Weekend of June 10th

By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor

We asked some stylish dads what Father’s Day means to them, the challenges of “Dad Life” in 2023, and what products they rely on the most as fathers.

Weekend Reading

Modern Fatherhood

We asked stylish dads about Father’s Day and what it means to them

Let’s just get this out of the way: Father's Day, like Mother's Day, can be a difficult time for some. Either their parental figure is no longer with them, or in some cases, they may've never been in the picture at all. Not to start on a low note, but thinking about situations like that makes us appreciate our parents even more—especially the older we get, right? Father's Day is a few weeks away, and I always considered it a day to give your old man a break and make breakfast, but it's so much more than that. It's a time to acknowledge the father figure in your life for providing more than a paycheck and food in the fridge, but someone you can have honest conversations with or go to for real-life advice. Those are the kind of dads we aspire to be.The holiday certainly hits differently for me since becoming a father. I give myself a pat on the back, but seeing my son evolve in a caring and inquisitive way lets me know I'm doing something right. Like a lot of things, you don't fully grasp how challenging the job is until you get it. From the sleepless nights and diaper changes to navigating the swings of his emotions as a toddler, I wouldn't trade it for anything.Fatherhood overall looks a lot different now than 50 years ago. Hell, even ten years ago. And I'd say there's been a drastic change for the good. Society is a lot more forgiving to dads today, and that's likely due to the fact that so many of us are actively trying to be more present in our kids' lives. From carpool pickup to practice and even staying home to take care of the kids, being a committed dad is part of the new Renaissance man today. We caught up with a few cool dads—stylish guys who are no stranger to the Valet. audience who just happen to have kids as well—to see what Father's Day means to them, what are some challenges of “Dad Life” in 2023, and the essential products they rely on the most.

Miles Garber

An in-demand male model and founder of Call Me Dada, Garber is the father of 2.5-year-old Maxime. Follow Miles on Instagram.

Growing up without a father, I actually had some resentment towards Father's Day. It was a day that represented extreme trauma for me. But since becoming a father, I genuinely love this holiday! It's a day that signifies the most important role in my life, which is being a dad.  Not that it's an easy task, by any means. I think they say that this is the hardest time to be a parent since World War II, which is insane. But all in all, for me, the biggest challenge is just making sure I'm doing the best I can to ensure my daughter is an awesome person.”

My Dad Survival Item

“I rely heavily on my truck. It’s kind of like my giant, rolling bag of tricks. I keep everything from an extra pair of shoes to extra diapers in the back. Not a shameless plug, but a good literal dad cap always works when you don’t have time to style (or even wash) your hair.”

The dada hat, $35 by Call Me Dada

Ben O’Meara

Huckberry's VP of Marketing and one of the familiar faces on Huckberry's popular YouTube channel, O'Meara is the father of 3-year-old Zoie and 1-year-old Aila. Follow Ben on Instagram.

It's just another more obvious reminder of how damn lucky I am to have two healthy, happy little girls. The real challenges of fatherhood fall between these two buckets: work-life balance and there not being enough time in the day. My daughters are full-blown toddlers at this point, so there is no quiet, dull moment. None. It's nonstop from the second they wake up. And with a busy work schedule, I want to maximize my time with them and my wife in the AM and at night. I'm trying to force myself into being one of those people who consistently wake up at 5-5:30 am so I have an hour or so to myself to work out, read, etc., before the house gets rocking. Also, screen time, it's a f***ing drug.”

My Dad Survival Item

“One of the best product recommendations I got before my firstborn was from Mark Hansen, a good friend, and co-founder of Topo. I use the brand’s quick pack bag frequently—for quick trips to the park, traveling and bike rides. Fits everything you need: diaper, snacks, water bottle, and change of clothes. Leave the giant, over-packed diaper bag at home.”

Quick pack, $69 by Topo Designs

Johan Lam Sr.

Co-founder of 3sixteen. Whenever he's not in the office, he's watching Warriors games and being the ultimate basketball dad to 6-year-old JoJo, 4.5-year-old Silas and 1.2-year-old Leon. Follow Johan on Instagram.

Throughout my life, Father's Day was never about me—it was always about my dad. It's been strange for that to change all of a sudden and become the one being celebrated. The things my wife and kids do for me are very much appreciated, but for me, it's still mainly a day to remember my late father. My immigrant parents were just trying to provide for me and give me every opportunity to succeed. I think my biggest challenge will be ensuring my kids aren't spoiled rotten and giving them proper perspective and context about the world. And the internet! Trying to protect them from the wild-wild web as much as possible.”

My Dad Survival Item

“Keeping kids busy in a constructive way can be difficult at times, but my answer for this is always changing as my boys are growing up—lately it’s been a nice youth-sized basketball. At least for my two older sons, it’s the one thing we can all do together for several hours to keep them off the iPad. But the real answer is the iPad.”

Official encore basketball, $79.99 / $44.99 by Wilson

Where Did “Dad Jokes” Come From?

According to the National Post, the first documented use of the term can be traced to a 1987 Gettysburg Times column by Jim Kalbaugh. On Father's Day of that year, Kalbaugh not only introduced “dad joke” to the masses, but he also made a passionate plea to keep the genre alive: “As we approach Father's Day, I would like to propose that 'dad' jokes not be banned. They should be revered, preserved.”