Meet Zack Telander — Austin-based musician, new dad, and the kind of guy who’ll rip a guitar solo at night and crush a diaper change at sunrise. You can find him on Instagram (@zack_telander) and hear his music on Spotify (search “Telander” and turn it up).

His take on fatherhood is honest, grounded, and absolutely on-brand for the Rad Dad universe.

The Dad Who Had to Slow Down to Keep Up

Zack has lived most of his adult life in go-mode. Music careers don’t care about “balance.” They’re fast, unpredictable, and built on momentum.

Then Charlie arrived.

The hardest part for him wasn’t the sleepless nights, although those are real. It was learning to slow down, to let the world shrink to the size of a baby’s hand gripping his finger.

Funny thing. The hardest part became the best part.

Every morning he goes on a walk with his wife, daughter, and their dog. No rushing. No forcing. Just a young family moving through the world together. He told us it’s the one thing he’d happily do forever.

That’s the type of dad moment you remember when you’re old.

Duty Over Balance

A lot of dads talk about “balance.” Zack laughs at that idea.

He told us, “I don’t. It’s my duty to be a good dad and husband first.” No life hacks. No elaborate systems. Just simple duty and excitement to show up for his family. And when things get overwhelming, he returns to the things that reset him: playing guitar, singing, and lifting. The essentials.

He also protects two non-negotiables:
• Alone time
• Real dates with your partner

Quick Hits From Zack

Hardest part of parenting:
Slowing down. And yes, the sleep.

Most rewarding part:
Those morning family walks.

Wish he knew earlier:
Kids bring emotional balance.

Best advice he’s gotten:
“Your kids are watching everything you do. So do right.”
(A perfect Dad Wisdom fit. )

Typical day:
Up around 6:30, diaper, bottle, walk, play, nap. Repeat until bedtime.

Reset button:
Guitar, singing, the gym.

Flying solo hobbies:
Guinness, wings, YouTube. A legendary trio.

Why This Q&A Stuck With Us

Zack is the blueprint for the modern dad. Creative but grounded. Driven but present. Intentional without being precious about it. He is not chasing balance. He is not chasing perfection (we’ve talked about that one. Progress beats perfect every time. ) He is chasing presence.

Dad Day Takeaway

Slow down. Walk with your people. Keep one ritual that reminds you who you are outside of diapers and bottles. Remember your kids are watching. Let them see a life that’s worth following.

Want more of Zack? Follow him on IG (@zack_telander) and stream his music on Spotify. Perfect soundtrack for that early morning stroller walk. 🎧👶🏼

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Shaun Murray has been doing backflips off wakes since most of us were still trying to parallel park. Orlando local. Pro wakeboarder. YouTuber. Three-time girl dad.
The guy’s lived the kind of life teenage you would’ve doodled on a Trapper Keeper.

But here’s the twist: behind all the airtime and American Ninja Warrior backyard antics, Murray’s dad game is straight-up grounded. Practical. Thoughtful. And honestly? Pretty dang refreshing.

The Hard Stuff (AKA: Every Parent’s Tightrope)

Ask him the toughest part of parenting and he doesn’t talk about travel or work-life balance or raising teenagers.

He says this:

“Guiding kids toward making the right decisions and them continuing to like me while doing so.”

That’s the whole job, right? Lead them. Shape them. Nudge them. But don’t lose the relationship in the process.

Shaun’s figured out the rare middle lane—firm hand, open heart. And yes, some laughing in between, because that’s the part he calls the most rewarding.

The Best New-Dad Advice You’ve Never Heard

Most dads would say something like “sleep when the baby sleeps.”

Shaun? He hits you with a mic drop:

“Show up empty-handed.”

Literally.

When you get home, don’t carry bags, boxes, backpacks, or your whole day’s stress through the door. Leave it all in the car.

Now your hands are free—for your kids, for your partner, for the little moment you miss when you’re juggling Amazon returns and a laptop.

You can hug, scoop, wrestle, high-five. You can even invite them outside to help you carry stuff in. This is dad presence in its purest form. Zero cost. Massive ROI.

The Wisdom That Stuck

Shaun’s dad wasn’t dropping Instagram quotes before breakfast—but he did give him two gems that Shaun now passes to his girls:

  1. “You become who your friends are.”
    Simple. Brutal. True. And maybe the most important filter a kid can learn early.

  2. Write down the funny stuff.
    Kids are walking stand-up specials, and your brain will absolutely forget 99% of it. Shaun’s dad literally kept a book. Shaun keeps a note on his phone. You should too.

A Day in the Life of a Pro Wakeboard Dad

When he’s home, Shaun’s day looks like the ideal mix of discipline and play:

  • Up before 6. Coffee. A few pages of the Bible. Prayer.

  • 7:00 AM → Wake the kids, help with the morning scramble.

  • 8:00 AM → Office catch-up.

  • Rest of the day:

    • Shooting/editing content

    • Backyard ninja workouts (yes, he’s competed on the show four times)

    • Wakeboarding, foiling, trampoline sessions

    • House projects

    • Cooking on his new griddle (his words: “love it more than a grill”)

It’s a buffet of creativity, movement, and dad-ing—exactly the stuff kids remember.

The Good Stuff

Ask Shaun his favorite part of having kids?

“Getting on the boat together. And when they start driving me while wakeboarding—pretty epic.”

That’s a dad dream:
Your kids growing into the life you love, and then literally pulling you into it.

His non-negotiable?

Family trips.
No debating. No rescheduling. Load the car.

When He’s Flying Solo

The dude doesn’t slow down.

He’s either:

  • Playing guitar or piano

  • Running heavy machinery like an overgrown Tonka-truck fan

  • Or even messing with RC equipment like he did on the Sandbox Boys Podcast

If it moves, Shaun’s operating it.

A Few Things Every Dad Can Steal from Shaun

  • Show up empty-handed. The simplest “be present” hack we’ve ever heard.

  • Laugh with your kids. Not at them. With them. It builds something deep.

  • Curate their circle. Because who they run with becomes who they are.

  • Capture the moments. The funny stuff disappears if you don’t catch it.

  • Keep adventure normal. Your hobbies become their memories.

  • Take the trips. Don’t wait for the perfect time. It doesn’t exist.

The Dad Day Close

Shaun Murray proves something big: You can chase wild goals, build a career doing the thing you loved as a kid, run a household, raise three daughters—and still show up at the door with open hands.

Modern fatherhood isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence, momentum, and a little wake spray in the face along the way.

If you want more Murray in your life:
YouTube → @Shaun.Murray
Instagram → @shaunmurray