The Dreamers - Chi Shurn Lo

July 22, 2025

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Written by

July 22, 2025

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Written by

Welcome to the Dreamers series —where we explore the messy, magical moments of family life. This month, meet Chi Shurn Lo: stay-at-home dad, podcaster and parenting legend. On his podcast Beyond the Balls, Chi brings honesty, humour and heart to the chat.

Chi, can you introduce us to your kids? What are their ages and personalities like? How do they inspire you in your day-to-day life?

We have two sons, Hudson 4 & Finn who’s almost 2. Hudson is considered, thoughtful & smart as a tack – his brother Finn is happiness, he squeals, is always smiling & adores his bigger brother. They inspire me every single day by showing me that happiness doesn’t take much and we sometimes should all stop to have a play. Their wonder & innocence is what convinced me I wanted to be a stay at home Dad!

What’s one of your favorite fatherhood moments so far? Something that really made you feel connected to your kids?

As a stay at home dad, I’ve felt the full gamut of emotions any parent would and that would include frustration. One day I was at wits end and literally sank to the floor after a good yelling session…to which Hudson came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder and said ‘Dad, it’s ok, sometimes it’s really hard looking after babies’ it made me laugh so hard it instantly wiped away all the angst I felt and realised my sons were able to see me for me (and that they really do listen to everything I say).

Has fatherhood changed the way you approach your creative projects or your work with the 'Beyond the Balls' podcast?

Yes totally! We started the podcast on the premise that we wanted to create a community, a resource & a village for dads who just wanted to talk about fatherhood. Every dad is just trying to be the best dad they can be & I really believe that. It drives me to want to have the conversations that no one else really has, about male post partum depression, the mental load, dads & alcohol and much much more. As a dad I found there just wasn’t any of this available, which inspired me to create it! I’ve also learned to approach anything creative with a child’s mind. That is, the ultimate goal is fun, things can always be cleaned up and at the end of the day it was worth it if you’re having

a good time.

Do you have any special traditions or activities you do with your kids? Things you look forward to as a family?

I have always been the cook in the family and teach my sons the same. I believe cooking is fundamental in teaching kids a healthy relationship with food as well as the central tradition that a family can gather around. It also keeps them busy and they love it! It means so much to me that I can prep dinner with both of my sons by my side (even if they make a mess). I genuinely look forward to cooking sessions with them, especially when I get to teach them something about me & my passions, like a fish I caught or something we grew together. It naturally blends into family outings, like apple picking, fishing trips, looking through tide pools & much more.

As a dad, what do you want your children to learn from watching you work and follow your passions?

I want them to know that one day they will grow to cook, clean, hug, nurture & care – because dad did it all too. I put my career on hold because I wanted to be a full time father & hope they grow up in a society where they can do that too if they want to. I also hope they can learn the importance of passing on what you have learned to others, that it’s easy to inspire and teach if you approach things with earnestness and vulnerability. When we do podcast interviews my only job is to coax out wonderful stories that can in turn leave their mark on others, it’s a life skill for anyone really…oh and any job is easier if you can laugh while doing it!

How do you manage the moments when being a parent gets overwhelming, and what keeps you grounded during those times?

Personally, I stay very physically active so always set aside time for that. I also make sure I parent in a way that keeps me satisfied – heaps of outdoor stuff, camping, fishing, exploring & learning. I much prefer these things over say, an indoor kids gym. By parenting in my style I find I have so much to look forward to. Also – it’s a team sport! Communication is key and my wife is a huge support when parenting gets too much. She knows I need to get outside to stay in balance and find time to let me do that even though she works full time herself. Because we’ve both been stay at home parents we have an empathy for each others experience and can support each other as such.

What’s been one of the most rewarding parts of being a father? Any advice or insights you’d want to share with other dads juggling similar responsibilities?

I think when you see what you teach come out in them. Sadly many dads are full time workers so they only get to see things in isolation weekend to weekend as opposed to day to day. Whether it’s a problem they’re solving, a skill they’re learning or even an emotion they’re feeling. Seeing yourself literally helping them grow is wonderful. For dads it’s investing that time and being present with the time you’ve got. By really paying attention wonderful things happen. I mentioned this before, but sharing your passions with them is key to making sure everyone is happy – whether that be a sport or hobby.

We're all about dad jokes here, what’s your go to one that always gets a laugh (or an eye-roll)?

Why didn’t the crab want to share? Because he was a little shellfish. Oh and my older son froths on this one: What nut sneezes? A CA-SHEWWWW!

When you think about Father's Day, what would the perfect day look like for you?

For me, a bacon & egg by the beach to start the day, a day exploring with the kids, time to go for a run when baby is napping then pizza & ice cream from our local joints for dinner. It can’t get better than that! Oh and anything golf related for a gift haha

If you had to pick your favourite pieces from Banabae,

what would they be?

The side stripe corduroy wide leg pants are possibly the cutest things I’ve ever seen on the kids (can you make them in adult sizes?) & it’s hard to beat the Rad Dad shirts whether long or short sleeve. The fit is probably the best I’ve come across, not too tight and not too loose with great material – gotta love ‘em.