The Daily Dad

“Nobody steals a scene on Seinfeld quite like George’s parents, Frank and Estelle Costanza. And of course, nobody makes George more miserable than them. They are a crazy, absurd set of parents.” Ryan uses the example George Costanza from Seinfeld to explain why it’s your responsibility to understand your child’s life, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. *** If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love...

“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 coach. Or get their work done. It’s fine, we tell them. Just give it a try. Wear your jacket, it’s not that uncomfortable. Do your homework, it’s not that difficult.” Ryan explains why you should do your best to see things through your kids eyes, on today’s Da...

“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 with a one-year-old? To them, the last twelve months certainly had all those things, but it was mostly defined by the birth of their child, their first smile, their first…so many things.” Ryan explains why your children should be your most prized posse...

“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 how do far too many of us try to get these things from our kids? By endless words. By force. By fear. By simply assuming it’s ours by right.” Ryan explains how you can truly earn the admiration of your children, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. Ryan Holiday...

“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 athletes to ever live. The only problem was that he was born in 1878 and he was born black in America.” Ryan illustrates why you should always be open with your children by telling the story of Major Taylor, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. *** If you en...

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 approach college and gap years, and more. Ron Lieber is a bestselling author of several books and has been a New York Times  columnist since 2008. His newest book The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision...

“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 pose a question which called for a considered reply, like "Who among the men is best?' or 'What is your opinion of so-and -so's action?' Thereby boys grew accustomed to judging excellence and to making a critical appraisal of the citizens right from the s...

“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 Rich’s son was happy, and when Rich said he was, the coach asked, “Then what do you care?”” Ryan explains why you should listen to your kids view on things, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. *** If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love for you to leave...

“Florence Nightingale was an incredible woman. She revolutionized nursing. She saved thousands and thousands of lives. This came as a surprise in Victorian England because women weren’t supposed to do career-type things, let alone something as hands on as work in a hospital. Her spirit and her determination came as a surprise to her parents too, as we’ve talked about, who thought their wealth and...

“Taylor Branch’s incredible series on Martin Luther King Jr and the Civil Rights Movement spans three volumes. It’s almost 3000 pages with hundreds of footnotes. It won awards like the Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award. More importantly, it’s really, really good—a must-read for anyone trying to understand social change or American history.” Ryan describes how...

“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 to his daughters as his “pride and joy.” It was a beautiful memory, but also a painful one.” Ryan explains how the things that you aren’t aware of may be impacting your children the most, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. *** If you enjoyed this week’s po...

Ryan speaks to Gabrielle Reece about how family gives us meaning, the stillness that is required to accurately observe ourselves, how to properly maintain healthy relationships and find enough for yourself, and more.  Gabrielle Reece is a professional volleyball player and author of the New York Times bestseller My Foot Is Too Big for the Glass Slipper . She is also an executive member of Laird Su...

“Some families watch TV at dinner. Some families eat separately. Some families talk idly about their day. Dinner at Agnes Callard’s house is different. She and her children debate. ” Ryan challenges you to think about what your family dinner conversation is concerned with, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. *** If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. I...

“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 takes you back too far, but even that is illustrative: when we’re younger, we have a very limited conception of time… because we haven’t experienced much of it.” Ryan explains why you should instill a genuine concept of time in your kids, on today’s Da...

“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 industrialist, but at home he was tender and engaged with his kids. He was patient and instilled in them good values.” Ryan discusses why you should set high expectations for your children, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. This episode was brought to you by Magic...

“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 name. Some tolerate elbows on the table, others won’t even allow screen time. Every family is different, so every family will have different rules.” Ryan explains why you must show more than you tell, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. The Boy Who Would Be King is ou...

“As a young novelist, Susan Straight was told by her mentor, the great James Baldwin, “You must continue to write. It is imperative.” Imagine how different that was than the example she got from her own mother, who as we explained , believed her own creative life was over the day she had kids.” Ryan explains why you must believe in your children, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. *** If you enjoyed th...

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 to our children, but it isn't always easy to know how to best do that.  Skillshare is an online learning community that offers membership with meaning. With so much to explore, real projects to create, and the support of fellow creatives, Skillshare em...

“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 decide who our mom was or who our dad was, if they got divorced, if they were present, if our stepparents were a blessing or a nightmare.” Ryan discusses the ability that you have to choose who you model yourself after, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. The Boy W...

“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. Does this mean we can’t even connect? No, of course not. There is something we should always be able to enjoy together--the stuff that transcends generations: The classics.” Ryan explains why you should bond with your children over things that will stand...

“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, to not get their fair share--whether it’s playing time or respect.” Ryan explains why you should learn to let go of what isn’t essential to your job when parenting your children, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. *** If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we...

“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 front of their friends. And? It’s not a coincidence that father rhymes with bother. That’s our job. To be up in their business.” Ryan discusses the importance of being involved in your children’s lives, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. The Boy Who Would Be King i...

“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 McCarthy’s The Road? ” Ryan explains why you should expose your kids to inspiring and entertaining stories that instill values in them, on today’s Daily Dad podcast. The Boy Who Would Be King is out now, written by Ryan Holiday in the depths of the pa...

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 for the book, imposing discipline on yourself, how he was impacted by Marcus Aurelius’ story, and more.  Victor Juhasz is an artist and illustrator whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Time Magazine, and Esquire Magazine, and more. He has illustr...

“We know our parents sacrificed for us. That’s what history is...people giving stuff up for future generations, whether it’s crossing lonely oceans or fighting in wars or, as it was in the old days, enduring painful, suffocating relationships and stultifying gender roles.” Ryan explains why you should be careful about how you view the relationship with your children, on today’s Daily Dad podcast....