The Daily Dad

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in America—a day we reflect on his life and legacy. One particular lesson from Dr. King can help us better connect with our kids each day.

Growing up with a disability meant Ezra Frech was made to feel different from a very young age. What gave him unshakeable confidence wasn't his athletic talent, but how his parents chose to raise him.In this episode, Ryan sits down with Paralympian Ezra Frech to talk about the impossible decisions his parents had to make early in his life and how those choices shaped his confidence.Ezra Frech is an American track and field athlete who competes in high jump, long jump and sprinting events. He is a two-time Paralympian, having competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and won two gold medals at the 2024 Summer Paralympics. Ezra co-created and produced a three-part docuseries called Adaptive with NBC Sports + Peacock. Check it out here! Follow him on Instagram and TikTok @EzraFrech and on YouTube @ItsEzraFrech

We made a decision to have kids many years ago and then for years, that decision works on us, shaping, changing, transforming us.

Later, they might not want to anymore. Later the opportunity might not exist.

They should be able to be maniacs…because that's what kids are. And you, as a well-regulated mature adult, should be able to handle this.

When did we get so jaded? Why don't we acknowledge the little stuff anymore?

Kids are kids. Always have been and always will be.

You can live these years without writing anything down, but you will miss more than you think. In this episode, Ryan and Sam talk about why journaling is one of the most underrated practices for parents, how small entries reveal patterns you cannot see day to day, and why even one line a day can change how you understand yourself as a parent.

Enjoy it while you can because you're the lucky one right now. Because one day, you won't have it anymore.

We think of the Stoics as philosophers, which of course they were. But they were human beings too—sons, daughters, husbands, wives, and parents.

Look, very few of us are born just knowing how to do this—how to express ourselves, how to process difficult feelings. It takes work. And it's our job as parents to do that work ourselves, and to help our children get better at it too.

Our kids have so comparatively little experience, so little wisdom, so little confidence. It's insane. It's more insane still that we confuse and disorient them with our own expectations and projections…even though we know how much our own parents confused us in this regard.

You're just trying to get your point across. You're just trying to teach them. You're just trying to keep them safe. But how do you think it feels? How do you think it feels to be them?

Before you try to parent differently in 2026, remember what actually helped in 2025. In this episode, Ryan shares a few parenting insights he picked up in 2025 from conversations on The Daily Stoic Podcast. You'll hear why self regulation is the real skill we're teaching our kids, how children borrow our nervous systems long before they can manage their own, and a powerful reminder about character.

Embrace their interests, even if you think those interests are gross. Messes can almost always be cleaned up later.

Can you let things go? Can you control your temper and frustrations? Do you know when it's time to push and when it's time to pull them in close to you?The Daily Dad eBook is $2.99 on Amazon! Grab your copy here: dailydad.com/discountGive yourself the ultimate gift of parenting tools, structure, and community. Join The Daily Dad Society here: https://dailydad.com/society80,000 Hours | To get started planning a career that works on one of the world's most pressing problems, sign up now at 80000 hours.org/DAILYDAD ✉️ Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.com

Here's what you have to understand: Things are going to get destroyed. You have kids. It's what they do. If you're looking for something: The 2026 Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge begins in just ONE DAY. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

What fun, meaningful challenge could you take on as a family to set the tone for 2026?If you're looking for something: The 2026 Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge begins in just TWO DAYS. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

Being a good parent and good partner isn't simply a consequence of the work you put in to be a better person. They are correlated, certainly, but correlation isn't causation, as they say.The Daily Dad eBook is $2.99 on Amazon! Grab your copy here: dailydad.com/discount

In this episode, Ryan and Sam talk through the one simple reset they use to kick off the New Year and how it's shaped their family in ways they never expected. You don't get to choose what 2026 throws at you, but you do get to choose who you're going to be when it does. For parents, that means setting the tone early, choosing less when everything is asking for more, and building habits that help you show up calmer, steadier, and more present for your family.Make 2026 the year where you finally bring yourself closer to living your best life. No more waiting. Demand the best for yourself. The Daily Stoic New Year New You challenge begins January 1, 2026. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

We only have a finite amount of patience. So by indulging and indulging, absorbing and absorbing, we're wasting a very precious resource…one that parenting demands a lot of. Make 2026 the year where you finally bring yourself closer to living your best life. No more waiting. Demand the best for yourself. The Daily Stoic New Year New You challenge begins January 1, 2026. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

When you were younger, for Christmas, all you wanted was presents. Now that you're older, now that you have kids, all you want is presence.

There's so much to do. There's so much going on. What do you prioritize? What problems do you solve first? What are you supposed to be focused on?

These are the wonderful sounds of parenthood, the ones that are so precious and fleeting and beautiful—and they're happening now.

Remember that real parenthood, real family life, isn't the curated illusion on your Instagram feed. It's not pristine homes, it's not spotless designer furniture, and it's definitely not easy.

In today's episode, Ryan shares a rare behind-the-scenes moment when his kids start to realize what he actually does, and then his son takes the mic to ask the questions. You'll hear him interview Kenny Curtis, host of Nat Geo's hit kids podcast Greeking Out, in a genuinely fun, curious, and unexpectedly thoughtful conversation, and later Ron Chernow, the historian behind Hamilton.

