Strider Patton's passion project, known online as Dad Braids, focuses on turning a morning task into a moment of togetherness.
Patton is behind the popular online account "Dad Braids," used as a resource by more than 543,000 others.
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He explained that a second child and a wife swamped with morning duties put his daughter's hair in his hands.
"I thought, you know what, I'll take on this hair thing," Patton told ABC7. "I'm gonna be more than a ponytail kind of girl dad. My daughter is gonna have cute hair. So, I started learning."
In just two years, Patton's content has captured the attention of dads and others who need a little help.
Viewers from around the world tell him they're grateful for the step-by-step tutorials. But it's more than just "dad braids," Patton said the responses he's received reflect the different faces of family life.
"And what I think this has really shown me, is just how dynamic and diverse our current family - idea of family is from around the world," he said. "That has been the biggest, kind of, illumination in all this for me."
His work was recently recognized by Bay FC, the region's professional women's soccer team. It's representation and reach that he hopes will inspire the daughters who are sporting their dads' hairdos.
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Patton recently launched a back-to-school series on his website - noticing spikes in interest around picture day, game day, and the start of the school year.
"There are kind of like, moments and seasons I've noticed in just the last two years - that do kinda bring in some more interest," he said.
It's that interest from others that Patton never thought would take off the way it has.
When frustration hits, he reminds, "It's all about presence over perfection."
"A lot of us adults can really get tied up, wanting to be great at things as quickly as possible - understandably so. But this is about connection, versus the final product.