If you know country music, you know Midland. The retro-leaning, tequila-toting, Grammy-nominated trio built their whole brand on style, swagger, and storytelling. And behind the bass, and behind the camera for many of their videos, is today’s RAD Dad: Cam Duddy.
Cam lives in that rare overlap where creative careers, family life, and school schedules all collide. One minute he’s on stage or directing a shoot. The next he’s at the bus stop. It’s a very specific kind of juggling act, and he makes it work without pretending it’s glamorous.
Parenting’s Hardest Part
Staying consistent with the school routine. This is the universal dad battle. The spelling lists, the reading logs, the forms that magically regenerate every week. Even rockstars have to track homework.
Parenting’s Best Part
Watching his kids become their own people. No crafting them into performers, no forcing the family business. Just observing two young humans figure out who they are.
What He Wishes He Knew Before Fatherhood
That it goes fast. The kind of fast where ages 5 and 9 arrive before you figured out where the toddler years went.
Dad Advice That Stuck
Try everything. Give kids as many experiences as possible. Not to manufacture prodigies, but to help them build range, confidence, and curiosity.
A Day in the Duddy Household
- Wake up
- Coffee
- School drop-off
- Work
- Bus stop pickup
- Dinner
- Focus on the kids until they’re down for the night
This is the blueprint. Routine as an anchor, no matter how unpredictable the entertainment world gets.
How He Handles the Pile-Up
He schedules his days. Not in a productivity-guru way. More in a “this is how things don’t fall apart” way.
His Reset Button
Sauna time. Sweat, quiet, heat. A simple ritual for recalibrating when life gets loud.
His Non-Negotiable
Dinner is family time. Everyone present, even if dinner looks like a half-chopped rotisserie chicken and baby carrots.
When He Finally Gets Time Alone
He reads. And he does not want to be interrupted. Every dad deserves a sanctified hobby.
Where to Find Him
Dad Day Takeaway
Cam proves that being a great dad isn’t about slowing life down. It’s about keeping the parts that matter steady, even when the rest of your world is moving at tour speed. Family time, real presence, shared meals, repeat. That is the craft.
Donald Scott is the kind of dad who makes you sit up a little straighter. A world-class triple jumper from Ft. Lauderdale. A coach. A trainer. A guy who built a career on speed, grit, and gravity-defying hops, yet says fatherhood is the real gold medal event.
If you follow track and field, you have watched him fly. If you follow fatherhood, you will want to hear him talk. Scott’s journey is not the polished, perfect dad story. It is the real kind. The kind built on long-distance parenting, purpose, and a six-year-old girl who changed everything.
Below is his story, crafted for our RAD DAD series. We highlight men who build a life worth copying.
The Hardest Part: Loving From a Distance
Donald does not sugarcoat it.
“Parenting from a distance was the hardest part.”
For years, he lived states away from his daughter. Flights, calls, and constant wondering if he was doing this parenting thing right. That question haunts a lot of dads, especially the ones who care the most.
But the second they are together?
“Everything clicks. I enter dad mode.”
Presence over perfection. It is the Dad Day way.
The Reward: Watching Her Grow Up Close Again
After three years away, Donald moved back.
You can feel the relief in his voice. School mornings. Homework. Lunch dates. Practice runs. Bedtime stories. The whole beautiful grind.
“The most rewarding part has been watching her development. Being back is so fulfilling.”
In the end, fatherhood is not about doing everything. It is about being there.
What He Wishes He Knew Before Becoming a Dad
This one hits hard, especially knowing Donald grew up without parents present.
“I wish somebody would have told me the kind of love that comes with a child. It is deeper than anything I can explain.”
He did not have the model. So he became one.
The Best Advice He Ever Got
“Do not be so quick to grow your child up. Allow them to be a child.”
Simple. True. A truth we repeat often: kids need space to be kids. They need patience, not perfection.
A Typical Dad Day for Donald Scott
Nothing fancy. Nothing curated. Just real dad life.
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Breakfast
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Dog out
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School drop-off
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Donald trains like the elite athlete he is
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Pickup
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Lunch
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Homework
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Dog time, play time, or something fun
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Sports practice now that she is getting started
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Dinner
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Shower
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A book
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Bedtime
It is the rhythm of a dad who shows up everywhere that matters.
How He Handles the Juggle
His answer says everything:
“My daughter goes wherever I go.”
-Track practice
-Physical therapy
-Coaching
-Meets
-Work
-Life chaos
She is not an obligation. She is part of the mission.
His Grounding Practice
Donald keeps one simple mantra on repeat.
“Remember your purpose.”
