If you've been online in the past few weeks, you've likely run across the "No Dusty Sons" trend, where moms are going viral for sharing how they're teaching their sons to share the mental, physical, and emotional load in relationships (which their future partners will surely appreciate).
Well, 34-year-old girl dad Eric Taylor originated his own spin on the video format by sharing how he's teaching his daughters to avoid men who only offer the bare minimum, and it's incredibly refreshing.
In his viral video series, Eric shows himself setting an example for how his two daughters should expect to be treated by any who enter their lives. In one clip, he's seen making space and time for his girls to express how they're feeling, explaining: "Addressing my daughter's emotions so she knows your dusty son better not try to tell her to 'calm down.'"
He continues this approach in other videos, such as when he's filmed while trying on aprons and says he's "vibing with the kitchen section at Home Goods so your dusty son better know cooking ain't just a woman's job."
Other notable highlights include: "Allowing my daughter to finish her thoughts so...your dusty son don't try to silence her..."
..."Attending tea parties with my daughter so your dusty son don't try to impress her with Golden Corral..."
..."Doing the bed correct in the morning so my daughter knows your dusty son won't be another child to take care of..."
..."Teaching my daughter how to center herself because she may have different opinions than your dusty son, and that's OK..."
..."Celebrating my daughter's culture every day so she knows your dusty son better take the time to know more than 'hola' and 'tacos...'"
..."Not taking offense when my daughter speaks the truth so she knows your dusty son better not get butt-hurt if she calls him out when he's wrong..."
..."Teaching my daughter our family budget so she knows your dusty son better be transparent about finances..."
..."Never calling my daughter 'dramatic' so she knows that just because your dusty son has the emotional range of a teaspoon, that don't mean her feelings aren't valid..."
..."Respecting when my daughter says no so when your dusty son come around foolish, she won't accept being treated like trash..."
..."Doing the laundry with my daughter so she knows your dusty son better clean and fold his own dirty chonies..."
And finally, "Always having my daughter's back so your dusty son better support her when his mama wanna act up."
Eric's videos are flooded with comments from others who praise his parenting style. "Great to see parents raising their children with intention and how to raise standards for the people they'll choose in their lives," one person wrote.
It's especially refreshing, they say, to see a father empowering his daughters. "As a woman who grew up with a father who was always there for me and empowered me and still does, I can tell you that this does make an impact," this user wrote.
When BuzzFeed reached out to Eric to learn more about parenting his 4- and 6-year-old girls, he said, "I want them to know how to respect and know that they deserve respect. I want them to understand love so it doesn't get confused with anything else this world tries to fake it with. I want them to know they are powerful and brave, so they can make their own way in the world."
"I think many of us, and more often women, are raised up thinking that the bare minimum is okay. That it is normal to be treated less than they deserve. Too many men are raised without enough expectations of themselves and the women they come across," he continued. "I want my girls to have the emotional intelligence to recognize the good and bad that can come from relationships with these types of men in the future. I want them prepared, knowing their worth, and living in joy because they are with someone who is doing the work required to make a home run well."
And for all the girl dads out there, Eric had this advice: "Recognize who you are. Your flaws, your wins, your quirks, your trauma, your joy, and come to grips with your reality. The things you suck at? Get better. The things you're good at? Get even better! Most talk about getting your shotgun ready for when your daughter starts dating. I say [raise] your daughter to recognize the good and bad attributes in men so they...can protect themselves because you won't always be there."
"Emotional intelligence, overcoming generational trauma, financial acumen, there are so many levels to parenting that are essential for success as an adult, but I believe the most important is building a real relationship," Eric concluded. "You are the first real relationship your child will ever have. How will you teach them how to love and trust? ... When they talk about you to their friends or to a boyfriend in the future, what will they say about you as a father? Who will you be in your child's story? Think about it every day."