Dear Old Dads

We got a listener email that Eli wants Tom to read us on the air for the first time. There's a detail in it that completely isn't the point, but is absolutely the point. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !  

Phoebe had her first sleepover. The dads talk about that, what their rules are around sleepovers, and at what age they let their kids go on them. Spoiler: for Tom it's the age of 93! Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !

Content Note: This episode includes some discussion of the treatment of marginalized communities under the Trump administration. After reading a post from Reddit, the dads dive into a deep discussion on how men can change men's minds (and if we should even bother) regarding masculinity, the patriarchy, feminism, and politics. Have we already lost to the red-pilled man-o-sphere, or can we still rea...

The dads do their best to help a listener with a tough marriage/parenting problem. Their partner behaves terribly both with them and with the kids, but blames it on self-diagnosed mental health issues. Where is the line between accommodating and being taken advantage of? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonu...

Part 2 of 2. The Dads take on the rest of Justin Baldoni's TED Talk . This takes some WILD turns, and you're going to want to listen for Eli's mental breakdown. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !  

Part 1 of 2. Now that he has been outed as a crap and a fake feminist, we wanted to watch Justin Baldoni's TED Talk from 2017 out of morbid curiosity and/or to see if maybe he had made any good points. So was this foreseeable? How would we have looked at this TED talk at the time, not knowing anything about him? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@d...

Eli shares TikTok contraband to kick off a discussion on gentle parenting's applicability beyond childhood, and the balance between what Eli refers to as the "musts" and the "oughts". Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon !...

Due to a clerical error, the dads recorded a normal episode instead of a monthly bonus. So... everyone gets the bonus!!! It is brought to you by a listicle from Upworthy. The dads go through the 17-item list of  Advice that Teens (allegedly)  Aren't Ready to Hear.  In the patron-only bonus, Eli recounts a truly insane encounter in his neighborhood. Like for real, you cannot miss this one. Join the...

Recently, disturbing allegations of abuse by Neil Gaiman were reported on by Vulture . The dudes discuss the issues involved, from kink and the porn industry to relationships with fans to scientology...? In our bonus story (exclusively for patrons!), Eli takes us through an experience he had with that is AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY. You won't want to miss it! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups...

The dads gather to chat about expectations of men in potentially dangerous situations, and whether or not it reflects on your "manliness" if you leave the conflict to your girlfriend to handle. The dads agree that it makes you a bad partner and person, but does it mean you're less of a man too? Also, patrons hear some breaking news that is freaking the guys out a bit. Join the Facebook Group!  fac...

After some talk about playing the lottery, the dads discuss marrying for looks and marrying for money. Also, is Tom capable of dying? Thomas and Eli have a comprehensive debate. You reallllly don't want to miss the Patreon extended edition of this one in which Eli accidentally reveals the extent of his ignorance of how any technology works. Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads...

Thomas brings us an impossible conundrum that was shared in an article  recently: two couples were undergoing IVF, their samples were mixed up, and they unknowingly gave birth to the other's baby. Would you let your genetic offspring go and continue your family with the baby you've already been raising and loving for a year, or would you want to reunite with your biological child? But the question...

The Toms would like to talk about some of the greatest parenting advice they ever saw. And it's a meme. Or like, a tweet or something. But it's that good. Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon !

No idea if we're being scammed or not but assuming it's real, he's got a lot to tell us about his horrific Christmas. Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon !

Lydia joins Thomas and Eli to talk about a recent NYT article about the hidden grief of not becoming a grandparent. How would we feel if our children decided they didn't want kids? (Fingers crossed, this should hopefully be the last of the no-Tom episodes!) Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, a...

Lydia and Heath are with us as we tackle a listener question about a situation regarding their child's karate class, and we discuss what makes a coach good or bad. We're releasing the patron version for everyone because the bonus story just needs to be heard. It features t And yes, the audio still sucks since this was the same recording session. Last one! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/gro...

We were not able to locate the actor who normally plays Tom so in this episode he has been replaced by the combined forces of Lydia Smith and Heath Enright. The 4 of us discuss an article about a free-range parenting experiment. Note: I (Thomas) made a blunder in the recording of this podcast and had to use backup audio which combines Lydia and I. As a result, the quality is a little sub-optimal t...

Eli had an interesting situation come up with Max involving another kid being potentially a bad influence. What should we do in this situation? And then he realizes he has never told us his infamous "Pot Party" story... Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SH...

Tom shares a post from Reddit's Am I the Asshole and the dads debate the asshole-ranking of all of the characters involved. Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon !  

Eli's got a parenting question and his facebook parenting group has... answers. Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon !

The dads discuss politeness - what it is, how to instill it in your kids, and if it actually matters in the world. Also, how polite should we be with our closest friends and partners, and is there harm to being too polite in those relationships? Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most impo...

We all know video games are how satan steals your kids' souls. But what if that's all they want to do? And what if they become homicidal maniacs while playing them? Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon !

Parenting is so friggen hard nowadays that the Surgeon General had to issue a report saying so. He probably received a few too many emails from his kid's school and was like ENOUGH, I'm writing a report. Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to...

The dads all came in to record a new episode after the results of the election, and reflect on how to talk to kids about what happened, what may happen in this future administration, and what our responsibility is to others as we navigate the darkest timeline. Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content...

Did Eli overreact to another parent's verbal reminders for Max to "Dracula Sneeze?" How should we approach these sorts of situations to best advocate for our children? Should we be bossing other people's kids around or what? Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FR...