Dear Old Dads

Tom's kids have a tendency to yuck other people's yum and it's driving him nuts. So settle in with a tall glass of chunky goat milk and listen to a Christmas Eve Dads.

What do you do when you regret being a parent and feel like the whole thing might have been a mistake? A listener writes in with these feelings and the dads are on it! It's probably a more common experience than you think. Unless you're Thomas. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

If you're in the market for some fatherly advice from the dudes about interviewing for jobs, you're in luck! Listen in to hear the dads debate questions like, what do you do in the face of stupid interview questions? And in the very special, patron-only bonus at the end, we share an email from ABSOLUTE LEGENDS - the parents from sex doll gate aka the episode that sent Eli to an earlyish grave. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Tom is out today so we have a non-dad here to join the ranks of Eli and Thomas to take on a listener email about their daughter's surprise husband. How do we approach interpersonal relationships with folks that are important to our kids if they might feel like red flags to us? But first, listen up for how Thomas infected Max with ADHD. Eli has the receipts. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

LITERALLY NONE of us have ever heard Eli laugh as much as he did on this episode as we read (and answer?) a listener email. Patrons: this one was bonkers so we're going to let the normies have it too. Once y'all listen, I'm sure you will understand. We still love you more though.

The guys have reunited post-Thanksgiving and have plenty of catching up to do! Tom has returned from a hunting trip with other dudes (not our DILFs) and brings some of his observations to the pod to discuss. Most importantly - what are signs as you get older of a good life? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

After some quick Thanksgiving plans chat, Thomas recounts a tough parenting situation that he and Lydia experienced recently in which they had to simultaneously consider their child implicated in the mess, the friendships at stake, and the interpersonal challenge with other parents involved. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

The dads read a listener email and get into a candid discussion about this listener's particular experience and the lessons we can take related to identity, kink, online community, and partner dynamics - and how to navigate if those change during the course of a preexisting relationship. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

A listener with a baby on the way is worried about his anger problem. Tom is not worried about his chimes. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

A listener email sparks a discussion among the dudes about encouraging and supporting your kids' interests, especially when that interest is ABSOLUTELY not your cup of tea. How should we approach initiating interest-exploration for our kids, and what do we do if once they've found something they love, we actually can't stand it? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Oh, hey! Want to have all of the responsibility and weight of parenthood without any of the legal benefits ensuring you are connected to your kids? Try stepparenting! Tom leads today's chat with the dads as he breaks down the frustrating structure of America's step-parent. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Today's episode centers on the importance of friendship despite what dude self-help spaces might tell you. Also more hot takes that the dads dig into include: being vulnerable enough to apologize when you've wrongly let a friendship go, and whether or not you can truly build friendships in online communities. No way you get this kind of content from the anti-friendship dude-bros trying to sell you their course on crypto! But first, some brilliant tattoo discussion. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Today's show kicks off with a near-immediate three bears situation related to the interpretation of a TikTok video that makes Thomas want to throw his computer out the window; the dads go on a bit of a journey discussing hot takes and whether or not people honestly believe their perspective, or if they just desire to be "viralized." There's a whole lot more in this episode that I honestly can't even describe. You'll just need to listen. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Thomas shares something Arlo loves doing and has declared he'd like to do for a career and the dads dig into helping our kids navigate the choice between pursuing a passion or seeking stability. Stick around for the story at the end if you want to hear Eli's newest sadness earworm! Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

First, the dudes compare music taste. Then, a listener email asks the dads for advice about handling a recent situation they experienced where their kid's school carried out its full crisis procedure after the child said something minor in class, and the consequences on their own life (their workday, the weekend, etc.) as a result. How should a parent react in that circumstance, what is appropriate to discuss with your child to avoid these situations in the future, and at what age might that advice change? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Our dudes gather today to talk about what obligation parents have to decline their children opportunities in sports that have a high risk of brain injury and possible development of CTE. Is there a middle ground, where they can play things like football and soccer up to a certain level, before it gets dangerous - or is it always too risky? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected] For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !

The New York Times' recently ran a piece where they just get it completely wrong (surprise) on tackling security issues with Roblox and other online offerings after some particularly troubling incidents connected to the game. Eli comes prepped with an analogy that makes way more sense as we chat about the inevitability of our kids being in online spaces. How three bears is this one going to be? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected] For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !

The dads gather to answer a listener question for an especially tough situation that the listener's friend is navigating. If a not-cash-money thing happens to our kid, how should we react? If a not-cash-money thing happens to your friend's kid, what can you do to be supportive during that moment? It's a real 2 bears and a psychopath! Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

The dudes are here to discuss toxic male sexual inadequacy, the cultural underpinnings of it, and how most often it is something men just inflict upon themselves. A note from Lydia: Listeners, you'll hear Tom refer to this as Episode 269 during the intro and, obviously, classic humor ensues. You are not losing your mind: it is, in fact, Episode 230, but Tom shouted out the recording session number, which was 269. As you were. 6-7. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Thomas shares what he thinks might be a parenting win with one of his kiddos by walking a fine line between what his parents had done when he was a kid and what Eli would probably do. How realistic should we be when our kids share their expectations and dreams with us? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected] For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !

Part 2 of 2! The dads continue their conversation from Episode 227 regarding how to evaluate whether or not your kid is "too online" and what actions you should take to intervene. More specifically, what might be some signs that your child is falling into one of those cesspools? Also, place your bets now: what percentage of this episode will be Eli's Italian Brainrot? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

Part 1 of 2! In light of yet another terrible *motions to everything*, we thought it was time to talk about how to evaluate if your kid seems "too online," if certain spaces are worse than others, and what the consequences of that might be. The dads line up in a bit of a three bears situation on what this means to them exactly, but there's just so much more to dig into on this topic that we'll be finishing up the conversation on Thursday's episode. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected] For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !

The dads gather to discuss the unexpected toxic masculinity behind much of the self-improvement sold toward men these days. Why are these activities so... solo? Do they have to be? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

(apologies for the late post, the Smiths had a travel nightmare!) We've got a three bears situation over here today! Are parents responsible for addressing their kids' "weird" attitudes and behavior? And if so, how do we distinguish between what might be "weird" but flexible and what traits may be an innate facet of the person? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]

A listener writes in looking for advice on approaching their relationship with a parent when the parent won't accept them for who they are. After exploring if the listener could have offered more in helping their parent understand, the dads reflect on a tough question - how do we know when it's time to let go of relationships that are hurting us? Then, in the patron-only story, Eli shares a heartwarming and grateful observation. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email [email protected]