Ryan Holiday – Daily Stoic – The Stoic Parent: 10 Commandments for Becoming a Better Paret

This is our evergreen course to The Stoic Parent! We would like to say thank you again for all of you who joined in on the live course back in June!

“When you need encouragement, think of the qualities the people around you have: this one’s energy, that one’s modesty, another’s generosity, and so on. Nothing is as encouraging as when virtues are visibly embodied in the people around us, when we’re practically showered with them.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 6.48

Think about the most important, most daunting challenges you’ve faced in your life. A long entrance exam, a grave illness, an intimidating marathon, a difficult relationship. Think about the accomplishments you’re most proud of. How did you achieve it? How did you endure the adversity? How did you succeed?

It certainly wasn’t by winging it.

We become our best, we do hard things, how? By seeking out experts, practicing and putting in the work, adapting ourselves to the reality of our circumstances, and doing everything we can to rise to the challenge. That’s how we come out of the other side better for what we went through.

This is a recipe for more than just success.

Think about some of the great father figures of history and art. Think of Abraham Lincoln, Coach Taylor from Friday Night Lights, Lee from Steinbeck’s East of Eden. Antoninus Pius, the stepfather of Marcus Aurelius. Think of the great mother figures too: Mother Mary and Hannah in the Bible. Ma’ from Little House on the Prairie. Harriet Tubman.

What do these people embody? Patience. Kindness. Love. Wisdom. Courage. Dependability. Positivity.

Just as in life there are models to learn from, so too in parenting. We must study them, figure out how they managed to do what they did.

Because it’s not just luck or nature. It’s work.

And how can you be like them? To be there for your kids like they were for theirs, along with so many millions of other people?

The Stoic Parent: 10 Commandments For Becoming A Better Parent  is designed to answer that very question, and to help you along the way, by giving you the tools and support you need to become the parent you want to be.

Because it is absolutely possible to become a truly great parent. It just takes some clear rules. A bit of study. And a lot of practice. And a willingness to fail and learn from those failures. This isn’t rocket science. This is how you get good at anything.

Yet for some reason, many of us don’t take this approach to parenting. As a culture we are expected to naturally know what to do with the most important task of our life. So we wing it. We fake it til we (hopefully) make it, and if we’re smart and attentive and humble–and lucky–we learn as we go.

It doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to resign yourself to a reliance on some untapped natural instinct. You don’t have scratch and claw together a patchwork of unreliable advice every time you find yourself struggling to be patient, to be present, to be kind, courteous, positive and dependable.

It is possible to become a better parent. To become the type of parent that you’ve always wanted to be. That’s why we are relaunching The Stoic Parent: 10 Commandments For Becoming A Better Parent.

This relaunch of The Stoic Parent has 10 actionable, practical meditations and prescriptive commandments for becoming the best parent you can be. All pulled from the best of Stoic wisdom. Wisdom the Stoics have been meditating on for thousands of years.

Parenting is something the Stoics spent a lot of time thinking about. Their strategies have gone on to develop countless leaders and everyday good people.

How did Marcus Aurelius become Marcus Aurelius? The “last good emperor” who acted with Wisdom, Justice, Courage, and Moderation? Who inspired millions through his actions?

The French philosopher Ernest Renan said “Marcus had a single master whom he revered above them all, and that was [his step-father] Antoninus… the most beautiful model of a perfect life.”

As in, Marcus was blessed with a great role model in his stepfather. A man to whom he dedicates much of the first chapter of Meditations.

Successful parenting isn’t about perfection. We’re all going to make mistakes. The Stoics knew that too.

So we need help. We need guidance. That is what the Stoics texts are here for. That is what we created this course to do.

This course is for you if:

• You want to set a better example for your children to learn from
• You want to be more present with your child, even with more distractions than ever
• You know you can handle certain situations with your children better, without yelling
• You want to feel more confident and at peace as a parent
• You want strategies for becoming a better family, together
• You want to strengthen your relationship with your child
• You want to further your study and commitment to becoming the best parent you can be
• You want to learn from the best practices of the Stoics from the past 2,000 years

Do you want to be a better parent?

Of course you do.

Take the first step today by committing the next 2 weeks to becoming the best possible parent you can be.

Each day you’ll receive an actionable Stoic commandment designed to help you become the best parent you can be. You’ll also get a fillable workbook to reflect on each commandment and create a plan to implement them into your daily parenting challenges.

