The Daily Dad
Episodes
This Was a Wake Up Call
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We can imagine that parents who have nearly lost a child—or parents who tragically have—operate on a different plane of consciousness than thos...
Don't Let Them Sneer
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You’ve seen a lot. You’ve been through a lot. You know what’s up. As a parent, you have to make sure that the insight you’ve gleaned from t...
They Owe You Nothing
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Yes, you’ve done a lot for your kids. You brought them into the world. You wiped their butts. Maybe you even paid for all their years of grad...
Daily Dad’s 6 Father’s Day Lessons
20 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s special Father’s Day episode, Ryan talks about 6 lessons that have helped him on his journey as a parent. The lessons are: 1. Tame yo...
Daily Dad on Lessons Learned Traveling With Young Kids
19 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of the podcast, Ryan talks about the RV trip that he and his family took out to West Texas, and the lessons that he took from the...
This is 90% of Being A Dad
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“What’s the key to being a great dad?”Jay asks at the beginning of the second episode of the show Modern Family.”Ryan discusses what the key t...
This Is What They Want (But This Is What They Need)
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“They just bit their brother. They failed their math test. They scratched the car. They did something wrong, and you’re upset. And now they’re l...
How You See It Matters
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There’s stuff that happens that nobody wants to have happen—especially to their kids. Whether it’s breaking an arm or being bullied, life vis...
Why Are You Rushing This?
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Bedtime can be stressful when you’re convinced it has to happen by a certain time. The evening walk becomes less fun because you keep telling the...
Is It Nature or Nurture?
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“How much of this is nature and how much is nurture? Nobody really has a great answer to that question. What we know for certain, though, is that th...
Sebastian Junger on the Wonder of Existence and the Complexity of Freedom
12 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of the podcast Ryan talks to author and filmmaker Sebastian Junger about his new book Freedom which details his 400 mile journey ...
This Is The Secret
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“When you look at successful people with kids—be they CEOs or athletes or artists—it can be easy to marvel: How do they do it? How do they get i...
What Are You Even Fighting About?
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There is no family immune to conflict. Whether it’s about shoes left out or tattoos or politics, families fight. Siblings argue. Parents punish r...
You Must Adjust Accordingly
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, you grew up in a society and a culture that was less inclusive and less diverse than the one we’re in now. C...
This is What You Wanted
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Any parent who has had young kids takes a minute to remind younger parents with babies of this. Yes, you want them to start crawling, but as soon a...
It's Ok For Your Kid To Be Affected
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There is perhaps no remark responsible for more banal evil than this one: I don’t want my kid to be negatively affected. This is what parents say...
Charlie Mackesy on the Importance and the Power of Kindness
05 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan talks to author Charlie Mackesy about his #1 New York Times bestselling book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, the ...
Who Should Make Who Proud?
04 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We say it casually. We mean well. “Make me proud out there, kiddo,” we say as they trot out onto the soccer field. “Make your parents proud,”...
Don't Miss The Reminders
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Every time you pick them up to trim their nails. Every time you take them to get their haircut. Every time you have to take a load of clothes to Go...
Is It Really As Bad As You Say?
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There is a type of parent who is constantly worried about their kids. They’re worried that the teacher isn’t giving their daughter enough atten...
Where Do They Learn To Judge?
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You didn’t mean anything by it. It was a comment under your breath about your brother’s spending habits. It was a joke about a celebrity’s we...
This Makes It Harder
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You got frustrated. Because they were being annoying. Because you already told them. Because they know they’re not supposed to hurt their brother...
Jessica Lahey on Self-Efficacy and Genetic Predisposition to Addiction
29 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan talks to Jessica Lahey about her new book The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence, protecting your kids agains...
Always Think About Why
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“It’s not easy to do when they’re hitting or biting or waking up ten times a night. When they’re failing classes they’re more than capable o...
What We Do Ripples Through
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“In the beautiful children’s book, Each Kindness, Jacqueline Woodson tells the story of a young girl named Chloe who, in the casual way that kids ...
They Can't Understand
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Look, there’s just no way your kids can understand. It’s impossible for a person that young, that free of responsibilities, to comprehend what ...
