The latest from Spawned: Our award-winning parenting podcast
Why our parenting stories matter, with author Zibby Owens | Spawned Episode 270
Liz and I have a special place in our hearts for storytelling, because that's how we first met online almost 17 years ago. That can't be right, can it? We connected through our personal blogs—Mom 101 and Motherhood Uncensored—and the rest is Cool Mom Picks history....
Gen Z: They’re not snowflakes, they’re warriors. Here’s the data to prove it. | Spawned Ep 269
The world feels like a pretty awful place right now. I've seen a lot of people in my social feeds say things like, "it must be hard to have kids and have to explain things like the Russian aggression against Ukraine to them." I always think that yes, sure it is --...
Why we need play, levity, and romance, even in a pandemic | Spawned Episode 208
As we continue to navigate through this unchartered pandemic territory, it's easy for us to think that this isn't the time for play, levity, or romance. But as it turns out, those experiences are even more important now than ever, which is something we chat about with...
The GenX midlife crisis: It’s real, you’re not alone, and it’s not your fault. | Spawned Ep 207
This week on Spawned, I have a fantastic, encouraging conversation with Ada Calhoun, prolific author and writer, who's always got her finger on the pulse of culture. Her latest book, Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis (from Amazon, Indiebound, or on...
How to be the fun mom, with thoughts from fun dad and Magic for Humans host Justin Willman | Spawned Episode 206
On our special Father's Day edition of our Spawned podcast, we wanted to figure out how we can get a little more credit for being the fun parent from a dad who is peak fun. We're talking about magician and dad Justin Willman, who's also the creator and host of one of...
More coolness from recent weeks…
6 tuition-free classes that help your teens learn online this summer — without you standing over their shoulders.
Over the last few months, we've shared some informative posts to help the newbies among us succeed more with homeschooling -- or more accurately, helping us to guide our kids through the at-home learning they're getting from their schools. So much has happened since...
How to play 5 new card games for kids using a regular deck of cards
We've all had a lot of (ahem) together time recently, and we're honestly starting to get a bit bored the same board games. There's only so many rounds of Apples to Apples I can play before it's not so funny anymore. So lately, we've turned to some easy card games kids...
The long-awaited Hamilton film is coming this summer to Disney Plus! Here’s how to watch.
It's hard to argue the fact that Hamilton has done for musical theater (and for American history) what Harry Potter did for reading a decade or so before, turning an entirely new generation of kids -- and especially kids of color -- into fans of the performing arts....
How to Be a Person (aka how to raise responsible, independent kids), with author Catherine Newman | Spawned Episode 201
Do your kids know how to do laundry? Do your teens know how to leave a tip? It's amazing how many life skills tend to fall through the cracks when it comes to raising our kids. That's why we're so excited to chat with Catherine Newman, whose new book How to Be a...
These custom photo paint-by-number art kits are the coolest gift of the summer
We've played countless rounds of cards and assembled literally thousands of puzzle pieces lately, but our new favorite obsession in my house has been paint-by-number kits. So when I discovered these custom photo paint-by-number art kits on beautiful canvases from...
Mother’s Day and grandmas: Beautifully simple ideas to help you to feel close when you’re apart
While many of us will wake up on Mother's Day to breakfast in bed, a few handmade cards and crafts, or hopefully at minimum some well wishes and a day of semi-relaxation, we are also thinking about all the grandmas on Mother's Day. There are so many we are fortunate...
What Liz is reading around the web this week: What’s cool, interesting, reassuring, or just makes you smile.
I don't need to share any Coronavirus charts or "the world is sucking right now" articles, that's for sure. Instead, here are the articles, stories, essays, and videos I've been bookmarking, passing along to friends, or just saving for myself. Give yourself a little...
7 of our favorite Mother’s Day ecards that say all the things you want to say right now
This year definitely feels like an e-card year when it's come to Mother's Day. While we love supporting the post office all we can, some of us have just been too overwhelmed to remember to pick out a card in time. And plenty of us aren't able to browse the card...