 

Sign up today and you’ll get:

• The 10 Stoic “Commandments” for becoming a better parent (over 18,000 words and updated articles and videos)
• Pages from Ryan Holiday’s latest book, The Daily Dad, will be included in each day.
• Over two hours of inspiring audio files from bestselling author Ryan Holiday and parenting experts like Maya Quick and Brett McKay
• A workbook to engrain the lessons from each day’s commandments
• Extended reading suggestions for each commandment
• And more!

This course will also be hosted on our newest platform, Zolt. Here, you will be able to discuss each day with your fellow parents, complete activities, write in an online journal, and keep the course in one spot. 

To learn more about our community platform and how to access your account, view these videos below!

The things you teach your kids will shape their future. And their children’s future. So make sure you’re setting a good example. If your children were to write down what they learned from you on their deathbed, what would they write? You have the ability to shape that everyday.

Ryan Holiday – The Stoic Parent: 10 Commandments for Becoming a Better Parent

Parenting may be the most demanding and meaningful responsibility in life—and yet, no one hands you a manual rooted in timeless wisdom.

The Stoic Parent, a course by best-selling author Ryan Holiday, introduces a profound yet practical framework for raising children through the lens of Stoic philosophy. Based on ten foundational principles—adapted from the teachings of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca—this course empowers modern mothers and fathers to parent with greater clarity, emotional stability, and moral purpose.

Instead of reacting to chaos, you’ll learn to lead your family with inner stillness, consistency, and integrity.

What You’ll Discover in This Course

Far from a list of parenting hacks, this is a values-based approach to nurturing your child while strengthening your own character. The lessons are structured around ten “commandments” that offer timeless guidance for becoming the kind of parent your child needs—and the person you aspire to be.

Inside the Course, You’ll Explore:

1. Control What You Can—Let Go of What You Can’t
Learn to stop micromanaging and instead model calm resilience in the face of life’s unpredictability.

2. Lead by Example, Not Fear
Replace commands with conduct. Cultivate behaviors you want mirrored back in your children.

3. Embrace Patience Over Perfection
Accept the messiness of parenting. Discover how Stoicism equips you to meet imperfection with compassion and discipline.

4. Master Your Reactions
Reacting out of anger or anxiety damages trust. This course trains you to respond from grounded awareness.

5. Cultivate Character, Not Just Achievement
Raise children to become principled human beings, not products of external validation.

6. Practice Presence, Not Distraction
Rediscover the art of being fully available—not just physically, but emotionally and intellectually.

7. Accept That Your Children Don’t Belong to You
Draw inspiration from Stoic detachment to foster love without control or possessiveness.

8. Protect Their Innocence Without Shielding Reality
Balance truth and tenderness in the way you introduce your child to life’s challenges.

9. Teach Through Silence as Much as Speech
Sometimes your actions—or your restraint—will echo more than your words.

10. Let Go of the Outcome
You’re a guide, not a god. This final lesson shows how to release ego and attachment in your role as a parent.

Each commandment is paired with real-world applications, reflective questions, and practical practices—all designed to anchor you in calm strength as you raise the next generation.

Who This Course Is Perfect For

• Parents seeking to raise emotionally resilient, self-aware children

• Mothers and fathers craving deeper patience and presence in daily parenting

• New or expecting parents looking for timeless frameworks instead of trendy tips

• Philosophically-minded individuals who want to lead their families with virtue, not pressure

• Anyone overwhelmed by modern parenting advice who longs for inner simplicity

Whether you’re raising toddlers or teens, this course offers a map—not just to better parenting, but to being a better human in the process.

About Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday is a bestselling author, modern Stoic scholar, and parent himself. His books (The Daily Stoic, Discipline Is Destiny, The Obstacle Is the Way) have helped millions around the world apply ancient principles to modern problems. In The Stoic Parent, Ryan distills his personal experience and philosophical depth into a course that speaks directly to the heart of anyone navigating the daily challenges of raising children.

Why This Course Stands Apart

• Rooted in ancient wisdom, grounded in modern life

• Doesn’t tell you how to parent—shows you how to be

• Builds moral clarity, emotional mastery, and compassionate leadership

• Accessible to parents of all ages and family structures

• Creates transformation from the inside out—not by changing your child, but by changing how you show up

Be the Parent Your Child Will One Day Thank

The Stoic Parent isn’t about getting it all right—it’s about getting what matters most right. These ten commandments offer a steady compass in a turbulent world, helping you raise not just good kids, but good humans—while becoming one yourself.