You Need To Take This Time
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Certainly, someone would have needed him for something. His wife, one of his thirteen kids, a courtier, the pressing business of state. But for a f...
Don't Despair, Just Wait
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Your kids can drive you nuts. They’re crazy. They’re struggling. They can be ungrateful. They can test and frustrate you like nothing else. But...
Daily Dad and Nils Parker on Breaking the Cycle of Dysfunction
22 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode Ryan talks to his friend and writing partner Nils Parker about why setting expectations is crucial for kids fulfilling their pote...
What if You Treated Everyone This Way?
21 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You know that your kids are monsters when they’re tired. You know they don’t make good decisions when they’re hungry. You know that they have...
Every Kid Needs This From At Least One Person
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“All kids have had a hard time this last year. Of course, for many less privileged children the last twelve months were just an introduction to the ...
Don't Start This For Them
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Maybe you do it because you’re in a hurry. Maybe you do it because you hate to see them struggle. Maybe it’s just a sweet gesture. Maybe you re...
Let Them Be Who They Are
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We should always try to learn from parents who have had it harder than us, who have really been through the ringer. If you haven’t watched Brando...
Don't Let Them Do More Damage
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“That idiot at work. That jerk of a neighbor. That contractor who has repeatedly lied and misled you. These are realities of life, of course, but as...
Daily Dad and Nils Parker on Being Present With Your Kids
15 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode Ryan talks to his friend and writing partner Nils Parker about Ryan’s recent parenting struggles, the urgency of giving your ki...
Your Kids Have Not Been Harmed
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“The last year has been rough. It’s not how any of us would have chosen for things to go. Remote schooling. Missed birthday parties. Cancelled tri...
Make Sure They Always Have This
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“It’s the most heartbreaking scene in an already heartbreaking book. It’s the scene at the end of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. The father is dy...
They Are Your Work
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Bryan Caplan is a busy economist. He’s also a busy parent of four kids, all of whom he now homeschools. Might having that many kids and that much...
They Must Be Surrounded By This
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Do you know Lewin’s Equation? You’re experiencing its implications as you read this:B = f (P,E)Behavior is a function of a Person and their Env...
It's Game Time
10 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Everybody wants to get better. Next time, we tell ourselves, we’ll get it right. We’ll try harder. We’ll have less going on at work and there...
Daily Dad and Nils Parker on the Importance of Independent Decision Making
08 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast Ryan talks to his friend and writing partner Nils Parker about Ryan’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, the difficulty of weighi...
It's Not About You
07 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We all enter fatherhood with preconceived notions and expectations. We hear about that magically profound connection that forms the moment they are...
Let Them Drum
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“In Margarita Engels’s beautiful poem Drum Dream Girl (a must read for every parent), a little girl wants to be a drummer. But time and time again...
If you Want Them To Listen
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You want them to listen. You want them to respect you, as we’ve talked about. What’s the secret?”Ryan explains the key to good parenting, on ...
They Shrug It Off. So Can You
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Your kid falls. If you’re not paying attention, they brush themselves off and keep going. But if they see the look on your face? They burst into ...
Do Your Actions Match Your Values
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We tell ourselves we’re good people. We support good causes. We vote for the right candidates. We are disgusted when we hear people say bigoted o...
Daily Dad and Nils Parker on Doing the Right Thing During the Pandemic
01 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast Ryan talks to his friend and writing partner Nils Parker about Ryan’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, why it’s important to ...
This Is The Enemy
30 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You’re distracted because this weird work email just came in. You’re in a bad mood because of something you saw. And what happens? Well, your k...
This Explains Everything
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“How old were you when you first heard of the concept of being “hangry?” Maybe it was a friend that joked about it, or someone you were dating. ...
This Is A Tough Balance
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We’ve talked about being a fan of your kids. We’ve talked about believing in them. We’ve talked about encouraging and supporting them. We tal...
Your Family Was Given A Gift
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There have been incalculable losses over the last year. The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic is staggering. The economic devastation is genera...
