Routine isn’t a bad thing. Most of us work hard to build one. Morning schedules. Work blocks. kids’ activities. Family dinners. Bedtime. Repeat.

The problem is that routine has a way of tightening around you over time. Not all at once, but slowly.

via GIPHY

Weeks blur together. You’re doing fine. Life isn’t falling apart. But something feels flat. Predictable. Like you’re always reacting and rarely resetting. I’ve felt that more times than I can count, especially as a dad.

Here’s the thing most people don’t talk about: growth almost never happens inside routine. It happens when you step just far enough outside of it to see yourself clearly again.

Comfort is sneaky like that. It doesn’t announce itself. It shows up as reasonable excuses. I don’t have time. Now’s not the season. Maybe later.

Especially as dads, it’s easy to convince ourselves that putting our heads down and grinding is the responsible move. And sometimes it is. But over time, comfort turns into autopilot. Same conversations. Same inputs. Same people. Same expectations of yourself.

You stop challenging your body. You stop challenging your thinking. You stop putting yourself in rooms where your standards get raised. Not because you don’t want more, but because it’s easier not to disrupt the flow.

Before Dad Day, I spent years running events. Startup events in San Francisco. Then an adventure travel company with trips all over the country and internationally. National parks. Costa Rica. The whole thing. I’ve done big events. I’ve done complicated events. I’ve done way overproduced events.

A couple years ago, I was invited to an event in NYC by the team at Ten Thousand. For the first time, I wasn’t organizing anything. I just showed up.

We worked out. Ate good food. Walked the city. Had conversations that weren’t forced. There were speakers, but nothing dragged. There was structure, but also space. It wasn’t flashy or loud, but I left feeling different. Clearer. Lighter. More motivated. More connected.

I still talk to people I met there. I picked up ideas I actually used. And maybe most importantly, it reminded me how powerful it is to be around people who are setting their bars high.

That experience stuck with me.

As a dad, you carry a lot. Your energy matters. Your mindset matters. The way you show up at home matters. And yet, most dads rarely give themselves permission to reset.

Not escape. Reset.

To move their body differently. To hear new perspectives. To be around people who are building things and pushing themselves. To remember that growth doesn’t stop just because life got full.

There’s something that happens when you put yourself in an environment with people who have big goals. Not loud, chest-thumping goals. Real ones. Being better fathers. Better partners. Better humans.

That kind of environment recalibrates you. You don’t come home a new person. You come home more like yourself.

The best resets aren’t dramatic. They’re clarifying. You remember what matters. You regain momentum. You stop sleepwalking through weeks that are supposed to mean something.

That’s what stepping out of routine can do. Not because routine is bad, but because staying in it forever shrinks your perspective. Sometimes you need a weekend, an experience, or a change of scenery to remind yourself what you’re capable of.

That’s true in business. It’s true in fitness. And it’s especially true in fatherhood.

Built for More exists because I wanted to create the kind of experience I wish I had access to more often. Not a conference. Not a retreat full of awkward icebreakers. Not something performative or forced.

Just a small group. Movement. Time outside. Good food. Real conversations. A chance to break routine in a way that actually sticks.

If you’ve felt a little stuck lately, that doesn’t mean you’re failing. It probably just means you’re due for a reset.

Ready to Step Out of Routine?

Built for More is our first in-person experience, happening April 30 to May 2 in Charleston, SC. We’re capping it at 25 dads to keep it tight and intentional. It’s only 2.5 days, so you’re not away from the fam that long.

Still long enough to step out of the routine to come back sharper.

Early bird pricing is still live, and once spots are gone, they’re gone.

👉 Check out the event and grab your spot here.

And if you’re on the fence, we’re happy to hop on a call and chat. Just head over to our contact page and hit us up. Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself and your family is say yes to the reset.

When I first read Shoe Dog, I wasn’t looking for parenting advice. I was looking for business inspiration—grit, risk, vision, all that good stuff.

But halfway through the book, somewhere between maxed-out credit cards and Nike barely surviving another year, it hit me: This isn’t just a startup memoir. It’s a fatherhood book—just written sideways. Not about kids. About the kind of man kids grow up watching.

