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. Lay down these rules. Every family is going to have their own

rules. Some parents want a yes, sir, and a yes

ma'am. Others are going to be okay 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. But shouldn't there be some boundaries that we all teach,

values that transcend borders and cultures, styles, and status?

Yes.

According to Plutarch, every parent needed to lay down the following rules of conduct,

to practice the simple life, to hold the tongue in check,

to conquer anger, and to control the hands.

In short, those stoic virtues of self-discipline and temperance, and that's a rule for life

and for all ages, to be in control of oneself. Okay, but how do you teach that?

Plutarch has no easy answers besides the one we've talked about

a thousand times here. We teach self-control by example. If you want your kids to live the simple life,

you must live the simple life. If you want them to watch what they say, then watch what you say.

Control your temper, control your hands. That's how you show them to do the

same. It's straightforward, though of course, not easy. But you must lay down these rules anyway.

And just remember, it's less about enforcement and more about example. Show more than you tell,

embody to inspire, and to make these rules stick.

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