Welcome to the Daily Dad podcast, where we provide one lesson every single day to help you with your most important job, being a parent.

I'm Ryan Holiday, and I draw these lessons from ancient philosophy, modern psychology, practical wisdom, and insights from

parents just like you all over the world. Thank you for listening, and we hope this helps.

Help them find their people.

Michael Chabon was worried about his son, as all father's worry.

His son seemed lovely, seemed uninterested in the things his peers liked,

and then one day they found themselves at some type of fashion industry event as part of his work.

His son was fascinated.

These creative and artistic people were so unlike the parents of his friends or the kids at his school and his son came alive with a kind of infectious excitement that was reciprocated

kindly by the other attendees.

At the event, Chabin looked at his son who seemed suddenly possessed by a confidence and

purpose he didn't have before. You were with your people, he said to him. You found them. His son nodded,

with both pride and understanding, all he could say as a father was, that's good. You're early. Is there

anything more we could want for our kids than for

them to find their people, the ones who inspire and challenge and accept them? Whether it's a

community of musicians or the football team, ROTC, or a group that skateboards in the neighborhood,

the group that takes your kid in and makes them feel like they have a home, it's like a second heart, a second family.

Unfortunately, no parent can will this group to materialize or this connection to happen.

We can only help.

How?

By accepting our kids, first and foremost, our job isn't to mold them into the people who will be liked by the people we like or identify with.

Our job is to let them be who they are, to help them become who they are meant to be,

...