Don't Just Assume It Will Work Out
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius takes a moment to remind himself of the “malice, cunning and hypocrisy that power produces,” and the “peculia...
Daily Dad and Nils Parker on Resiliency and Fragility
24 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast Ryan talks to his friend and writing partner Nils Parker about the contradicting ideas of resiliency and fragility and the role t...
Don't Forget How Small They Are
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There’s a wrenching scene in the haunting novel The Sweet Hereafter (not to be read for the faint of heart). A widowed husband is folding up the ...
What Are You Making Them Do?
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There’s a line adapted from Aristotle but given to us by the historian Will Durant: We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, excellence is not an...
This Could Be The Moment
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You’re busy. It’s just a trip to the store. They have been a pain all day. You’re trying to get ready to give them a special surprise. ”Rya...
What Game Are You Teaching Them?
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There are two types of games in this life: Finite and Infinite games. Finite games are things you do once and then they’re over. Infinite games a...
You Can't Expect Them To Have The Same Taste...Yet
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We’ve talked before about enjoying the classics with your kids. Not necessarily ‘the classics’ in the ancient Greek literature sense, but cla...
Daily Dad on Advice for Expecting Parents
17 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast Ryan talks to his friend and writing partner Nils Parker about advice that they wish they would've been given before they had kid...
Give What You Didn't Get
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Marqise Lee didn’t play football in 2020. He could have played for Bill Belichick but he didn’t. Not because he was worn down or afraid of the ...
This Is The One Thing You Cannot Do
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We can mess up a lot as parents—in fact, we will mess up a lot. We will work too much. We will have issues from our own childhood bubble to the s...
To Whom Much Is Given...
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Your kids want to know why their friends don’t have to do chores. They want to know why you aren’t happy with middling grades. They want to kno...
Don't Think About It This Way
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Every TV show perpetuates the stereotype. Our own memories confirm it. At some point, parents have to have “The Talk.” About drugs. About sex. ...
This Solves Most Problems
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We’ve said before that taking a walk will solve most of your parenting problems. Getting the kids outside, rocking them with the ambulatory sway ...
Daily Dad on How to Raise a Resilient Child
10 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Every parent wants a resilient child. Nobody feels good sending a fragile or vulnerable kid in the world. We know that resilience isn’t just a to...
It's Your Job To Check In
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Nobody steals a scene on Seinfeld quite like George’s parents, Frank and Estelle Costanza. And of course, nobody makes George more miserable than...
Have You Seen Their Perspective?
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We think they’re making excuses. We think they’re making stuff up. We just want them to go back and sleep in their bed. Or listen to their coac...
You’ll Always Have This
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“The last twelve months have been rough. They were defined by lockdowns and job losses and masks and wildfires and protests. But what about someone ...
If You Want Your Kids To Respect You
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Every parent wants to be respected. They want to be listened to. They want their advice to be taken seriously. They want to be looked up to. And ho...
They Don’t Know Your Battles
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“The story of Major Taylor is an inspiring one...and a tragic one. Major Taylor was the greatest cyclist of his generation, perhaps one of the great...
Daily Dad and Ron Lieber on Preparing Your Kids For Financial Success
03 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks to author Ron Lieber about the key Stoic virtue of temperance, how money can be a great tool for teaching, how parents and kids should app...
Teach Them To Think and Evaluate
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Plutarch tells us the story of a Spartan leader: "As he reclined after his meal the Eiren would tell one boy to sing, while to another he would pos...
They Get It Better Than You
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We told the story recently of the wakeup call that Rich Cohen got from his son’s hockey coach. Complaining about playing time, the coach asked if...
It’s Usually Not an Accident
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Florence Nightingale was an incredible woman. She revolutionized nursing. She saved thousands and thousands of lives. This came as a surprise in Vi...
It’s a Family Affair
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Taylor Branch’s incredible series on Martin Luther King Jr and the Civil Rights Movement spans three volumes. It’s almost 3000 pages with hundr...
Be Careful of Your Implications
29 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“In an early episode of The Crown, Princess Margaret and her sister Queen Elizabeth wax nostalgic about their loving, late father, who used to refer...
