Hi, I'm Mark đ
After earning a PhD and spending 15 years in the corporate world, my wife and I made a big decision: I would become a stay-at-home dad.
I was excited, determined to do a good job, and dove into researchâpsychology, neuroscience, philosophy. I quickly realized the biggest challenge parents face isnât knowing what to do. Itâs remembering to do it consistently.
Parenting isnât a one-time effort; itâs a practiceâdaily, relentless, and deeply impactful. I didnât want to leave it to chance. So I created The Socratic Parent as a simple way to keep the most important parenting principles top-of-mind, even on the busiest days.
Meet Socrates: The Secret to Lasting Change
Most parenting advice is about what to do. But real transformation happens when you change how you think.
Thatâs where Socratic dialogue comes in.
Socratic dialogue is criminally underused. Itâs the single best way to change behavior and create personal transformationsânot by giving answers, but by asking the right questions. It is powerful because it:
Encourages self-discovery instead of passive learning
Breaks down false beliefs and cognitive biases
Engages both the emotional and rational mind
Creates internal motivation for change
Leads to deep and lasting behavior shifts
It works by guiding you through open-ended, thought-provoking questions that challenge assumptions, expose blind spots, and lead to deeper self-awareness. Once you reach a profound realization through Socratic questioning, itâs nearly impossible to âunseeâ it
This creates genuine, lasting change.
Even better, rather than pushing one parenting philosophy, socratic dialogue allows us to explore different frameworksâAdlerian Psychology and Positive Parenting, Stoicism, Gentle Parenting, Attachment Theory, and moreâso you can apply the best ideas for your family.
The Highest Leverage Job Youâll Ever Have
Parenting is high-stakes, complex, and long-term. Itâs also one of the highest-leverage activities youâll ever do.
But hereâs what makes it hard: parenting is an inner-scorecard activity.
No one is watching.
Thereâs no scoreboard.
No performance reviews.
No awards.
Just your effort, with no external validation. Thatâs why itâs so easy to lose focus.
But with the right questions, the right mindset, and a commitment to continuous learning, we can become better parents every day.
If that sounds like something youâd find valuable, Iâd love for you to join me.
Subscribe to The Socratic Parent, and every week youâll get:
One short reflection to refine your approach
One powerful question to guide your parenting decisions
One deep conversation to provoke ideas through Socratic dialogue
Parenting is too important to risk. Letâs be intentional about itâone week at a time.
Until next week,
Mark Snape
Editor of The Socratic Parent
P.S. Iâd love to hear your thoughtsâjust hit âreplyâ and share. And if you found this newsletter valuable, please share it with a friend who might too.
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