I'm a dad of girls who has no problem doing feminine activities with them. I've learned what's most important is meeting our kids where they are.

• Mason Smith has two daughters, ages 2 and 6.
• His days with them include doing hair and nails.
• He grew up with 11 siblings and appreciates meeting his daughters where they are. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mason Smith. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

When my daughter Berkeley was a toddler, I worked six days a week. On my one day off, my wife Shelby worked as a hairdresser. So, Berkeley and I started having daddy-and-daughter Saturdays. 

On those days, we did what Berkeley wanted. Typically, those weren't activities you'd expect a 20-something guy to be doing. We'd chat over coffee or go get our nails done. We played with hair color and temporary tattoos. 

I started filming our adventures, thinking of it as sort of a digital diary. I never imagined that other people would be interested, but after a few months it took off. Today we have 2.6 million followers on TikTok. 

My parents taught me how to make kids feel loved, even though there were many of us

I have 11 siblings. I slept in a triple bunk, in a room that I shared with four of my brothers. Growing up, one on one time with my parents was rare. But when it happened, my parents were very intentional about it. 

That's the energy I try to bring to my daughters. Back when Berkeley and I only had one day a week together I wanted to make sure that those hours really counted. If Berkeley and her sister Hadley look back on these videos when they're older, I hope they see that I genuinely loved and cared about them above everything else.

I also make sure to infuse plenty of fun. One day Berkeley was anxious about going to the doctor, because she knew she needed shots. So, I had a surprise when I picked her up for the appointment: our entire minivan was full of balls — I had transformed it into a ball pit on wheels. 

I was finding random plastic balls in the car for months. But it was entirely worth it when Berkeley said I made her feel much better about her shots that day. At that moment, I wanted to cry. 

I've always been comfortable with the feminine

It's not too often that you see a dad doing the thing that moms do every day. But I've always been comfortable doing feminine things. When I found out that Berkeley was a girl, I grew my hair long so that I would know how to style and care for my daughter's locks. 

Now, I do hair and nails because that's what Berkeley and Hadley love. I want other dads to know it's OK to meet your kids where they are. Do what's fun for them rather than expecting them to participate in your interests. I'm totally fine being the man who shows up to work with painted glittery nails if it puts a smile on my kids' faces. 

No matter what, you're never going to regret spending time with your kids. No 85-year-old has ever looked back and regretted that water gun fight or time spent on the playground when their kids were young. 

Influencers are known for trying to sell things. But each day, I get private messages from dads telling me that I inspired them to do something with their kids. That's the real point of my influencing — to help people be better parents. I hope my girls can look at this community and see that their dad helped create joy in the world. 

Time with my kids is my priority

At the same time, I want Berkeley and Hadley to know the value of hard work. These days I split my time between content creation and property management. I have a lot more work/life balance than I did when Berkeley was younger. But I still think it's very important that the girls see me working at something I'm passionate about. 

I'm proud to be part of this new generation of dads. We work hard, but we do it in moderation. We're not afraid to make quality time with our families our priority.