The Real Theme of Shoe Dog: Living With Uncertainty

Strip away the swooshes and success and Shoe Dog is really about doubt. Long stretches where nothing feels impressive. Years where the outcome is unclear.

Phil Knight didn’t have a master plan. He didn’t know Nike would work. He just kept moving forward anyway.

That’s dad life.

Most days of fatherhood don’t feel heroic. They feel uncertain. You wonder if you’re doing enough, if you’re screwing it up, if everyone else somehow knows what they’re doing better than you.

Here’s the comfort Shoe Dog offers dads: you don’t need certainty. You need commitment.

Progress Beats Confidence (A Dad Skill No One Teaches)

Knight didn’t wait until he felt ready. He shipped, adjusted, survived another year, and did it again.

Parenting works the same way. You don’t become a great dad because you read the right books or feel confident all the time. You become a great dad because you keep showing up without guarantees.

You don’t know how your kid will turn out. You don’t know which moments will matter most. You don’t know if today’s choice was the “right” one.

Neither did Phil Knight. He just didn’t quit.

The Myth of “Having It Together”

From the outside, Nike looks inevitable. From the inside, according to Shoe Dog, it was chaos held together by belief and stubbornness. That’s true for dads, too.

Your kids don’t see your inner doubts. They see whether you try. Whether you recover. Whether you keep going when things are hard.

That’s the lesson. Not perfection. Not confidence. Momentum.

Playing the Long Game Without a Scoreboard

One of the most underrated ideas in Shoe Dog is patience. Nike didn’t win quickly. It survived, then survived again, then survived some more.

Fatherhood has the same timeline. There’s no scoreboard. No quarterly results. No applause. Just quiet consistency. Bedtime stories. Car rides. Regular Tuesdays that don’t feel special until years later.

You’re building something you won’t fully see for decades. That’s not inefficiency. That’s legacy.

Identity Matters More Than Outcomes

Phil Knight wasn’t obsessed with being rich. He was obsessed with running, with craft, with building something meaningful. Good dads aren’t obsessed with outcomes either. They care about being steady, being available, being someone their kids feel safe copying.

You don’t need to be extraordinary. You need to be clear on who you are.

If Shoe Dog Had Dad Advice

If that book could talk, it would probably say this:

  • Don’t wait until you feel ready. Build anyway.
  • Your kids don’t need a finished product. They need a builder—someone willing to try, fail, learn, and keep going.

That’s the real win.

My Takeaway

We don’t need more parenting hacks. We need more long-term thinkers. More builders. More dads willing to live unfinished lives out loud. Because one day, your kid will look back and realize you didn’t have it all figured out, but you never stopped showing up.

That’s a hell of a legacy.

Parenting during the holidays can feel like controlled chaos. Less structure. More sugar. More screen time. More meltdowns.

In this Dad Lab session, we sat down with Kirk Martin, founder of the Calm Parenting Podcast and Celebrate Calm, to talk about how dads can navigate meltdowns without yelling, threatening, or escalating the situation.

This conversation is packed with real-world strategies you can use immediately.

Watch the Full Dad Lab Session

Calm Parenting Strategies Every Dad Should Know (Live Dad Lab Session)

What This Session Covers

Kirk breaks down why meltdowns happen and how dads can respond in a way that actually works.

Key themes include:

  • Why kids melt down more during the holidays

  • The difference between discipline and punishment

  • How dads unintentionally escalate situations

  • Why tone and body language matter more than words

  • How movement and space help kids regulate emotions

One Shift That Changes Everything

One of the most important ideas from the session is this: You cannot calm a child down if you are not calm yourself. Kids read tone, posture, and energy before they process words. When dads slow things down and stay grounded, kids follow.

That’s leadership, not permissiveness.

Practical Takeaways for Dads

Here are a few strategies Kirk recommends:

  • Use an even, matter-of-fact tone instead of yelling or whispering

  • De-escalate before trying to discipline

  • Introduce movement to reset emotions

  • Give kids space instead of hovering

  • Model the behavior you want to see

None of this is about being perfect. It’s about being intentional.

Want More Like This?

Dad Lab is a live series where we bring in experts to help dads get better at the stuff that matters. Parenting. Health. Money. Mindset.