Anything you do together as a family brings you closer and makes lasting memories. Make 2026 the year you start a new tradition with your family for the new year. Make 2026 the year where you finally bring yourself closer to living your best life. No more waiting. Demand the best for yourself. The Daily Stoic New Year New You challenge begins January 1, 2026. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

A lot of parenting can feel like trial and error. But when we make mistakes, we can own up to them. MasterClass | Get 15% off any annual membership at MasterClass.com/RyanHoliday✉️ Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.com

Look, we know our kids grow when we sign them up for things—when they do sports, when they take classes, when they volunteer for an event at school or in the community. And that's why we sign them up for all of this. But what about us?Make 2026 the year where you finally bring yourself closer to living your best life. No more waiting. Demand the best for yourself. The Daily Stoic New Year New You challenge begins January 1, 2026. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

Just because it sometimes takes longer than we'd like to see the results of our efforts doesn't mean that our efforts are going to waste.

We have to grow up. If we're not going to do it now as parents, when are we?

Comedian Pete Holmes is calling out a lie most parents tell themselves: “I'm doing it for my family.” In this episode, Pete and Ryan break down how work, ambition, and the idea of “providing” can become the perfect excuse to drift away from the very people we say we're doing it all for.Pete Holmes is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and podcaster. He first gained recognition in the early 2010s as a stand-up comic, and also released his first comedy special and worked as a television writer and actor. He is the host of the podcast You Made It Weird, author of Comedy Sex God, and the creator of the HBO show Crashing.

Statistically, it's terrifying. All the things that can go wrong. But you need to remember that statistics are about averages.

It's tough to be a person in this busy, noisy world. You have work. You have obligations as a citizen, as a spouse, as a friend, as a son or daughter. You've got goals you're trying to hit. And of course, having kids puts extra pressure and tension on all this.

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is, if you want to be a good one, you have no choice but to become the kind of person you hope your kids will one day be. Make 2026 the year where you finally bring yourself closer to living your best life. No more waiting. Demand the best for yourself. The Daily Stoic New Year New You challenge begins January 1, 2026. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

We want our kids close. We want to see them. We want to spend time with them. And yet, what do we do?

We are critical. We punish. We assert rules. We raise our voice. Why?

Every parent thinks they have more time than they actually do. In today's episode, Ryan and Sam talk about how fast childhood slips by, how messy seasons you think you want to rush through end way sooner than you expect, and what it feels like to suddenly realize you're already halfway through your kids living under your roof.

Why do you work so hard, why do you fight for the causes you fight for, why do you put up with all the crap you have to put up with in this life?

Well, of course those parents can be at every field trip and attend every performance. Of course they can do pickup and dropoff. One of them is a full-time parent. Or they both work from home. Or make their own schedule. That's what you tell yourself.

As much as our kids are the center of our universe, they aren't the center of everyone else's.

Let go of trying to have everything clean and perfect. Let all the things do their job and be functional for your family.

What if instead of just talking about this stuff to our kids, we showed them what doing good looked like?Feeding America | We donated the first $30,000 and would love your help in getting to our goal of $300,000—which would provide over 3 million meals for families across the country! Just head over to dailystoic.com/feeding—every dollar provides 10 meals, even a small donation makes a big difference.Resources Mentioned:- Action Against Hunger: https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/

There's nothing quite like seeing your kids light up over something you've always loved. In today's episode, Ryan sits down with Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and author of The Running Ground, to talk about how running has created a special bridge between him, his father, and his sons. Nick Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857, which earned the top honor for magazines, General Excellence, at the National Magazine Awards in both 2022 and 2023. In his time as CEO, the company has seen record subscriber growth. Before joining The Atlantic, he was the editor-in-chief of Wired magazine. He is also a former contributor for CBS News and has previously served as editor. He has long been a competitive runner; in 2021, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race.Check out Nick's new book The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of SportsFollow Nick on Instagram and X @NXThompson

It's a world with too many problems. It's a world with too much suffering. We can't fix all of this as people, nor as parents. But we can try to help a little.Feeding America | We donated the first $30,000 and would love your help in getting to our goal of $300,000—which would provide over 3 million meals for families across the country! Just head over to dailystoic.com/feeding—every dollar provides 10 meals, even a small donation makes a big difference.Resources Mentioned:- Action Against Hunger: https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/

You don't get a table full of smiling faces for every holiday, every milestone event, just because you're related. A crowded table is a lagging indicator of the job you've done as a parent.If today's episode resonates with you and you're interested in a structured path to becoming the parent you aspire to be, check out our brand-new Daily Dad Five Year Reflection Journal, now available for preorder | https://dailydad.com/leather

There are a lot of reasons why someone's output might change. When people ask why, you have the best excuse in the world.

It can be very easy to get tunnel vision. It can be easy, in the overwhelm of day-to-day parenting, to forget that this is an endeavor in which success—and responsibility—is measured in the course of years.

Think about your own life. Are there not things that your parents said that still weigh on you?

Is it the most wonderful time of year or just the busiest? In today's episode, Ryan and Sam talk about bracing themselves for the holidays, the challenges of managing a small business during the busy season, and their unique perspectives on gift-giving.

As parents, we have to understand that we have an advantage now that we didn't have before.