Parenting middle schoolers during a pandemic with author Judith Warner | Spawned Ep 200
Parenting through a pandemic is no easy feat, as we're all learning for the first time. But parenting middle schoolers seems extra challenging. But thanks to the insights of our guest Judith Warner, author of several best selling books and the new And Then They...
15 easy recycled Mother’s Day gifts your kids can make from stuff you have right at home | Mother’s Day Gift Guide
On Mother's Day for the past few years, I've always loved my kids' homemade gifts and cards most of all. But, this year, I don't want my family to worry about shopping for craft supplies to make, or to have to go anywhere to buy me something. It made me think that...
10 books to help kids and teens cope with anxiety during Covid 19. Because it may be getting harder, not easier.
Anxiety had already been a concern for many of our kids before the Covid pandemic hit, and as we all know, the current situation isn't helping. All of us are having to navigate an entirely new way of life right now, and it can be particularly hard on kids. Their...
8 creative ways to thank our teachers during a very different Teacher Appreciation Week
If there is any year we should all be making sure we send an extra thank you to our favorite teachers, it's this one. They're reimagining their entire spring curriculum so that kids can continue to learn from home, they're getting up to speed on using Zoom and other...
19 of the best subscription boxes for moms this Mother’s Day, so they can feel the love even longer
This year for Mother's Day, we wanted to be sure to round up some of the best subscription boxes for mom out there. After all, mail is a bit delayed right now, making standard shipping a risk for last-minute gifts in some cases. We also know that moms are needing a...
5 creative ways we’ve been using Houseparty to stay connected to our own friends and family during quarantine
With about six weeks into this COVID-19 quarantine, we're all desperately longing for the connection of faraway friends and family. And while texting, phone calls, even writing letters (yes, remember those?) are a great salve to what we're all feeling, there's nothing...
Cute animal face masks for kids make time outside feel more like Halloween than Quarantine
This past weekend, during a (responsibly socially distant) walk around my neighborhood, I saw a little kid wearing an adorable animal face mask just like the ones I just discovered from Cubcoats. (In fact, it may have been from Cubcoats but I wasn't close enough to...
How to explain social distancing to young kids: This free downloadable Princess in Black comic book helps
My three-year-old son still thinks the Novel Coronavirus is something he can defeat with a solid dropkick. (Oh, how I wish that were true, buddy!) But as cute as he is, his confusion about COVID-19 and quarantine best practices has created some real problems. And I...
Virgie Tovar talks about body positivity and self love, and why it’s so important right now | Spawned Ep 199
If you're like us, then you've probably seen a whole lot of weight-related pandemic memes and posts on social media. Whether it's the kind of worn out "Gaining the COVID-19" joke to talking about "letting ourselves go," ours pretty amazing how much weight and body...
16 fabulous Mother’s Day gifts that give back to Covid relief and healthcare workers | Mother’s Day Gift Guide
We've always had a heart for Mother's Day gifts that give back, but this year, we're focusing on gifts that give back to Covid relief efforts, including donations to frontline healthcare workers, food banks, restaurant workers, and all kinds of incredible...
16 special Mother’s Day gifts from the kids this year: Gifts to make, gifts to buy, gifts to mail
As we keep saying, this year's Mother's Day gifts from the kids are going to be something extra special. If you're sheltering in place together, you'll have to secretly have something delivered or find the time -- and space! -- to help the kids make something without...
Humor, struggles, and clown sex with Tova Leigh | Spawned Ep 198
Tova Leigh is the exact person we needed to talk to this week. At least if these days, your dream social life would include time with a few friends for some real talk, real laughs, some needed venting, and a random reference to clown sex. No wonder this episode was...
7 special graduation ideas during Covid-19 for your 2020 grad. They deserve it!
Our Facebook groups have been asking for graduation ideas during Covid-19 and quarantine, and as a mom to a rising senior, and a high school grad last year, my heart goes out to all the 2020 grads. While school kids everywhere have had their lives and routines upended...