Of course, it was too good to be true. When University of Michigan professor Scott Hershovitz heard his young son screaming for a “philosopher,” he should have known something was off.
“Hank, Hank!” Scott called out, “I am a philosopher—what do you need?”
Hank, unimpressed, shot back, “You’re not a philosopher…there’s something stuck in my teeth!”
No child thinks they need a philosopher. Most adults don’t either. Yet no matter our age, we all have problems. Some just require a “flosser”—others require a little wisdom.
In the ancient world, people actually did seek out philosophers. When Zeno washed up in Athens after a shipwreck, he heard a story about Socrates and famously asked, “Where can I find a man like that?” Because philosophy, at its best, isn’t about abstract theories—it’s about learning how to live. Philosophers were guides. They helped people solve problems and become better, stronger, wiser.
Marcus Aurelius didn’t want to be a “pen and ink philosopher.” He wanted to live his philosophy—to be someone who practiced what he wrote, modeled virtue, and served as a reliable example for others.
And what role in life demands philosophy more than parenting?
Parenting calls on us to be wise, just, disciplined, and brave. It requires patience when we’re tired, perspective when we’re frustrated, and emotional control when chaos erupts. It forces us to grow. To lead.
To hold ourselves to a higher standard. To keep the bigger picture in mind.
This is why philosophy—especially Stoicism—isn’t just theoretical. It’s practical. It’s built for real life. It offers tools for handling what life throws at us—school runs, sibling fights, sleepless nights, big life decisions—and doing it with character. It gives us clarity, strength, and direction. It helps us become the kind of people our kids can look up to.
That’s why we study it. That’s why we practice it—together—every day. And it’s why we created Stoicism 101: Ancient Philosophy for Your Actual Life.
This course takes timeless Stoic wisdom and makes it usable—a framework you can apply immediately to parenting, relationships, work, and life. It’s an accessible and practical two-week dive into Stoic habits, mental training, and emotional resilience—ideal for parents, and even great for teens and young adults to take alongside them.
Sign up here: https://dailystoic.com/101