If this session resonated, make sure you’re subscribed to Dad Day and keep an eye out for the next Dad Lab.

At 44 years old, after five years away from the game, Philip Rivers came back to football. Not for money. Not for headlines. Not to prove Twitter wrong.

He came back because it felt right. Because there was still something in him that wanted to compete. And because, as he put it, the safe option was to go home. The other option was to go for it and see what happens.

That alone would be a cool story. But what Rivers said about why he did it is what really matters for dads.

(AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

“Coach Wasn’t Scared”

Rivers talked openly about doubt. About fear. About the temptation to choose the guaranteed safe bet. To stay home. To not risk embarrassment or failure. He also talked about his sons. And his players. He wanted them to be able to say, “Coach wasn’t scared.”

That line hits harder than any motivational quote on Instagram. Because kids are not listening to what we say nearly as much as they are watching what we do.

The Example Is the Point

Rivers did not come back because he thought it would be easy. He came back knowing there was real doubt. Knowing there was a chance it would not work out. That is the part worth paying attention to.

Our kids are going to face uncertainty. They are going to doubt themselves. They are going to have moments where the safe choice is to quit, to stay comfortable, or to avoid the risk altogether.

What they need is not a speech about courage. They need to have seen it.

They need a reference point that says, “I watched my dad go for it when it would have been easier not to.”

Age Is a Lazy Excuse

One of the quiet lessons in this story is that age is rarely the real reason we stop trying. Comfort is. At 44, Rivers could have said, “That chapter is closed.” No one would have blamed him. He had already done enough.

But fulfillment does not care about résumés. There is no finish line where effort is no longer required.

The question is not “Am I too old?” The question is “Am I still willing?” That applies to fitness. Careers. Relationships. Parenting. Personal goals we keep pushing off for “someday.” Someday is not guaranteed. Effort is optional.

Safe Is Not the Same as Right

Rivers said the guaranteed safe bet was to go home.

That is true in a lot of life. It is safe to stay in a job you hate. It is safe to stop training. It is safe to never start the thing you keep thinking about. Safe keeps you protected. It does not make you proud. Going for it does not guarantee success. It guarantees something better. Self-respect.

And kids can feel that difference.

What Our Kids Actually Learn

Our kids will not remember most of what we tell them.

They will remember:

  • Whether we took chances

  • Whether we handled doubt honestly

  • Whether we avoided hard things or leaned into them

  • Whether we chose comfort or courage when it mattered

They are building their own internal rulebook by watching us. Philip Rivers did not just return to football. He handed his kids a living example of how to face uncertainty.

The Real Takeaway

This is not about football. It is about what kind of example you want to be when no one is forcing you either way. You can go home. Or you can see what happens. That choice shows up over and over again in small, quiet ways. And every time you make it, someone younger is watching.

If you’ve ever seen a photo that made you want to quit your job, buy a Sprinter, and chase cold waves until your eyelashes freeze, chances are Chris Burkard took it. The world-famous photographer and filmmaker from Pismo Beach has turned remote landscapes into a global calling card. But behind the wild adventures is a dad with two boys who is still figuring out the playbook like the rest of us.

And that is exactly why this Q&A hits.

Who Is Chris Burkard (Beyond the Screensavers)

Burkard is the guy brands call when they need a shot of someone doing something incredible in a place most of us only see on postcards. His images show the edges of the world, but his life at home is surprisingly grounded. He is a surfer, a husband, and a dad trying to raise two boys with wonder instead of worry.

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A post shared by ChrisBurkard (@chrisburkard)

The Q&A

When you ask Chris Burkard about the hardest part of parenting, he barely pauses. This is a man who has stood on icebergs and photographed storms, yet fatherhood still brought him to his knees in a way the Arctic never could. He told us the real challenge was accepting that he had no idea what he was doing and learning, slowly, that the early years he once feared were unappreciated were actually the moments that mattered most.

Chris grew up without a father, so he had no blueprint to follow. Every chapter he is writing now, he is writing for the first time. And the thing he learned early is this: showing up is the job.

Ask him about the rewards and his shoulders drop a little, the way people soften when they talk about the good stuff. For Chris, the payoff is watching his boys find joy. Not achievements or polished milestones.

