The Daily Dad
Episodes
You’ll Never Regret Playing With Your Kids
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan discusses the one thing that you’ll never regret doing with you children.Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Daily Dad: Twitter...
You Only Have One Thing to Do
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan explains why you must always be present with your children.Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Daily Dad: Twitter, Instagram, Fac...
Daily Dad on Sending Kids Back to School This Year
07 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, Ryan discusses why he’s not sending his kids back to school this year, how you should weigh decisions based on how they affect...
You Can Always Give Them This
06 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan discusses the things that are always available to you to give to your children. Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Daily Dad: T...
It’s Always A Blessing
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“The thing about being a parent is that it gives you superpowers—or at least a superpower. Nothing too special. You can’t fly. You can’t stop ...
Always Keep Their Interests In Mind
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There will always be a gulf between parents and their children, at least when it comes to taste. As it should be, your tastes are informed by years...
It’s Good That You Worry About This
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“The question hits you in a soft place. It hits you when you least expect it...and yet it’s there constantly. Am I a good parent? Am I doing enoug...
You Are The Toy
02 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan discusses the way children look at their parents.Magic Spoon is an adult version of what you loved as a kid—without the sugar, carbs, or guilt....
Daily Dad on Why I Won’t Be Exploiting My Kids On Social Media
31 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“It was a surprisingly easy decision to make: No posting kid photos on social media. My wife and I made this decision not because, like everyone, we...
You Have To See It This Way
30 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“The defining feature of this parenting life is how much stuff goes wrong. Plans dash to pieces. Your kids change their mind. They get hurt, stuff c...
This Is The Most Impressive Form Of Greatness
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan explains how you should lead your family.If you want to become a better leader, sign up for the new 9-week live course The Daily Stoic Leadership...
What Did You Learn From This?
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There’s no question that the last year and half has been tragic. Millions of people have perished in a merciless pandemic, millions more are stil...
It's All About The Specifics
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan explains how the particular circumstances of your children’s life are all that matters.Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Dail...
This Is What They Really Want
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan explains why you should cherish all of the time that you can with the people that you love.Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Da...
Daily Dad on How Hard It Is to Be a Kid
24 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan talks about the difficulties that your children face, why it’s so important to put yourself in their shoes and try to rem...
What Messages Are You Sending To The Future?
23 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Daily Dad: Twitter, Instagram, FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califor...
Be Ready to Go...Wherever They Go
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We’ve told the story a bunch of times, but it’s so good, it’s worth repeating. In high school, Jim Valvano told his dad he was not only going...
They Have To Do This. You Don’t.
21 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Have you ever left Twitter feeling better about humanity? When was the last time you had a productive discussion with someone on Facebook? How ofte...
It Should Be The Easiest Thing In The World
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Parenting is very hard. Keeping your kids safe. Keeping them fed. Keeping them in the best schools, making sure they get good grades in those schoo...
Everything Is A Phase
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“It’s tricky to understand this because before you had kids, everything in your life seemed permanent. It just was. If your job sucked, it was nev...
Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson on Raising Self-Driven Children
17 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s podcast, Ryan speaks with Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson about their book The Self-Driven Child which they wrote to help parents and...
You Have To Say Yes
16 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“They want you to get in the pool with them. They want you to let them ride on your back. They want you to drive them to their friend’s house. The...
You Cannot Let This Happen
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“You know, your parents weren’t always like this. They were young once. Hopeful, open-minded, even adventurous. They weren’t always so conservat...
You Don't Have To Do Anything But This
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan explains why this is all you have to do.Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Daily Dad: Twitter, Instagram, FacebookSee Privacy Po...
Just Pick Yourself Back Up
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Maybe you haven’t been as good of a dad as you would like to be lately. You were on your phone too much. You let your short temper get the best o...
Try To Get This
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“While we have talked recently about the dangers of multitasking as a parent—because it makes you distracted, because it gives you conflicting pri...
Daily Dad on Why the Slower Life is the More Natural Life
10 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of the podcast, Ryan contrasts his life pre-pandemic, during the pandemic and now on the brink of post pandemic, how your routine...
You've Got No Right
09 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Kids are so sweet. So innocent. Which makes the famous photo all the more haunting. A young boy dressed in a white robe and a tall, white, conical ...
This Is Where They Get You
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“The author Sebastian Junger does not own a stroller, even though he has two young kids. When we had him on the Daily Stoic podcast recently, he exp...
Don't Thrust Them Away
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Of course, they can be annoying. Painfully so. They scream in your ears. They ruin your clothes with their food and dirt-covered hands. They can cu...
What Message Are You Sending?
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Ten or twenty years from now, they won’t remember the Princess breakfast that you spent hours and hundreds of dollars arranging for the first mor...
Why You Must Bring This Home
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“So many moments of greatness can be traced back to this. Where did an athlete’s love of the game come from? Where did the scientist’s curiosity...
Daily Dad on Getting Rid of Your Stuff
03 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of the podcast, Ryan talks about why it’s important to go back through the old and useless stuff, how it helps clean out not on...
There Must Be Hope
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“A lot has happened in your life. It’s rightly made you cynical about some things, be it politics, relationships, or other people. A lot has happe...
Would It Change Anything?
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“We’ve talked before about the nature vs nurture debate. As we’ve said, it’s a waste of time (because the debate is clearly settled). But here...
This is Another Secret
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“A few weeks ago, we talked about the secret to being a better parent. We talked about getting more juice for your squeeze. We talked about hiring h...
Prepare, Because It's Inevitable
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Your kids came into your life as a blessing. They brought you unalloyed joy. They are the source of so much happiness and positivity. But you have ...
You Can't Be Remote
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Anyone who has read about aristocratic British parenting can’t help but be appalled. Children were not only not seen, but not heard from—for ye...
Daily Dad on the 9/10 Ratio of Positivity and Discipline
26 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of the podcast, Ryan talks about creating a positive ratio of being a fun loving parent while still maintaining a disciplined out...
This Is Why You're Here
25 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Sometimes you get a glimpse into the lives of single or childrenless people and feel a tinge of jealousy. How much more time they have. What they h...
How To Deter Them
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“There are things we don’t want our kids to do. We set up rules. We create punishments. We supervise them closely. It works...to a degree, but it’...
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...