What is a personalized dad hat with kids' names? It is an embroidered dad cap with up to four kids' names stitched on the back. The Third Shift Dad Dad Est. Hat is $39, made to order, and says "Dad Est." plus the year he became a dad on the front. Order by Dec 10 for Christmas.
What you are buying
Search this keyword and you get a wall of listings. Almost none tell you what you actually get. Here it is.
Third Shift Dad is a tough dad apparel brand. A former law enforcement officer and dad of 3 built it. We designed the Dad Est. Hat for cops, firefighters, military, linemen and tradesmen.
The hat carries his kids' names to work. It is more than a gift. It is a constant reminder of what he is protecting.
The Dad Est. Hat is our personalized piece:
- Front: "Dad Est." and the year he became a dad.
- Back: up to four kids' names, each up to 10 letters.
- Three fonts: Block, Slab, Script.
- Three colors: Black, Navy, Khaki.
- Price: $39. Made to order.
- Ships in about 6 to 10 business days. US shipping is a flat $5.95, free at $75 or more.
It is a dad hat, not a department hat. No badge, no seal, no logo that belongs to anyone else. Just his kids' names.
Why the hat works
He works nights. Most nights he misses dinner. He sleeps during the day. When he comes home the kids are already at school or in bed. In one study of night and rotating shift workers, about 10% met the criteria for shift work disorder, which means ongoing insomnia or excessive sleepiness tied to their schedule (Drake et al., 2004).
A hat with his kids' names is a bridge. It brings them to work with him.
Who it's for
The guy who says he doesn't want anything. You know him.
He is a cop, a medic, a soldier, a firefighter, a lineman, a welder, a trucker or a shift worker. He has kids at home and odd hours. He owns three shirts and one hat that smells like the truck.
He won't buy this for himself. He will wear it every day once someone else does.
A personalized gift lands harder than a generic one. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep (Watson et al., 2015). A shift worker who still shows up for the school concert is running a deficit. A hat with the kids' names says "I know you are tired and you are showing up anyway. Your kids are with you."
It also works for a new dad, a stepdad, a grandpa with a lot of grandkids, and a man with a blended house where the names matter.
How to order
- Open the Dad Est. Hat page.
- Type up to four names. Ten letters each.
- Pick the year, the font and the color.
- Check the spelling. Then check it again.
- Tick the spelling box and pay.
It is made to order, so a typo is a real typo. Read the names out loud before you pay. Ask whoever lives with the kids if you are not sure about "Aiden" versus "Ayden."
The gift-giving angle
A gift works when it says "I know you." A hat with the kids' names says it without a speech.
Dads like this one for three reasons:
- It carries the kids to work. Night shift, patrol, the jobsite. The names ride along.
- It is useful. He wears it. It is not a candle.
- It is easy for the kids to help with. Let them spell their own names for you. Then they get to say "that's us on your hat."
Have a deadline? Dec 10 is the cutoff for Christmas. After that he gets a card and an apology.
If you want to stack it, pair it with a tee. The Hard to Kill. Easy to Hug. tee is $32. The 0300 Club Trucker is $34 if he already has his names hat and needs a work one. Browse the full Third Shift Dad shop for more. Hat plus tee lands at $71. Add $4 and shipping is free.
Order the hat
Four names. One hat. $39. Build the Dad Est. Hat. Order by Dec 10.
Third Shift Dad. Hard to kill. Easy to hug.
Sources
Watson, N. F., Badr, M. S., Belenky, G., et al. (2015). Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: a joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 11(6), 591-592. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.4758
Drake, C. L., Roehrs, T., Richardson, G., Walsh, J. K., & Roth, T. (2004). Shift work sleep disorder: prevalence and consequences beyond that of symptomatic day workers. Sleep, 27(8), 1453-1462. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/27.8.1453
Questions
How many kids' names fit on the hat?
Up to four names on the back. Each name can be up to 10 letters. The front says Dad Est. and the year.
How long does it take to arrive?
It is made to order and ships in about 6 to 10 business days. US shipping is a flat $5.95, free at $75 or more. For Christmas, order by Dec 10.
Can I get it with more than four kids?
Not on this hat. Four names is the limit. Use the oldest four, or pick a gift with more room, like the Names and Years tee at $34.
Is it adjustable and what is it made of?
It is an adjustable dad cap in one size, soft cotton twill. Check the product page for current details before you order.
Can I return it?
Personalized items are made to order, so spelling is on the buyer. Check the names twice. See the returns page for return terms.