Pure, unfiltered joy. Laughing together. Losing themselves in awe, even when the house feels chaotic. Coming from a guy who has chased awe across continents, it says something that the best version of it still happens in his living room.

If he could go back and tell his younger self something, it would be this: your kids might become your best friends.

It is a truth no one tells you when you’re knee deep in diapers, but it hits like a warm wave once you’re there.

One piece of advice stuck with him through the years. Someone once told him that being a dad is not an old man’s job. He carries that line like a compass. You don’t wait for the perfect moment, the perfect bank account, or the perfect career arc. You learn to parent in the mess. And sometimes the mess ends up being beautiful.

A typical day in the Burkard house reads exactly how you hope it might. He drops off his oldest son at school, then sneaks in an hour-long surf before the emails and projects take over. His wife handles the younger one’s school run. Midday is work. Afternoon folds into pickup, food, sports, more food, and the nightly wind-down.

For all the airports and expeditions, the rhythm at home is familiar to every dad. It is proof that even the world’s most adventurous photographer still spends half his life in the same cycle the rest of us do.

Balancing work, life, and family for Chris starts with a simple practice: knowing what he needs each day to show up well. Some days that means sleeping in. Other days it is a three-hour bike ride. The point, he says, is to advocate for your needs and communicate clearly with your partner. Burnout is real, and the best way to fight it is honesty.

His reset button is easy to imagine. The ocean. Even a few minutes in the water recalibrates him. It reminds him what matters.

The one non-negotiable in his dad life is time with his kids doing something that costs nothing. Teaching them how to have fun in nature. Passing down the kind of joy you cannot buy.

And when he is solo on the road, he laughs at himself a little. He admits he spends way too much on boujee snacks and great coffee. Every dad has a weakness. His just happens to taste better.

THE TAKEAWAY

Chris Burkard travels farther than most of us ever will, but his parenting philosophy is simple. Show up. Keep wonder alive. Invest in the moments that cost nothing and matter most. The world will always pull, but the real adventure is at home. Follow Chris here.

If you are a dad, you know the feeling. Life gets loud. Work deadlines. Kid schedules. A garage that looks like a Home Depot had a meltdown. Most of us are not short on things to do. We are short on intention.

Which is why Jesse Itzler hits so hard.

He is an entrepreneur, ultra endurance athlete, co founder of Marquis Jet, early partner at Zico Coconut Water, owner of the Atlanta Hawks, bestselling author, and creator of the famous Big Ass Calendar (worth a look if you have never seen it: ). He also happens to be a guy who built a big life while staying highly present as a husband and father.

His recent video titled If you want 2026 to be the best year of your life is basically Jesse handing you his entire operating system. It is simple, practical, and built to snap you out of autopilot.

Below is our hot take on it: useful, and written for dads who want a year they can actually remember living.

Why This Video Matters for Dads

Dads drift. It happens slowly. School pickups, work sprints, coaching soccer, a weekend Costco run. You look up and the whole year evaporated.

Jesse’s system stops the drift. It forces you to pause, reflect, clean house, and design a year instead of reacting to one.

This is not a vision board. It is a blueprint.

THE BIG IDEA: Play 2026 on Offense

Jesse’s philosophy:

If you do not plan the year, the year will plan itself. And you probably will not like the result.

Most dads live on defense. We respond to whatever hits our inbox, our calendar, or our kitchen table. Jesse flips it. He wants you attacking life, not absorbing it.

His method has three parts:

  1. Close out the year with intention.

  2. Identify what needs fixing.

  3. Schedule the good stuff first.

1. Close Out 2025 Like a Pro

Before you build 2026, Jesse wants you to clear the runway. Think of this as the dad version of cleaning the garage before starting a big project.

Do a What Worked and What Did Not Audit

Two columns. Be honest. What actually moved your life forward. What drained you. What you tolerated instead of solved.

Declutter Everything

Physical clutter. Digital clutter. Emotional clutter.
Clean the closet. Empty the junk drawer. Delete files you know you will never use. A clear environment creates momentum. A messy one steals it.

Handwritten Thank You Letters

This is Jesse’s superpower. He writes thank you letters to people who impacted his year.

