Viral dad who taught us 'how to hold a baby' shares adorable 10th anniversary update

Ten years ago, Jordan Watson, better known as "How to Dad," uploaded a short video called "How to Hold a Baby." The funny instructional clip, filled with unconventional poses like "the rugby ball hold" and "bird on a wire," went viral and kick-started his journey as one of the internet’s most beloved dad creators. Now, a decade later, he’s back with a 10-year anniversary edition — only this time, the "baby" is his daughter, who just turned 10.

"Welcome to this instructional video on how to hold a baby. 10 years. Yep. 10 years ago was my first video. She was a blob. And now, well, she’s 10. Yeah, I feel old," Watson says at the start of the clip. One by one, he plays the original poses from that first viral video and then hilariously recreates them with his daughter. He cycles through them all: "poor man’s front pack," "hide your beer belly," "the rugby ball hold," "show off to the other dads," and "Superman," among others. Watson’s anniversary video offers a glimpse of how something as simple as shared silliness can lay the foundation for a healthy, lifelong father–daughter relationship.

A 2018 longitudinal study by researchers at Ohio State tracked nearly 700 families over five years, evaluating parent–child interactions and childhood loneliness. It revealed that girls with stronger and closer connections to their fathers reported consistently lower levels of loneliness from first through fifth grade. The study highlighted how attentive and emotionally present fathers can significantly reduce loneliness and support mental well-being over time.

At the end, Watson reassures viewers with the same cheeky note from a decade ago: "And no babies were harmed in the making of this video." After running through the routine, Watson takes a moment to thank the audience that has followed him through the years. "Thanks to everyone who’s followed, liked, and supported our little journey of making these silly little videos to give you a smile. Still doing it," he said, adding, "I’m feeling my age. I’m going to go have like a good stretch out now and a beer. Cheers. See you in 10. We’re going to do it when she’s 20."

Watson also shared the anniversary video on his Instagram, where longtime fans celebrated the milestone with heartfelt and funny reactions. @sthelouise commented, "I hope the 20-year anniversary video finds me in whatever social media may exist in 2035." @yana_moe_xo wrote, "10 years anni: No dad is harmed in the making of this video." @mavrellousmusings said, "There’s so much parent/kid content out there and so much of it is so problematic and dangerous, but this page is nothing but a source of unbridled genuine joy. Wishing you another glorious ten, and you'd better up your strength game if you’re going to do this again when she’s 20."

@shannonlathey added, "She’s gonna have to start training so she can remake this video when she’s 20, but dad’s the baby this time." @wolfvertical noted, "Always remember dear dads and moms: You spend around 75% of your overall time with your child until it reaches age 12. They grow tremendously fast! Enjoy every second!! @watsupanjo shared, "I love this! I legit teared up halfway through and not because it’s funny, it just reminded me that our kids don’t stay small forever."

You can follow Jordan Watson (@howtodadnz) on Instagram for more parenting videos.

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