Dear Old Dads

They're calling it Hermeneutic Labor ! Tom read an article about this and he's mad about it. Or at least, we think he is. We haven't been able to interpret his feelings and frankly we don't really care enough to bother. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For com...

...and I'll do my sadfishing all over the place. An article from Parents  described the phenomenon of sadfishing, wherein youngsters post vague, emotional statuses, photos, memes, etc. in the hopes of support and community as they navigate some of those tough moments, but do they actually receive what they're looking for? For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE S...

The dads discuss how they celebrated their Father's Day this year before checking out some REALLY HELPFUL fatherhood advice  from other dads that was published in the New York Times. Seriously, you won't believe how helpful it is.    /s And patrons get multiple stories in today's bonus, including a really heartwarming update! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll keep your mouth shut when you're around...

This dads discuss how family trips and activities might be harder on kids than we realize. Are we putting too many expectations on our kids? How do we have a successful family trip? For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com

Thomas's kids finished the baseball season and it was a very surprising success. However, what's next? At a certain point, Phoebe will have to start playing a different game entirely, for some reason, called softball. Why the inequality on that? What other aspects of our kids' lives feature this kind of thing? For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make su...

The dads have been through a year-long tax weirdness that just resulted in the state of CA freezing Tom's kid's bank accounts. No normal episodes can happen until the grievances have been aired. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@de...

The dads listen to the recent commencement speech from Harrison Butker that is way more inside Catholic baseball than they expected, but also Eli disturbingly understands every single reference. Are women people? Should they be allowed to vote and have jobs? This sentient mayonnaise has opinions. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge...

We are finally covering an r/AITA that Eli sent a million years ago, and it's honestly a bit nonsensical but it launches Eli into one of the most amazing things you'll hear in Dear Old Dads history. Buckle up! For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, em...

Thomas shares some medical news for one of the Smith kids, and the dads chat about how to show up for your child, and talk to them, in tough situations that aren't their choice, especially if you carry your own personal history and experiences with that same diagnosis. A great conversation all around and a couple of admissions that Tom's take...is...right? For extended episodes, bonus content, and...

On r/AmItheAsshole, a woman shares a moment she had with her ex-husband at their child's funeral and the subsequent reaction from his new wife. In seeking comfort, who do you turn to, and what boundaries do you have with others as your dynamic with them changes? We'll just say...the guys do not see eye to eye on this one. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE S...

If you're a parent of more than one child, chances are you have 1 or more kids who are super easy and chill, and 1 or more kids who is... not. How do we handle that? What's going on there? The dads discuss, and they NAME NAMES. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddad...

AI technology is advancing ridiculously quickly. Some day, if not today, AI image generators will be able to create incredibly realistic pornographic photos and video of... anyone. Including children. So, what are our responsibilities as dads? Is it possible to make this technology safe for our kids, and if it isn't, who bears responsibility for that? Also, little easter egg: only patrons will kno...

The dads discuss when men completely ignore their health in the name of "being tough" and then as a result the women in their lives have to take care of them and arrange their medical visits and track their medications and do a million other things. But the man is TOUGH. So manly. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Jo...

The one and only Arlo turned 5 years old! Thomas shares the details from what he considers the best birthday party ever, and the dads chat about the pressure of kid birthday parties and the glory of one Charles Entertainment Cheese. And, the amazing patrons get a sack update; whose sack will it be this time? Trick question, it's always Eli's sack. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most imp...

Eli has been teaching Max to read... OR HAS HE. Max is an amazing reader already and the dads talk about how their kids learn anything and whether or not it is, in fact, magic. Then for reasons that will likely come out in litigation, Tom and Eli hijack the show to talk about books. Thomas is filing suit and cannot comment further about this episode at the current time. For extended episodes, bonu...

It's time for another "Am I the Asshole" iteration of Dads! This time it's a dad who won't call to order pizza for his daughter who has anxiety. But there are a lot of details that make or break the assholeness. The dads go on to talk about challenges like this they've had with their kids. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Pat...

Do you know that couple? Are you that couple? That gives each other shit a lot. Like, a lot. And it's all "joke" but is it though? Thomas had a recent encounter with one such couple and has thoughts. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  theda...

Eli came back from a bro-cation and the dads chat about friendships, making friends as a dad, and different approaches to spending time with friends. Disclaimer: you may hear Thomas die in this episode (of laughter). For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comme...

During and after COVID, there were many think pieces about the inadequacies of the nuclear family. Tom wants to talk about it. Should we all be living with our parents? Jesus Christ should we? Ugh, but like, ugh should we? I guess? For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearol...

Thomas and his family went to a memorial service recently; this sparks discussion about...well... Tom and Eli's business ideas? For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com Follow us on Twitter:  @DearOldDads Facebook Page:  D...

What responsibility do we have as role models for our kids to help them keep their own expectations of their skills, development, and identity reasonable for their age? A text between Tom and his son kicks off the discussion for this extra-long episode. And Thomas has his semiannual bone to pick with clocks changing. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW,...

Do men know how to ask for non-sexual intimacy? Do they tend to over-sexualize any kind of touch? That dads discuss a Trevor Noah clip about men needing physical intimacy and not knowing how to get it. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  the...

After Eli tries a few new catchphrases that absolutely do not catch on, the dads talk about when kids protect their parents. For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email  thedads@dearolddads.com Follow us on Twitter:  @DearOldDads Facebook Page:  Dear...

was the question the dads started with, and then they got to talking about Sugar relationships. And it turns out Thomas and Eli are in the market. Hit 'em up. Not Tome though. Tom is busy being a little lad.    For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to   pledge on Patreon ! Join the Facebook Group!  facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, e...

For a dad who is always used to trying to be encouraging, to help his talented kid keep going when they are discouraged, what does he do when... the opposite? When a kid is... extremely bad at something, but is completely convinced they are good? Look, we all know which extremely bad decisions are wrong there, but what about as the kid gets older? Is there a time when a little more realism is warr...