The Dad Father Instagram account has only been around for a few years, but it’s already amassed an impressive 910K followers. The account has shared nearly 2,500 posts, and clearly, plenty of parents can relate to the humor featured on the page. The account was created by Aaron Thygesen, a father who says his whole life revolves around his family and his children.

We were lucky enough to get in touch with Aaron and have a chat about how his viral page came to be. "It was back in early 2020, during the beginning of the pandemic when a lot of us were stuck at home," he shared. "My wife showed me this video of a dad pretending to act like his daughter. It had gotten 3 or 4 million views, and I was like, 'I could do that!' With what was, at first, me posting silly videos with no real direction in mind; turned into having a following and developing a general niche of parenting humor."

"It's weird to think that I have almost 1 million followers on Instagram," Aaron shared. "If you knew me growing up, you would have never thought I would end up posting videos on the internet for millions to watch. Having to speak in front of a bunch of people in a room would/does scare me to death. Being able to create a video in the comfort of my own home in front of nobody, I can do all day."

Next, we asked the creator how he decides what to post. "I don't really sit down and brainstorm video/meme ideas. As a father of 3 that works full time, I don't really have a lot of time for that," he told Bored Panda. "Ideas basically just kind of come to me. Whether it's a movie/TV show, or a meme that's geared towards another audience. I'll see something and think, this sounds or looks like a scenario that I've encountered before. Then I'll try and create something geared towards parenting."

"My more popular skits are generally me pretending to talk to one of my kids, and then I'll splice it with something that they would do or say with one of those movie or TV show scenes," Aaron explained. "Once in a while, I'll get DM requests from parents giving me ideas that they have come across with their kids. That helped in the past when I've had periods where I've struggled to come up with content."

We also asked Aaron why he finds it so important to share humorous content with other dads. "Parenting is VERY HARD," he noted. "It can be stressful and tiring. These kids can be, at times, very hard to deal with."

"But if you are able to laugh at these situations, then I believe it makes it easier to deal with them," the father shared. "I think relating and being able to see parents that might be running into the same situations as you in life can be helpful. Some of the most popular comments that I get are 'I'm glad to see I'm not the only one' and 'We're all just out here raising the same kids.'"

Finally, we asked Aaron if he has any big plans for the future of his account. "We'll just have to see," he told Bored Panda. "I don't have really any major plans. I've just gone with the flow for the last four years, and I'll most likely just be going with the flow for the next four."

We all know that dads are expected to have corny jokes ready at all times, be the best when it comes to playing with their kids and always know exactly what to say to make their little ones feel better. But what really makes a great dad? Being able to make a mean mac and cheese or doing a spot-on impression of Darth Vader? 

According to The Daily Dad, one of the most important aspects of being a great father is spending plenty of time with your children. Quality and quantity time are crucial, and the more that you spend playing or cuddling with your little ones, the stronger your bond with them will be for the rest of their lives.

The Daily Dad says it’s also important for dads to be great role models for their kiddos. Actions speak louder than words, so you should always be aware of what kinds of behaviors your children will pick up from you. Show them how to cook, clean and how to take care of their loved ones by doing so in your home. Make sure that you’re always kind and respectful to strangers in front of them. And remember that they’re always listening and watching, even if you don’t think they are.

Being honest with your children is also incredibly important for having a strong relationship. Now, it might be harmless to keep up the charade of Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy for a few years, but when your kids ask big questions, don’t brush them off. Be honest about the risks that they might encounter in life (with age-appropriate conversations, of course), and don’t try to sugar-coat everything. And if you make a mistake, don’t be scared to apologize to your little ones. 

Finally, The Daily Dad notes that great fathers should always be loving yet stern. It can be hard to find the perfect balance between being your child’s superhero and disciplining them when necessary, but it will benefit them far more than simply trying to be their best friend. Don’t be a pushover, and don’t let your kids run wild without consequences. Protecting them and ensuring that they’re safe, even when it annoys them, is just another way of showing them love, even if they don’t realize it at the moment.