Is Alexis Ohanian the Word’s Best Dad? Well, he surely intends to be that. His parenting skills have inspired many fathers to develop parenting rituals with their children. But what inspired Ohanian to do so? Yes, his children softened his perspective towards life, but there was someone else who we haven’t quite acknowledged. And it is not his wife Serena Williams.

It was his dad who gave him a blueprint for fatherhood. The official Instagram page of ‘We Are Man Enough’ podcast shared a clip of Alexis Ohanian as he delved into the teachings he received from his father and how he implemented them. “Shout out to my dad for giving me the blueprint of what it means to be a man. When I was a kid, my dad would often make pancakes on Sunday. So, I inherited that tradition and I leveled it up and I make pancake art for my girls,” said Ohanian.

Ohanian further revealed how his father taught him love and affection through his caring initiatives. “I had a dad who worked very hard and still made sure to show up for me. I always knew I was a priority.” 

Now, fans can understand Ohanian’s emotions, as this Reddit co-founder previously shared that he grabbed a bite (a slice of cake) for Olympia during his work trip since his driver recommended a good place. Similarly, he has another parenting ritual, ‘Taco Tuesday’, where the entire family sits together and spends time munching on tacos.

While Serena Williams’ husband already left a mark with his keen interest in being a part of their upbringing in all the ways possible, Ohanian brought a smile to his fans with his latest revelation. “The greatest thing I can do is show up for my kids. Whether it’s spending time with her as her Daddy Caddy on the golf course, whether it’s spending time building legos with her. I just want her to know that Papa loves her and is always going to be there for her,” he said.

Last year, the Angel City FC owner tweeted how he had “a great role model “ in his father, Chris Ohanian, who taught him, “Any man can be a father, but not every father is a dad.”

Ohanian’s late mother also played a pivotal role in helping the Reddit co-founder develop his parenting skills. In a conversation on the podcast Business Dad, Ohanian spoke about how he sees his fatherhood through the lens of his relationship with his mother. He further shared how both of his parents never skipped giving him attention and support as “they were the ones who saved up the money to get the computer that they put” in Ohanian’s room and let him tear apart it so that he “could put it back together.” 

Alexis Ohanian’s revelations about his father’s teachings, which helped him flourish as a father, speak volumes about his great bond with his father. He wants this healthy dynamic to trickle down to his kids and the society at large.

Ohanian wishes to “normalize a different kind of masculinity”

In his podcast Business Dad podcast, Ohanian spoke about how much he adores being a father of two beautiful daughters. He also spoke about the unexpected joy that he never felt until he became a father. The entrepreneur further shared an intriguing connection between fatherhood and masculinity, which could give birth to a new form of the latter.

“I really feel like there’s an opportunity here to normalize a different kind of masculinity, frankly. It’s seven years now since I’ve become a dad and I truly didn’t think the timing could be better. The bar was so incredibly low for men, especially notable men. Even if you claimed your child, that was considered like you were doing something. In reality, I think we should be talking about the guys who are stepping up and doing the work for their legacy,” said the Reddit co-founder.

But why is this such a necessity? According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2022), there are about 18.3 million children across the country without a father in their homes because of various reasons. It turns out that this number is a major outlier. The US has the highest number of kids in a single-parent household and, unfortunately, such children miss out on a lot of support.

So, does a father’s mere presence make things better? It is a double-edged sword. As per David Walsh, the founder of ‘Mind Positive Parenting’, data shows that even for children where the dad is present, an average schoolboy gets to spend only about 30 minutes per week in one-on-one conversations with the father.

Thus, Ohanian’s desire to inspire fathers to interact more with their children and form positive experiences is understandable, right? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.