these kids, owning something new means the world to them. As does being fed a decent meal.”
KidsCan provides essential items such as food, jackets, shoes and basic health products to children in need across New Zealand. The belief being that with these essentials, attendance and participation in learning is increased, providing the opportunity for a better future. In addition to supporting schools, KidsCan recently expanded its reach to early childhood centres.
“We went to an early childhood centre to help with their meal programme. Seeing teachers close to tears because of the difference it made was powerful. The centres cook nutritious meals like butter chicken and spaghetti bolognese, ensuring kids get the food they need.”
The need is greater than ever, with recent statistics showing that 200,000 children in New Zealand live in poverty.
“KidsCan supports about 900 schools and 200 early childhood centres, but there are still nearly 100 schools and over 150 early childhood centres on the waitlist. The waitlist is the longest it has been since 2018. One in six Kiwi children are currently living in hardship. We need more monthly donors to help these kids,” Jordan urges. “The monthly minimum donation is $15, which, if you think of it as skipping a few coffees each week, is not much. To some people, it won’t make a dent in their back pocket, but to these kids, it makes a world of difference.”
“KidsCan supports about 900 schools and 200 early childhood centres, but there are still nearly 100 schools and over 150 early childhood centres on the waitlist.”
One of Jordan’s most notable fundraising efforts was a 24-hour handball marathon with radio personalities Jono and Ben from The Hits. “It was a crazy idea, but it worked. We raised almost half a million dollars,” he says. Despite the success, Jordan remains driven. “It will help get thousands of children off the waitlist, but there’s still so much more to do.”
Looking ahead, Jordan is eager to expand the annual handball fundraiser to involve schools and businesses. “The goal is to hit a million dollars next year,” he says with determination.
As Jordan continues to entertain us with his How to Dad videos, his commitment to KidsCan highlights the powerful impact of using one’s platform for good. For Jordan, the mission is clear.
“Placing blame on parents, government or society doesn’t solve the issue – and importantly, it’s never the child’s fault. We’ve been brought up thinking about the ‘starving children in Africa’, but now it’s time to think about the starving children in New Zealand. We need to support every Kiwi kid in need. If we can get these kids to school with a full belly, warm clothes on their back, and shoes on their feet, we’re giving them the ability to focus and do well at school, thereby setting up their future and breaking the poverty cycle.”
By donating to KidsCan, you can join Jordan in making a significant difference in the lives of countless Kiwi kids.
