Hey guys. Happy Friday. Hope you have a great weekend. And for everyone in the path of Hurricane Isaias, stay safe out there.
We’ll see ya Monday.
If you’re new here, we mix it up on Fridays with a quick recap from the week and a few extra gems to head into the weekend right.
"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory."
THE DIGEST
Wisdom of the Week: Being a dad has a funny way of making life feel clearer and more confusing at the same time. You know what matters more than you used to. You also spend a pretty good chunk of the week wondering where the hell the week went. Keep going. We’re right there with you. 👊
Most Clicked: 3 Science-Backed Ways to Raise Good and Happy Kids
Gear of the Week: BullBarFit Portable Pull-Up Bar
Apparel of the Week: Levi’s Men Trucker
For the Kids: Retevis Walkie Talkies
Read, Watch, Eat, Listen
A few things to get into this weekend if you have a moment
📕 Read: A Walk in The Woods | Bill Bryson
📺 Watch: American Hostage w/Jon Hamm | How To Get Your Brain Addicted to Hard Things, Not Cheap Dopamine
🍔 Eat/Drink: The 14-Day Lunch System That Never Gets Boring
🎧 Listen: From $400 Cooler to $2 Billion Dollar Brand - The Story of YETI
IN THE TRENCHES
We asked a pretty interesting question this week: How much do you parent differently than your own dad did?
Turns out, most of us are making at least a few changes.
45% said they parent a lot differently, while another 40% said they've made some adjustments. Only 9% said they're parenting pretty much the same way they were raised.
The comments got pretty personal.
A lot of guys talked about growing up with dads who worked constantly, weren't around much, or weren't particularly comfortable showing emotion. Several mentioned making a point to tell their kids they love them, something they rarely heard growing up.
One dad said:
"My dad is a great dad, but communication and talking about emotions are not his strong points. So I'm trying to take everything he taught me and add in more about those two things."
There were also dads who had a very different experience. They grew up with great fathers and are largely following their lead, maybe with a little more patience or a few adjustments along the way.
And then there's the funny realization that no matter how differently you intend to parent, every once in a while you open your mouth and your dad comes out.
What we appreciated about the responses was how much thought guys have put into this. Some are trying to carry on what their dads did well. Others are making changes based on what they wish they'd had growing up.
Either way, it's pretty wild how much our own childhoods show up once we're the ones raising kids.
PROJECTS
Show us your space or something you’re working on…
Mixing it up today with a little cabin inspiration. There's a company called DEN Outdoors that sells ready-to-build plans for some pretty awesome cabins, A-frames, and tiny homes.
Alex and Katherine took one of those plans and turned it into a sweet A-frame getaway in Crosby, Minnesota. In this video, they break down what it actually cost to build the thing. We're talking land, materials, windows, appliances, furniture, and all the expenses that add up along the way.
Fair warning: You might finish this video with a new weekend project in mind. A very expensive one. 😂
WEEKEND BURNER
Grab a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells and move through 3 rounds:
10 Romanian deadlifts
8 push presses
10 front-rack reverse lunges, 5 each side
10 renegade rows, 5 each side
12 kettlebell or dumbbell swings
40-second farmer carry
Rest 60–90 seconds between rounds. Pick a weight that feels challenging but still lets you move.
FROM STROLLER RUNS TO THE NYC MARATHON
We were really excited to partner up with our friends over at Mack Weldon to tell Tucker’s story.
When Tucker became a dad, he says his “entire concept of time changed.” If you’ve got kids, you know exactly what he means. Fitting in work, family and a workout all in the same day is a puzzle with a few pieces missing.
His fix was to start Dumbo Dads Run Club in Brooklyn. Show up, bring the jogging stroller if you have one, and run with other dads. This November, the founder is running the NYC Marathon himself.
Mack Weldon built a collection around how he actually lives. Live. Work. Train. It’s activewear and apparel for running, parenting and everything in between, and Tucker picked every piece himself.
Sponsored. We only work with brands we actually use.
ONE LAST THING
Gif by mls on Giphy
🍻 60-Mile October Challenge: Run, ruck, push the stroller. Doesn’t matter. Just hit 60 miles this month with the Dad Day crew and log it on Strava. Free version works.
🍻 Weekend Assignment: Make a playlist of 10 songs you rocked out to in high school. Bonus points if your kids are completely unimpressed.
🧠 Worth Knowing: The Frisbee got its name from the Frisbie Pie Company in Connecticut. College students started tossing the company's empty pie tins around for fun, eventually inspiring one of the most popular toys ever made.
dad shower thoughts: Somewhere out there is a guy who invented the snooze button and thought nine minutes was a perfectly reasonable amount of extra sleep.