It is old school. It is rare. And it builds real connection.

More important for dads. Your kids see you modeling gratitude and relationship building. That lines up perfectly with our Dad Day principle of creating a life worth copying.

Write five to ten letters. Keep them real and specific.

2. Run Your Life Through the Blender

Jesse’s Life Blender exercise is simple and brutally clarifying.

Rate the major areas of your life from one to ten.

  • Health
  • Marriage
  • Parenting
  • Fun
  • Career
  • Finances
  • Community
  • Personal Growth

Pick the two or three categories that need the most attention. Not everything should be a priority. Most dads score lowest on fun, health, marriage time, and personal adventure.

That is the signal. Those are your 2026 levers.

3. Build Your Year With Jesse’s Offense Trifecta

Here is where the magic happens. Jesse organizes his entire year using three tools that create momentum instead of waiting for it.

A. Mogis

These are your year defining accomplishments. The big wins you will remember years from now.

Examples:

  • Run a half marathon
  • Take a one on one trip with your kid
  • Start guitar lessons
  • Launch a side business
  • Repair a relationship
  • Complete a 75 day challenge

Pick two to four. No more.

B. Kevin’s Rule

Every sixty days you schedule one new experience. Something you have never done before.

This is the antidote to the dad rut.

Ideas
-Go to a jujitsu class
-Go to a concert with your teenager
-Take a cooking class
-Camp in the backyard with your kid
-Visit a city you have never seen

Newness keeps you awake. It also shows your kids that adulthood is not a slow fade into routine.

C. One Winning Habit Per Quarter

Not ten habits. One habit every ninety days.

Examples
Q1: 10,000 steps per day
Q2: Phone free bedroom
Q3: Weekly date night
Q4: Strength training

Stack four habits and you are a completely different dad by next December.

4. Use the Big Ass Calendar to Schedule the Fun First

This is Jesse’s signature move.

Most dads plan the year like this:

  • Work
  • Kids’ activities
  • Random obligations
  • Maybe a little time for yourself if anything is left

Jesse plans it like this:

  • Fun
  • Mogis
  • Adventures
  • Family experiences
  • Then work fills in the remaining space

It is simple. If you do not aggressively schedule the life you want, someone else will.

That is why his Big Ass Calendar is so effective. You can see the entire year at a glance. You cannot hide from blank space.

Color code it
-Blue for family adventures
-Red for personal Mogis
-Green for health habits
-Yellow for work
-Black for personal reset days

When you schedule the meaningful stuff first, life gets better instantly.

The Takeaway: Build a Year Your Kids Will Remember You Living

This system is not about productivity. It is about presence.

Your kids do not need a perfect dad. They need a dad who is awake. A dad who is intentional. A dad who takes action. A dad who builds a life worth copying. (Our past Dad Day newsletters echo this exactly. Kids watch the pattern. Not the perfection. )

Jesse’s method is your blueprint.

  • Audit the past.
  • Plan the future.
  • Put the fun on the calendar early.
  • Live on offense.

Your kids are watching. Give them something worth imitating.

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.

  • Breakfast

  • Dog out

  • School drop-off

  • Donald trains like the elite athlete he is

  • Pickup

  • Lunch

  • Homework

  • Dog time, play time, or something fun

  • Sports practice now that she is getting started

  • Dinner

  • Shower

  • A book

  • 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

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.

We came across this video on IG the other day. Two guys talking about what actually turns boys into men and men into stronger men. Not motivational fluff, not chest-thumping. Real stuff. The stuff you feel in your gut.

Scott Galloway, who talks like your brutally honest uncle who happens to teach at NYU. Chris Williamson, the ex-club promoter turned philosopher-podcaster who has made self-development cool without making it cringe.

Different lanes. Same take. Men grow through risk. The right kinds. The kinds we avoid as adults because life gets comfortable.

And as dads, this hit a nerve. Our kids are watching how we deal with risk. Not the big dramatic stuff. The daily stuff.

Watch the Video

Why This Conversation Matters for Dads

Somewhere between your first paycheck and your first kid, life gets padded. You stop doing things that scare you a little. You play for safe decisions, safe routines, safe circles. Before you know it, you are living the same year on repeat.