Purpose does not erase stress. Purpose organizes it.
His Non-Negotiable
“When my daughter needs me, whatever it may be, I am there.”
Family first is not an idea for him. It is a lifestyle.
When He Finally Has a Minute to Himself
He decompresses with simple joys.
-DJing
-Bowling
-A bar with good music
-Quiet time alone
A reminder that dads need hobbies too. Recharge equals better fatherhood.
Where to Follow Him
View this post on Instagram
IG and Twitter: @donaldscott_ll
Rad Dad Takeaway
Donald Scott reminds us that fatherhood is not about flawless execution. It is about fierce love, intentional presence, and rewriting the script you were handed.
He did not grow up with parents. His daughter is growing up with a great one.
Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday dinner. It’s the biggest, richest, most chaotic plate of the year.
And dads know the truth: the Thanksgiving meal is a full-contact sport. You don’t just show up. You prepare. You strategize. You pace yourself like a man who wants to enjoy the feast and still be able to stand afterward.
This guide is your playbook for eating smarter, feasting harder, and walking away feeling like a king instead of collapsing on the couch and waking up hours later wondering what century it is.
The Warm-Up
Every dad has his own Thanksgiving traditions. Some wear elastic-waistband pants as a joke. Some hover near the kitchen like a scout evaluating the lineup. Some mentally assign point values to each dish based on past performance.
But behind all that is one truth. You’re gearing up for the biggest meal of the year. And if you want to enjoy every bite without self-destructing, the warm-up matters.
The Game Plan
This is how you build the foundation for an elite performance at the table.
1. Eat Breakfast (Yes, You Must)
Skipping breakfast before a massive meal sounds logical, but it only guarantees a crash-and-burn moment later. A small, protein-forward breakfast keeps your metabolism awake and prevents the shovel-everything-in disaster.
2. Hydrate Like You’re Carb Loading
Your stomach can’t perform miracles when it’s dry as drywall. Water equals staying power. Electrolytes equal dad superpowers.
3. Plate Strategy: Respect the Order of Operations
Thanksgiving dinner is a buffet of temptation. But pros don’t panic. Pros prioritize.
Start with:
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Turkey or ham
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A solid stuffing scoop
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A reliable potato
Then add the chaos:
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Experimental sides
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The dish that appears once a year with no confirmed creator
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Anything involving marshmallows
Lead with the hits. Follow with the wildcards.
4. Portion Pacing: Save Room for the Chapter Two Dishes
Every family has that one sleeper-hit side dish. You don’t know which one it is until someone says, “Oh wow, who made this?”
Leave runway for surprises. Champions adapt.
The Mid-Game Check-In
This is the moment between plates, between football plays, and between rounds of friendly trash talk when you must listen to your body.
Around 3 p.m. the stuffing wall arrives.
You’ll feel it.
You’ll fear it.
You’ll consider surrender.
Instead:
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Switch to water
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Stand up
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Take a short walk around the house
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Avoid couches at all costs
You can go back for seconds. But once the wall hits, a third wind is basically a myth.
The Post-Meal Recovery Protocol
Here’s where you win the day.
Forget the recliner. Forget immediate dessert. Forget resting your eyes. That path leads straight to the classic Dad Nap, a black hole of time that ends with you waking up sweaty and confused.
Take the walk. The famous 20-minute post-meal stroll is the dad version of cold water therapy.
It:
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Stabilizes blood sugar
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Helps digestion
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Clears your head
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Keeps you awake long enough to enjoy the evening
If you want to feel human by 8 p.m., this is your secret weapon.
The Leftover Strategy: The Real Championship
Thanksgiving leftovers are not leftovers. They are assets waiting to be deployed.
Build the Elite Sandwich
Mandatory components:
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Dark-meat turkey
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Stuffing as the structural support
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Cranberry sauce for acidity
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Light gravy drizzle
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A roll or bread with backbone
This is sandwich architecture. Take pride.
Reheat Like a Pro
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Turkey: Add a splash of broth or water and cover
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Stuffing: Pan-fry for crispy revival
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Potatoes: Add butter until your ancestors nod in approval
Know What Doesn’t Deserve Fridge Space
If the festive quinoa salad was ignored today, it will be ignored tomorrow. Protect your shelf space.
The Takeaway
Thanksgiving isn’t about stuffing yourself to the point of regret. It’s about enjoying the meal with intention, joy, and enough stamina to tuck the kids into bed without groaning.
You don’t need monk-level discipline. Just smart pacing, a little strategy, and a walk that will save your evening.
“Eat like a king. Move like a man who wants to feel human by 8 p.m.”