The Serious Pod Network

Thomas and Lydia
Dear Old Dads Banner

Dear Old Dads

Hey kids, get ON our lawn! Dear Old Dads is a podcast examining and deconstructing all things Dad. From parenting to patriarchy; manning the grill to manning up; Dear Old Dads asks — what even is a dad anyway? What does it mean to be a good man in today's world? What should it mean? Listen along as we definitely find the correct, concise answers to all these questions and more! Featuring Eli Bosnick, Thomas Smith, and Tom Curry.

Listen on


Episodes

Best of Tom: Are We Spoiling Our Kids? (DOD4)

Best of Tom continues. While Tom recovers, we're replaying his classic stories in order so the running jokes make sense, which means we're still in the early episodes, and they're packed with lore. This one is an all-time favorite, full of jokes we still reference to this day. It's a repeat, and every download helps keep Tom's share of the show coming while he's out. Are we spoiling our kids? Three dads raised on strict, bare-bones childhoods look at how much we give our own kids, from clothes and toys to screens, phones and car keys. Tom's dangerous childhood comes with famous punishments: his dad invents the most creative one ever devised for one bad word, a C in algebra gets Tom grounded for a year, and seventeen-year-old Tom hangs off the spare tire on the back of a Chevy Blazer at 50 miles an hour. Plus Tom on finding his way back to his teenage son through Magic: The Gathering. 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!

Oct 14, 2026 · 66 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

Best of Tom: How Do We Protect Our Kids From Bullies? (DOD3)

Best of Tom, part 2! While Tom recovers, we're replaying his classic stories in order. They're repeats, but each one is the extended patron cut, so if you're not a patron, there's a story at the end you've never heard. These early episodes were all about our backstories, so this one is loaded with deep Tom lore, plus maybe the best Eli lore ever recorded. Every download helps keep Tom's share of the show coming while he's out. Bullies: the one topic that might turn these progressive dads into cave men. But should it? Is the problem solved now? Should we hit our bully's dad with our car? And what if our kids are the bullies? Tom confronts a neighbor in a way nobody recommends, Eli explains how he bullied an entire school, and Tom joins the wrestling team behind his dad's back. 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!

Oct 9, 2026 · 75 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

Best of Tom: Get to Know the Dads (DOD1)

While Tom recovers, Dear Old Dads is on a break, so this month we're replaying the Best of Tom: a curated run of his classic stories, in order. These are repeats, and each one is the extended patron cut, so if you're not a patron, there's a story at the end you've never heard. Every download helps keep Tom's share of the show coming while he's out. We're starting at the very beginning, with the inaugural dadisode from June 2022. Why and how are we dads? How were we dadded as kids? Our upbringings span a very interesting range of great to shitty, and a lot of the show's lore was born right here, from Gilligan the monkey to the eternal question: is Tom's dad Hitler? Once for patrons only: Tom tries to teach his 16-year-old to drive in a church parking lot. 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!

Oct 7, 2026 · 71 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

Tom's Not Ok. We're Taking A Break.

Yeah so you kinda have to hand it to Tom's luck demon. It's undefeated. It has Tom fighting his own bones.

Oct 2, 2026 · 9 min · With Thomas Smith & Eli Bosnick

DOD302: Viced Rhino Transed All the Kids

Tom is out (spine goblin is at work today), so the dads are joined by YouTuber and dad-of-five Viced Rhino, who has a really good Tom impression. His family also stole the entire alphabet apparently. For patrons only: Thomas makes it to Chuck E. Cheese for the very first time. Arlo has thoughts. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com

Sep 25, 2026 · 40 min · With Thomas Smith & Eli Bosnick

DOD301: Lydia's Got Her Groove Back (Tom Does Not)

Tom is still in the hospital, so the dads are keeping it (relatively) mild this week. Joining Thomas and Eli is the one, the only Lydia Smith, honorary dad and apparent inverse of Tom's luck, who is very much thriving right now. Lydia is getting her groove back, and strangers keep noticing. Also, a listener asks: is it okay to sit on your phone while your kid plays at the playground? (Eli has feelings) 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!