Galloway and Williamson basically say: that is how men shrink.

The fix is simple. Put yourself in places that stretch you. Not crazy risk. Just uncomfortable growth.

And your kids notice. More than you think.

The Big Idea

Galloway kicks things off with a strong hit. Young men should intentionally walk into rooms where they feel outmatched. Better schools. Better jobs. Better people. Go where you are slightly unqualified and grow into the version of you who belongs there.

Williamson adds that you really are the average of the five people closest to you. Not just your friends but also the voices you let into your earbuds.

For dads, this is a quiet reminder. Kids copy what they see. If you only choose safe rooms, they will too.

The Process: The Risks That Build Men

These are the hits from the convo. Think of them as reps you can actually do.

1. Get into rooms where you feel behind

Not because you like feeling behind. Because it forces you to level up.

2. Choose high-character friends

Not rich guys. Not impressive guys. Men you genuinely admire. The kind who make you want to be better.

3. Be the person who lifts others

There is a study in the video. Turns out high school popularity was about who made others feel good, not who had the best jawline or fastest 40. Appreciation is a superpower.

4. Train confidence like a skill

Compliments. Conversations. Taking small chances. Williamson calls it evidence. Confidence comes from doing the thing a little before you feel ready.

The Sauce

A few things the video hints at, even if it does not say them outright:

  • Initiate instead of waiting for permission

  • Surround yourself with men who sharpen you

  • Use podcasts, books, mentors as your “five friends”

  • Treat relationships like training partners

These are small, repeatable acts. They build character the same way steady workouts build strength.

The Takeaway

Risk is not a one-time act. It is a muscle. It grows from small, daily decisions. Every time you choose the harder conversation, the scarier opportunity, the uncomfortable room, you build a little more confidence.

Your kids do not need you to climb Everest. They need to see you stretch. They need to see you try. They need to see you get uncomfortable on purpose.

That is how men grow. And that is how dads raise kids who are not afraid of life. Be the kind of man who keeps walking toward the hard things. Not to show off. To grow. Your kids will feel that energy. They will copy it. And that might be the most important thing you pass down.

Growing up, my dad had a handful of sayings he’d repeat to us before school, parties, or big events. Whether it was “read the damn problem” before a test, “proper planning prevents poor performance” before a speech or game, or “the hurrier I go, the behinder I get” when we rushed through something and made it worse — they were endless.

And, in my adolescence, admittedly annoying. But one that’s always stuck with me is: “Remember who you are, and where you came from.” That one usually came out before dates, going to a “friend’s house” (aka party) in high school, or leaving for college.

It was my dad’s simple reminder that our actions reflected not just on us, but on our family — and that first impressions are what reputations are built on.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to see that phrase differently. Whether it’s in a job search, finding a spouse, or becoming a dad, the best thing you can do is know who you are, be proud of that, and stick to your values. When something doesn’t sit right, have the courage to speak up — but also the humility to listen and respect a different perspective.

Now, as a new father, that saying hits even deeper. It makes me think about how I want my kids to remember me — how I make them feel. I want to be the kind of supportive dad mine was: someone they can come to with anything.

And while discipline has its place, love and understanding should always lead the way. For others, “remember who you are and where you came from” might mean something entirely different — maybe it’s a promise to never return to a painful place or mindset. And that’s just as meaningful.

In the end, that phrase can mean many things to many people — and that’s the beauty of it. But I do believe it’s one of the most important lessons we can pass down to the next generation.

There was a time when vinyl lived in your dad’s basement next to a dusty receiver and a milk crate full of Zeppelin. Now it’s back in a real way. Kids are rediscovering it. Record stores are alive again. Turntables are selling out. And if you’re a dad, this is your moment to pass on the good stuff.

Vinyl isn’t nostalgia. It’s a ritual. A vibe. A way to show your kids music is something you feel, not something an algorithm serves to you.

Here’s the upgraded, deeper, crate-digging guide.

Why Vinyl Is So Back

Kids live in a world of infinite scroll. Vinyl hits them with a rhythm their phones can’t touch. You pick a record, drop the needle, and everybody listens. No skipping. No tapping. No distractions.

