Welcome to the Daily Dad podcast where we provide one lesson every day to help you

with your most important job being a dad. These are lessons inspired by ancient philosophy,

by practical wisdom, and insights from dads all over the world. Thank you for

listening, and we hope this helps. Every kid needs this from at least one person. All kids have had a hard time this last year. Of course,

for many children, the last 12 months were just an introduction to the daily struggle their parents

have experienced since before they were born. Broken systems. Lurking danger, shrinking options,

pivotal moments, loss that will never come back. And this doesn't even get into the

uneven way that life deals things out. Some kids have learning disabilities, some have medical

conditions, et cetera, et cetera. We have to remember, though, with our kids, and indeed for all kids,

that for all the difficulty and adversity they will face, they are strong and resilient.

They are capable of great things if we believe them to be, and we provide them with the

resources and support they need to make it possible.

There was a great piece in the Atlantic by Ron Berger recently titled, Our Kids Are Not Broken,

and this passage stands out.

A few years ago, I was discussing education with my running group, the coffee cake club during a Sunday run. One of my buddies, who

is black, twisted his head back and said, well, there's only one thing that matters about a teacher.

I was taken aback. Really? Just one thing? He shrugged as if it were obvious and responded that they believe in you.

I was a lousy student when I was young. Because of my racial background and family, my teachers basically

viewed me as broken. They didn't give me challenging work. They didn't push me. In all my years of

school, there were only two teachers who saw something in me and pushed me and believed in me.

Could have easily dropped out, but because of those teachers, I'm getting my PhD next year.

For all that your kid has been through this past year and all they will go through in the years to come,

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