Dad Saves America

I sat down with psychologist and author Peter Gray to unpack why anxiety, depression, and immaturity are rising at the exact moment kids have more “support” than ever. Peter explains how we stripped childhood of the one ingredient that actually builds competence: real freedom. We talk about the collapse of free, self-directed play, the fear-driven culture that keeps kids under constant adult management, and how modern schooling turns learning into compliance and metrics—resulting in bad habits and chronic stress. Play isn’t a “bonus” part of childhood; it’s how children learn judgment, resilience, social intelligence, and self-control. The path back to healthier kids starts with letting them take risks, solve problems, and grow up the way humans evolved to._____________________________________Check out Peter’s work on Substack: https://substack.com/@petergray_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Intro[1:06] Essential skills for a successful adult life[6:52] Education vs. schooling[19:40] Anxiety, depression, and immaturity[33:12] Is high school stress anything new?[36:48] Why parents to over-manage their kids[47:26] Are we training kids to accept authority and control?[55:58] The history of the school system[1:11:13] The policies shaping modern classrooms[1:19:01] The seven sins of the education system[1:38:58] What Peter learned from Ruby Lou[1:43:37] Play literally is education[1:51:04] Why trustful parenting works best_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8iRrZHUnB4EMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with clinical psychologist Dr. Camilo Ortiz to unpack why modern parenting has become so exhausting—and why it’s also making kids more anxious, not less. Dr. Ortiz explains why kids need daily exposure to the four D’s—discomfort, distress, disappointment, and danger—and how natural consequences teach better than nagging or punishment ever will. We explore the limits and potential harms of today’s feminized therapy culture and how we can rebuild real-world independence through risky play, mixed-age freedom, and even early work._____________________________________Follow Dr. Ortiz on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/DrCamiloOrtizVisit Dr. Ortiz’s website: http://drcamiloortiz.com/Learn more about “independence therapy”: https://letgrow.org/program/independence-therapy/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=12566881823&gbraid=0AAAAACiZd3IWu23qJsSxpn65U7GX9fkVZ&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0p7KBhCkARIsAE6Xlam-UlbNorBHFogiD9_yToVLHOcEIJaxqI86ql2tEa_EKyKbQkbimREaAomwEALw_wcBDr. Ortiz’s article in “The Free Press”: https://www.thefp.com/p/the-secret-to-parenting-do-less-of-it_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] How parenting went wrong[5:45] The feminization of parenting and psychology[15:25] Abigail Shrier’s “Bad Therapy”[15:56] Therapy isn’t the solution to every problem[24:02] What are “mindfulness practices”?[31:25] Are mental health issues really that common?[36:13] Moms vs dads on childhood independence[43:19] Why is evolutionary psychology ignored?[54:19] Is academia biased by ideology or personality?[1:01:17] Nagging your kids doesn’t work[1:09:29] The collective action problem of childhood[1:12:42] Parents shouldn’t try to win every battle[1:23:15] What is “independence therapy”?[1:27:40] Are kids lacking freedom or authority, or both?[1:33:49] Focus on productive behavior, not identity[1:50:47] “Gentle parenting” is the worst of both worlds[1:54:06] How can you address real trauma?[2:02:58] The case for child labor[2:08:16] A lighthouse for sanity in psychology_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cLouj8HgvbgMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with former Amway CEO Doug DeVos to talk about what it means to believe in the American way in an era defined by cynicism. Prosperity doesn’t come from slogans or politics—it comes from families, entrepreneurs, and community leaders who take responsibility and create real value. We unpack why pessimism has become a cultural default, how that mindset quietly erodes ambition and gratitude, and why faith in America must be rooted in action, not nostalgia._____________________________________Follow Doug on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/Doug_DeVos?s=20Read “Believe! Journal” on Substack: https://www.thebelievejournal.com/Purchase a copy of “Believe!”: https://a.co/d/8SfMYUV_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Elite influence or philanthropic leadership?[7:48] The Midwest’s community culture[11:19] Does online polarization represent real life?[21:53] American idealism vs. “burn it all down”[28:43] How did family formation become political?[36:37] Trust fund kids and generational wealth[42:38] The history of Amway[49:18] Criticisms of multi-level marketing[51:11] Sales is the most underrated career path[1:03:17] Free enterprise as a moral system[1:08:54] How do successful large organizations work?[1:14:43] Is the optimistic American spirit fading?[1:19:17] Life, liberty, and the pursuit of virtue[1:23:41] Building trust in a post-truth world[1:26:51] The Founding Fathers’ skepticism of power[1:34:40] The internet, social media, and AI[1:38:18] Does anything shake Doug’s optimism?[1:43:17] America is the comeback nation[1:46:27] How becoming a parent frees you from ego[1:50:01] Take on the responsibility of citizenship_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R2wk_QgvBwAMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with comedian, writer, and host of “Walk-Ins Welcome,” Bridget Phetasy to talk about how she recovered from divorce, hookup culture, and addiction—and how those experiences shaped her views on our current cultural crisis. Writing for Playboy in the 2010s gave her a front-row seat to a society going mad. Bridget’s previously mainstream liberal beliefs were shattered one by one, eventually leading to the realization that marriage and parenthood were right for her all along._____________________________________Follow Bridget on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/BridgetPhetasy?s=20Watch Bridget on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@phetasy?si=vocDzLaTe0_885NzWatch “Walk-Ins Welcome”: https://youtube.com/@morebridgetphetasy?si=xkIAzwIDvtMP3rKQFollow Bridget on Substack: https://www.phetasy.com/_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] What parenting teaches you[14:01] Start your family early[18:10] Where feminism goes too far[23:02] Hookup culture isn’t empowerment[34:53] Divorce triggers a dark spiral for kids[45:43] How pop culture shapes your beliefs[50:21] “Staying together for the kids” and real love[1:02:51] Having kids resets your ambitions[1:08:49] How broken people get lost in darkness[1:20:25] Identity is way more than your superficial traits[1:25:16] Trans surgeries and the power of sex[1:41:49] Is Islam incompatible with the West?[1:53:42] Group differences vs individual treatment[1:59:18] Can the 12 Steps heal America?[2:08:28] Institutional trust and the AI revolution[2:14:09] Psychological, ideological, and technological crises[2:28:19] Focus on creation, not destruction_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TwdnGWyjmUcMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with Dr. Drew Pinsky to unpack how a culture of narcissism is warping our relationships, our politics, and the way we raise our kids. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Dr. Drew explains how collapsing family structures create adults who are fragile on the inside but obsessed with curating a perfect image on the outside. We talk about how social media rewards performative outrage and mob “justice,” why so many young people now filter everything through a lens of victimhood, and how the sexual revolution reshaped intimacy in ways most people still don’t fully understand._____________________________________Follow Dr. Drew on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/drdrewSubscribe to Dr. Drew’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@DrDrew?si=ep1LT1yWvqUKxrYW_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Intro[0:53] What is narcissism?[15:17] Activist mobs, false empathy, and free speech[22:42] Narcissism vs sociopathy vs psychopathy[29:18] The impacts of social media[30:59] What is adulthood?[39:05] Family breakdown and the psychological crisis[51:38] “It Doesn’t Have To Be Awkward”[56:38] Grappling with gender identity confusion[1:05:53] The lasting effects of trauma[1:12:51] Marriage, divorce, and relationships[1:20:40] Why are gay and transgender issues lumped together?[1:23:18] Do Americans just need to toughen up?[1:25:18] Mental health impacts of COVID lockdowns[1:27:16] Social media hits girls and boys are differently[1:30:53] Homelessness, fatherlessness, and foster care_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RV0dnLFbu-kMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe