On this week’s episode, Carvell and Gabe discuss an accidental dirty joke fail while getting a Christmas tree and a rare bureaucratic triumph. Then, they take questions from listeners about how to deal with a son’s friend who is being a jerk but is also dealing with grief and what to think of your kid’s passionate - yet perhaps difficult - professional artistic ambitions. In Slate Plus, executive editor Allison Benedikt joins to discuss a Chanukah-related technological triumph.

Recommendations:

• Gabe recommends Not a Boxby Antoinette Portis

• Carvell recommends The Tale of Despereauxby Kate DiCamillo

Join us on Facebook and email us at momanddad@slate.com to tell us what you thought of today’s show and give us ideas for what we should talk about in future episodes. Got questions that you’d like us to answer? Call and leave us a message at 424-255-7833.

Podcast produced by Max Jacobs.

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