Like the majority of parents in the midst of quarantine, Toronto dad Don Saynor is trying to master the fine art of juggling bored kids and work responsibilities (with the added stress of being a business owner).
To pass the time (and “to pry the kids away from TikTok and Fortnite”), Saynor and his 11-year-old daughter, Georgia, and 10-year-old twin boys, Tommy and Willie, have created BasicDad: a series of YouTube videos where Saynor teaches his brood basic (and sometimes hilarious) life skills. BasicDad also has a website and Instagram account.
So far BasicDad and his crew have tackled everything from making homemade gnocchi, roasting a chicken and baking homemade bread, to sewing fabric face masks, giving an at-home haircut and tying a bowtie. (BasicDad even taught his kids how to make a Negroni days before Stanley Tucci's viral video!)
Saynor fully acknowledges that physical distancing is a challenge, but for this family, it’s also an opportunity to spend quality time together. As for BasicDad post-COVID? “It will definitely continue,” Saynor says, “but I'm sure the frequency will drop once we don't have this kind of time anymore.” Good thing the BasicDad jokes only take a few minutes.