Daily Dad and Volleyball Legend Gabrielle Reece on How Family Gives Us Meaning
27 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan speaks to Gabrielle Reece about how family gives us meaning, the stillness that is required to accurately observe ourselves, how to properly main...
Do You Do This Over Dinner?
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Some families watch TV at dinner. Some families eat separately. Some families talk idly about their day. Dinner at Agnes Callard’s house is diffe...
They Don’t Understand Time (Do You?)
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Think about where you were fifteen years ago. Twenty. Just how long ago that was. Now think about your thoughts from fifteen years ago. Maybe that ...
Be Something and Somebody
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“E.H Harriman was a hell of a businessman and, as we’ve talked about before, a surprisingly good father. He had a reputation as a rapacious indust...
Lay Down These Rules
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Every family is going to have their own rules. Some parents want a “Yes, sir” and Yes, Ma’am,” others are OK being called by their first na...
Are You Telling Them This?
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“As a young novelist, Susan Straight was told by her mentor, the great James Baldwin, “You must continue to write. It is imperative.” Imagine ho...
How to Teach Your Kids About Ancient Philosophy
20 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan Holiday discusses some tips for teaching your kids about ancient philosophy and Stoicism. We want to pass on our knowledge ...
We Can Choose Our Parents
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We were given two parents. Or maybe one. Or maybe more. All of our upbringings were different, and outside of our control. We didn’t get to decid...
Classics Are The Key
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You like stuff. your kids like different stuff. It’s a conflict as old as parenthood itself. Music, food, art--the generational divide is real. D...
Here’s What Matters
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Rich Cohen loves hockey. He loves watching his kids excel at it. Like any parent, the last thing he wants to see is for them to struggle, or worse,...
Your Job Is To Bother
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“They’d rather you not check in so much. They’d rather you not tell them how you feel about them so much. They’d rather you not hug them in fr...
The Kinds of Stories To Tell Them
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“It was a dark time. The world was falling apart. School was a distant memory. All they had was time. Is this your life? Or is it the plot of Cormac...
Daily Dad and Illustrator Victor Juhasz on Marcus Aurelius and The Boy Who Would Be King
13 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan speaks to his collaborator and illustrator for his new book The Boy Who Would Be King about the process of creating the art...
Transcend this Bitter Math
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We know our parents sacrificed for us. That’s what history is...people giving stuff up for future generations, whether it’s crossing lonely oce...
They’re Only Going To Ask You So Many Times
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“They’re only going to ask you so many times: to get in the pool with them, to sit next to them, to help with their homework, to talk about the pr...
What’s More Important?
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Yeah, it costs money to heat a house warmer than it needs to be. Yeah, rooms should be clean. Yeah, it’s annoying when shoes are left in a pile. ...
You Can Educate and Entertain
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You want to put them to sleep, so you read them the first book off the shelf. You’re on the couch with your daughter, so you watch whatever movie...
You Must Raise and Educate Them the Same
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Are there differences between boys and girls? Of course. Anyone that tells you differently either isn’t a parent or they have some agenda that’...
Allie Esiri On the Power of Poetry and Daily Reads
06 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan speaks to writer Allie Esiri about the Stoic’s infatuation with ancient poetry, how to read and find insight in poetry, h...
This Is All an Invention
05 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“This didn’t used to exist you know. Kids had it way harder before. Not just a hundred-plus years ago when they were valued most for their labor o...
There Are More Important Things to Worry About
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“In Plato’s Phaedrus, Socrates tells the story of the god Theuth approaching the King of Egypt, hardly able to contain his excitement about sharin...
What Kind of Voice Are You Giving Them?
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You hear it all the time. The voice in your head. You’ve heard it all your life. The one that tells you what’s right. The one that tells you wh...
They Don't Care
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Of course, your kids love you. They look up to you. They imitate you. They want to be around you. At the same time, it seems like they could not be...
This Is Why We Read
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You’ve read plenty of bad books as a parent. The ham-handed kids books. The nonsensical ones. The vanity projects. The patronizing ones. Why are ...