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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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!

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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.

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