At a Glance
- MrBeast told the Good Guys podcast he won’t have kids unless he can be “a phenomenal father.”
- The 26-year-old YouTuber, engaged to Thea Booysen, says most successful parents “don’t care” about lost success.
- He keeps Beast Games family-friendly so parents can watch with children.
- Why it matters: The world’s biggest YouTuber is questioning the cost of parenthood while creating content millions of families consume together.
MrBeast’s channels reach 668 million followers, yet Jimmy Donaldson isn’t sure he wants to add “Dad” to his résumé. In a two-part interview that dropped Jan. 12 and continues Jan. 15, the creator told Dear Media’s Good Guys hosts Josh Peck and Ben Soffer that fatherhood is on his mind-but only under strict conditions.
“Phenomenal Father” Standard
The conversation started when Peck claimed some parents “don’t let kids affect their life in any way.”
“Are they phenomenal fathers?” MrBeast shot back.
“No!” Peck admitted.
The exchange cemented MrBeast’s stance. “I don’t want to have a kid unless I’m a phenomenal father,” he said, doubling down on the word “phenomenal.”
He dismissed the cliché that children turbo-charge success. “Kids make you more successful-I hate when people say that kind of stuff,” he said, arguing that real parenting is a full-time sacrifice. Peck and Soffer, both dads, agreed the trade-off is “worth it,” even if bank accounts shrink.
MrBeast sees proof in his own circle. “Very few people that I meet that are successful and have kids end up regretting it. They’re almost always like, ‘Yeah, I’m less successful, but I don’t care.'”
Family-Friendly Empire
While he weighs parenthood, MrBeast keeps his content kid-accessible. Peck praised Beast Games as a rare show parents can watch with children without flinching at profanity. MrBeast told the hosts he instructs editors to scrub swear words so families can bond over the competitions.
The strategy works. Parents have sent thank-you letters for giving them a shared viewing experience. “That’s kind of what we’re going for,” he said.
Christmas Proposal and Future Plans
The timing of the podcast is notable: MrBeast proposed to Thea Booysen on Christmas Day 2025. Booysen told News Of Los Angeles at the time that marriage felt like paperwork since the couple already discusses “children” and “how we’re going to live together when we’re 70 years old.”
The engagement video, filmed with family present, signals long-term commitment, but no pregnancy timeline has been set. For now, MrBeast’s focus remains on maintaining a family-friendly brand while deciding if he can meet his own “phenomenal” standard for fatherhood.
