MEET THE BOYS
About the Podcast
Gen X and Gen Z live together, but we occupy different worlds. As the generational gap widens and conventional wisdom on parenting and education fails, is it even possible to understand one another? In this unique son-and-father podcast, Aidan & Ash ElDifrawi hash out a new contract between generations, forcing them to violate comfort zones on today’s most charged topics: social media and screen time, bullying and loneliness, inequality and privilege, sex and drugs, education and etiquette, even politics, religion, and sports. All to uncover a path toward greater harmony and a hopeful future for the next generation.
Meet my son Aidan, a Zoomer who just turned 16, and recently entered his sophomore year in high school last Fall, 2020. Now of course I’m biased, but I think the kid’s a bit of a prodigy, just like his old man. He must be wicked smart because he aces his classes despite never studying enough as far as I’m concerned. I’m also impressed with his broad range of interests. He’s a Star Wars geek but also works out with me almost every day. The boy does love his video games but is also a certified lifeguard. He’s on the swim and water polo teams but also loves to solve complex math problems. He’s also on the board of his school’s Model UN club. He’s loyal and dedicated to a really cool group of friends. He can be a bit moody, but then again, that’s synonymous with being a teenager. Not surprisingly, the boy loves a good debate, which was the genesis of our Podcast. Depite all his great qualities, as you’ll hear, I still kick his butt most of the time when we get into a heated argument. Most importantly, Aidan is kind, generous, funny, sensitive, confident, full of integrity, and his smile lights up a room. I love him dearly, and there’s nothing in my life I’m more proud of than being his father.
Meet my dad, Ash, a Gen-X’er who recently turned old every year for as long as I can remember. My dad has been massively successful throughout his life, but he’s modest and down to earth. He keeps it real. What you see is what you get with him. I love to hang out with him, and all my friends think he’s super cool. His life resume is as eclectic as it is impressive, and somehow, he manages to juggle a ridiculous amount of stuff in his life. He’s been an executive at some of the most prestigious companies in the world (he’s currently a CMO); he sits on multiple Boards, he’s a Clinical Psychologist; he wrote a book on Happiness; he manages his men’s basketball league; he works out regularly; he does this podcast with me; and still manages to rub my mom’s feet on the couch almost every night. Most importantly, he pushes me to be a better person, preaches for me to have a growth mindset, and constantly reminds me that it all comes down to my character.