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. Leave them alone. As we've said before, people have been

complaining of the next generation since, well, generations began.

It's an old cliche. There's something wrong with our kids and their friends. They're missing something. They're messed up.

Here's Chesty Puller, who turned generations of young men into Marines stepping up to defend young people almost 50 years ago.

I keep hearing and reading about the terrible teenagers of today, he said, leave them alone.

They don't need to be downed or upheld.

I'm tired of hearing all this Ballyhoo.

Every newspaper and magazine you pick up is full of it.

Just don't worry about the young boys of today. They don't need to be coddled and they don't need to be condemned.

Gender's got nothing to do with it either. The advice is universal. Leave them alone. They'll be all right.

Almost certainly this generation of kids is kinder, smarter, and more

capable than those that came before. Are there things they can't do? Of course. But think of all

the things they can do that you can't do, that their grandparents can't do, that frankly would

render even Einstein or Newton speechless. Are they perfect? No, but you weren't. Nobody is. And did vague

condemnations from older people do anything for you? Did the disapproval or the judgment of your

parents do anything but drive you deeper into the habits or decisions you are flirting with?

So if you have a problem, if you see a gap, teach them. Try to help them. And also know that if you

stand back, they'll figure it out. Don't worry. Never helped anything or anyone. I think one of my

favorite things about being a parent is sort of made me a kid again in a weird way. So every night,

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