Happy Wednesday. We took Monday off. Back now. Batteries charged. Hope you’re having a strong week. Let’s get into it.

I was chatting with someone last week who doesn’t have kids. Totally cool. But there was this tone in the conversation, like they were waiting for me to admit it.

“Be honest… it’s hard, right?” And yeah. Of course it’s hard.

There are days I look back at pre-kid life and think, man, that was easier. More sleep. More freedom. Fewer logistics. Fewer emotions.

That part is true. What’s also true is I wouldn’t trade this for a second.

Having kids is life’s way of holding up a mirror. You don’t get to coast. You don’t get to hide from your impatience, your ego, your habits.

It forces you to decide who you are and what you stand for because little eyes are watching.

It’s heavy. It’s exposing. It’s exhausting. And it’s the most clarifying thing I’ve ever done.

So yeah, it’s hard. Some hard things drain you. This one builds you.

We’ve been big fans of Huckberry for years, so it’s pretty cool to feature one of the guys helping shape the whole thing.

Ben O'Meara is the Chief Brand Officer at Huckberry and a dad to two girls in Austin, TX.

If you’ve seen their 72-Hour Challenge series on YouTube, you’ve seen Ben in action, field-testing gear the way it’s meant to be tested.

But at home, the real challenge isn’t durability. It’s the downshift. Leaving high-output brand mode and stepping fully into dad mode. As his wife reminds him, it’s one thing to be in the room. It’s another thing to be reachable.

What’s been most rewarding for Ben is watching his girls fall in love with adventure. Traveling together. Testing gear with dad. Seeing their curiosity spark when they try something new.

He used to think balance meant separating work and family. Now he believes in bringing them together.

Saturday pancakes. Morning miles. Adventure always.

Follow him at @bennyohh. Read our interview here.

My 7-year-old has homework on an iPad now.

Wild. I remember Book It! and a #2 pencil. Now it’s Google Classroom and Apple Pencil. Time flies.

Also wild? How reckless kids are with $1,000 electronics.

So I grabbed the Scout Plus. It’s rugged, light, and built for drops, couch launches, kitchen counters and all.

Haven’t looked back.

Get Yours Here

Before the house wakes up, you get one move.

Here are some popular ones:

What’s your go-to? Let us know.