What it’s all about
Plus – what’s the standard?
December 08, 2025 | Read Online
📕 DAD WISDOM
They Need You Today
Someone in the Slack dropped this quote last week from Oregon State’s new football coach, JaMarcus Shephard.
It was meant for his team, but man… it might hit even harder as a dad.
Here’s what he said:
“I get up in the morning, I look in the mirror, and I say to myself, ‘There’s someone who needs you today, big dog. They need you. They need you now. They don’t need you a week from now. They don’t need you a month from now. They need you today. I don’t care what’s going on in your life right now. Go help them.’ And that is what my life is all about. It’s about helping people.”
Read that again through the lens of fatherhood.
Our kids don’t need some future, more organized, less stressed version of us.
They need the dad we are today. Not perfect. Not polished. Not magically put together.
That’s the assignment. And it’s enough.
RAD DAD
Donald Scott
Donald Scott is an Olympian, World Indoor medalist, and nine-time U.S. triple jump champ. The dude soars on the track, but nothing grounds him like being Dad to his 6-year-old daughter.
The toughest part for him wasn’t training or travel. It was parenting from a distance. Now that they’re back in the same place, he doesn’t miss a moment. “When we’re together, everything clicks. I enter dad mode,” he says.
Scott’s days are simple: school drop-offs, breakfast, practice, homework, dinner, bedtime. Wherever he goes—training, meets, coaching—she goes too. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
The biggest lesson he’s learned? The love hits deeper than anything he ever expected. “I didn’t have my parents around… this love is something I can’t even explain.”
His non-negotiable is clear: “When my daughter needs me—whatever it is—I’m there.”
Read the full Q&A here.
DAD TOYS
Guardian Bikes
If a bike is going under the tree this year, make it a Guardian.
Dad-founded. Built for safety. Famous for their SureStop brake system that keeps kids from doing the accidental front-flip special.
They’ve got rides starting at 1.5 years old (up to adult bikes), and heads up, they’re running a massive 40% off right now.
Lightweight. Safe. Kid-proof. Basically the Christmas gift that also protects your future insurance premiums.
🛒 WHAT ELSE WE’RE EYING UP
» Xtratuf Deck Boot
» 100 Hikes of a Lifetime (Coffee Table Book)
» Nespresso Espresso Maker by Breville with Milk Frother (39% off)
DAD BOD
Let the Bees Do Their Thing
Ever hear of propolis? It’s the resin bees use to seal and disinfect their hives.
Propolis has been in the human toolkit since ancient Greece and Rome. Today, we know it’s loaded with 500+ antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant compounds that punch way above their weight.
Translation:
When cold season hits, this is the stuff.
The dad move: keep a propolis throat spray on hand (the kids’ version is money), and don’t sleep on the pops that look like candy but secretly soothe sore throats.
When that first tingle hits? Let the bees do their thing.
(Hat tip to Derek at 5HT for the deep dive 🐝)
THE MOVE
Laugh First.
This week’s focus: When something small goes wrong, crack a joke before you complain. You’ll both feel it shift.
DAD LAB
Excited to drop another Dad Lab this week; our free series where experts and fellow dads share practical skills that actually move the needle
For this one, we’re bringing in a pro: Kirk Martin, founder of Celebrate Calm, a coaching movement that’s helped over 1 million families parent with more confidence and way less chaos.
If anyone knows how to defuse a holiday meltdown in under 30 seconds, it’s this guy.
On December 11th at 12pm ET, Kirk’s jumping on a Google Meet to walk us through 5 Quick Ways to Survive Holiday Meltdowns With Kids — simple, real-world strategies you can use the moment the sugar hits and the wheels come off.
It’s a tight, 30-minute, no-BS session to help you head into the holidays with a little more calm.
How to join:
We’re having some hiccups with the Google Calendar link, so If you want an invite, just reply to this email, and we’ll add you manually. Feel free to pass it along to another dad, especially if he’s got little ones at home.
Don’t miss this one.
DAD HUMOR