It’s analog attention. And kids crave it more than they realize.

What To Tell Your Kids

1. “This is how albums used to be experienced.”
Teach them that music wasn’t always microwave content. Vinyl forces you to sit with a full story.

2. “Vinyl isn’t perfect. That’s why it’s magic.”
The warmth, the crackle, the flaws. Imperfections make it feel alive.

3. “Record stores are treasure hunts.”
Let them dig. Let them discover. Let them buy something weird.

4. “Take care of your gear.”
Brush the needle. Sleeve the record. Put it back upright. Vinyl teaches responsibility without feeling like a chore.

5. “Good music outlives trends.”
You’re not just showing them albums. You’re showing them longevity.

What You Need To Get Started

Simple setup. No need to turn your house into a listening lounge.

Turntables

Speakers

  • Edifier R1280T

  • Klipsch R 41PM

  • Audioengine A2+

Cleaning kit
Carbon brush, microfiber cloth.

Storage
Upright. Tight. A cube shelf works great.

Vinyl Stuff You Should Know (The Dad Cheat Sheet)

Keep this list in your back pocket. It makes you sound smart without going full music nerd.

Mastering
How the final sound gets tuned for vinyl. Good mastering means warmth, punch, and emotion.

Pressings
Different batches of the same album. Some plants make better ones. Early pressings or high quality plants tend to sound best.

Weight
180 gram feels solid, but weight alone doesn’t make it sound better.

Source
“From the original tapes” or “all analog” usually means richer sound. Digital can sound great too if well done.

Plants to trust
QRP, RTI, Pallas, Optimal.

Names to trust
Kevin Gray, Bernie Grundman, Chris Bellman.

Red flags
Cheap novelty colors, budget represses, or anything designed for Instagram walls more than speakers.

Deep Cut Vinyl Starter Crate For Dads And Kids

A curated list of albums that sound incredible on vinyl and teach taste along the way.

Rock and Alternative

  • The War on Drugs — Lost in the Dream

  • Dire Straits — Making Movies

  • The Replacements — Let It Be

  • Television — Marquee Moon

  • Faces — A Nod Is As Good As a Wink

  • Blue Öyster Cult — Spectres

  • Tom Petty — Wildflowers

  • The Cars — Self Titled

Soul, Funk, and Groove

  • Bill Withers — Still Bill

  • Curtis Mayfield — Super Fly

  • Shuggie Otis — Inspiration Information

  • Gil Scott Heron — Pieces of a Man

  • The Meters — Rejuvenation

  • Bobby Womack — The Poet

Jazz

  • Herbie Hancock — Head Hunters

  • Grant Green — Idle Moments

  • Donald Byrd — Places and Spaces

  • Art Blakey — Moanin

  • Miles Davis — In a Silent Way

Indie Essentials

  • Bon Iver — For Emma, Forever Ago

  • The National — Boxer

  • Arcade Fire — Funeral

  • Tame Impala — Lonerism

  • Iron and Wine — The Creek Drank the Cradle

Soundtracks That Slap

  • Tron Legacy

  • O Brother, Where Art Thou

  • Blade Runner — Vangelis

  • The Big Chill

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1

  • Heat

  • Lost in Translation

  • The Last of the Mohicans

  • Inception

  • Cowboy Bebop

  • The Crow

  • Drive

  • Amélie

  • The Social Network

  • Top Gun Maverick

  • Halo 2

  • Zelda Breath of the Wild

Where To Shop

Let them see the culture in real life.

Local record stores
Nothing beats a human recommending something to your kid.

Discogs
The vinyl internet. Great for rare finds.

Flea markets and thrift stores
Cheap, chaotic, magical.

Amazon
Solid for new pressings and quick buys.

Record Store Day
Twice a year. Feels like a festival.

How To Level Up Your Dad DJ Status

  • Create a family listening night

  • Teach them how to drop the needle

  • Build a shared crate

  • Let them DJ side B

  • Talk about the album art

  • Introduce them to hidden tracks and deep cuts

The Takeaway

Vinyl is back because families want real experiences again. As a dad, you get to be the guide. Drop the needle, turn it up, and show your kids how to listen with intention.

The music is great. The memories are better.