Sep 23, 2026 · 46 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Lydia Smith

DOD300: She'll Do It If You Want To

Note: This episode was part of the double record while Tom was home from the hospital. As mentioned previously, he is currently back in the hospital and we wish him speedy healing and a swift return home! He probably has more HVAC issues to deal with!!! Tom apparently hasn't earned his rest; poor dude had HVAC issues the second he returned home from the hospital. Luck Demon strikes again. Then the dads dig into a listener email about a marriage where the sex was great for 15 years until one question changed everything. Finally, Eli's got us covered with a parenting story for patrons only, and it is so incredibly sweet. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com

Sep 18, 2026 · 46 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

DOD299: Tommy's Got Back (Problems)

Note: Since this episode recording, Tom has been readmitted to the hospital. He's been keeping folks updated in the Facebook group so join up there if you haven't yet! Looking forward to his good healing and getting him back again soon. Well folks, Tom is back (mostly) and he's got stories about his time in the hospital. Plus, for only patrons, hear how Donovan and Finnegan have stepped up in handling things in Tom's absence, and what in particular from this host of duties got captured on the Ring Cam footage. 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!

Sep 16, 2026 · 50 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

DOD298: The Enwrights Answer Everything (Including the Separate Houses Thing)

Note: this one was recorded the same day as the previous release, so mentions of Tom in the hospital are related to that time period! Heath and Anne join Thomas and Eli for a very special Ask the Enwrights Anything! It all starts with a lovely rendition of "Rip Into It" and it only goes up from there honestly. Then, just for our incredible patrons, Kai joins stepdad Heath, Thomas, and Eli to...mainly torture Heath. Fun was had! Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com

Sep 11, 2026 · 47 min · With Thomas Smith & Eli Bosnick

DOD297: The Dead Speak! Somehow, Tom Returned

Tom is in the hospital, and it's not just his usual laziness. We don't think, anyway. Thomas and Eli play three voice memos Tom recorded from his hospital bed, including one that may just be drugs. 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!

Sep 4, 2026 · 33 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

DOD296: Give Your Baby a Whole Bottle of Cocaine

Eli reports back on Max's first night on Baby Adderall, and it went exactly as well as you'd expect. The dads then tackle a listener who is losing an argument with his partner about Michael Jackson, which turns into a conversation about Leaving Neverland and why the special pleading never quite makes sense. Then: a Nobel laureate's research on falling birth rates, the manosphere, and whether masculinity actually needs saving. Stick around for the patron-exclusive story from Max's annual checkup, which opens with a sentence no pediatrician has ever heard before. 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!

Aug 28, 2026 · 54 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

DOD295: Fight Me, Children

Eli comes back from a dad-friends vacation with a story about roughhousing, including a rare joyful moment for Max. Later, a Reddit dad gets benched from family time because his relationship with the kids is TOO good. Stick around for a patron-exclusive story about Eli's beach vacation and a basket of bread that wasn't meant for him. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddadsFor comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon!

Aug 21, 2026 · 45 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

DOD294: Hi Bored, We're Dad

The dads dive into a discussion about boredom, and what kind of responsibility you have as a parent to prevent or resolve it for your kids. And at the end, Tom gives a sneak peek for this episode's patron-exclusive 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 SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon!

Aug 14, 2026 · 50 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

DOD293: "My Partner Threw Something At Me and Our Son..."

After talking about AI and Tom's cat adoption journey, the dads turn to a concerning listener email that is asking the wrong question. 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!

Aug 12, 2026 · 41 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry

DOD292: Thomas Turns Old

Thomas turned 40 and is crumbling to dust before our very eyes. He chose poorly. The dads start planning his funeral and talking about what it means to be old. Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddadsFor comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com For extended episodes, bonus content, and most importantly, for an AD FREE SHOW, make sure to pledge on Patreon!

Aug 7, 2026 · 46 min · With Thomas Smith, Eli Bosnick & Tom Curry