On March 8, podcast hosts Matt Carter and Lawrence Price posted a video to TikTok captioned: “35 dads in a pub, learning to braid their daughters’ hair.”
Since 2024, Price and Carter have been exploring the nuances of modern fatherhood on their show, The Secret Life of Dads. This year, they started holding in-person gatherings to help other fathers trade tips and tricks.
The first event, titled “Pints & Ponytails,” was held in early February, when roughly three dozen fathers squeezed around at a long table covered in mannequin heads and learned new hairstyles as they drank beers at the Lucky Saints Pub in London, England.
The events soon went viral, gaining global attention as viewers praised the dads for learning and growing together. On March 16, the news outlet NEXTA praised the hosts for reinventing a “boys’ night out” in a positive way.
“How adorable! In London, dozens of men gather in a pub to learn how to braid their daughters’ hair,” the Eastern European media company shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The meetings last about two and a half hours — they drink beer and, together with stylists, learn how to make ponytails and braids.”
They praised The Secret Life of Dads for creating a space where parents could “discuss the challenges of raising children and support each other without judgment.”
The next day, Andrew Tate, a controversial influencer and self-proclaimed “king of toxic masculinity,” quote-reposted the media company and belittled the “Pints & Ponytails” events, invoking racial supremacy and using a derogatory slur.
In return, Price and Carter took to Instagram to poke fun at Tate’s remark.
“If being a more present dad and a better partner is your insult, we'll take it every time!” The pair shared on April 29. “Dads, we’ve got so many events coming up over the summer … we’ll see you at one very soon!”
After Tate’s ugly remarks went viral, Price and Carter’s events only gained more popularity.
On June 7, the hosts partnered with Fluxxbox, a menstrual health company that makes “first-period kits” for young girls and their parents. Together, they held their first “Periods & Ponytails” event at The Prince pub in West London.
“Periods shouldn't be a mum topic; they’re a parenting topic,” The Secret Life of Dads posted on Instagram. “A daughter who knows her dad won’t flinch or hand the conversation over to mum is a daughter who hopefully grows up with a positive outlook on men.”
At the event, a representative from Fluxxbox led a PowerPoint presentation on period basics, from the menstrual cycle to diva cups.
Pads and tampons were passed around so the dads could take a closer look, as the instructor led a “pub quiz” on everything they’d learned.
The class ended with another hairstyling lesson, as the dads practiced “high ponies” and braids and cheered each other on.
“This is the kind of parenting we need,” an Instagram user wrote, “a great program, bringing a bunch of dads together that all want to be there for their daughters and giving them the information and hands-on practice to do so with confidence.”
In their post, Price and Carter emphasized that a dad serves as the “first example” of how a man can show up for their daughters.
“The big takeaway (there were many!) was that as a dad, you don’t need all the answers, just to be willing to sit through the moments that make you feel uncomfortable and stay anyway,” they wrote. “She’ll never forget it!”
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Header image via The Secret Life of Dads Instagram
