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The hard talks we need to have with our kids (and how to have them) | Spawned Episode 294
As parents, we know that there are going to be difficult conversations that we need to have — about sex, violence, relationships, substances — but it can be hard to know how to actually talk about them. That's where author Michelle Icard can help. Her book, Fourteen...
Melinda Wenner Moyer’s parenting strategies to raise good kids into great adults | Spawned Episode 293
We often discuss what it takes to raise kind, generous, ambitious, resilient, wonderful kids who will become kind, generous, ambitious, resilient, wonderful adults. Which is why we wanted to bring back one of our favorite interviews -- parenting and science journalist...
Reaching your organizational goals: Sarah Hart-Unger on prioritizing, organizing, and managing time | Ep 292
Is a messy desk a sign of a messy mind? Is organization something we just have to give up for a while as parents? Is a single, perfect whiteboard the key to solving all your time management woes? Sarah Hart-Unger of the podcasts Best Laid Plans and Best of Both Worlds...
Being mixed race in America, with author Lauren Kung Jessen | Spawned Episode 291
As a mixed-race Chinese American, I've struggled to feel a sense of belonging. I grew up feeling more accepted by the German (white) side of my family. Then, as I got older, I learned more about the Chinese side of my family and felt a connection to the experiences of...
Preserving memories in the 21st century. Shouldn’t this be easier? | Spawned Episode 290
If you're like me, you thought that smartphones and tablets would make it a whole lot easier to grab photos and videos of your kids. But while they do make it easier to make memories, actually preserving them and being able to organize and then find them is a whole...
So much coolness. Where to start…
Social media, sexuality and school shootings: Tips for 10 hard talks every parent will have with their kids
I've entered the parenting stage that involves a lot more talking about the important issues in my kids' lives -- and in the world around them. Which is why we're sharing these tips for hard talks to have with your kids. There's something really special about this...
Raising kids to be good collaborators in 4 simple lessons | Life Skills Series
In our three-part Life Skills Series, we've shared tips to help you raise critical thinkers and to raise problem-solvers. Now, I'm excited to share ideas around collaborating and working together. Because what the world needs now (besides love, sweet love) is more...
Raising smart problem solvers: 4 tips to help parents teach kids | Life Skills Series
In the first post of our Life Skills Series, we shared tips to help you raise critical thinkers. And next up, we're talking about how to teach your kids problem-solving skills. As adults, we know how important they are in our everyday lives, but it's hard to think...
Raising critical thinkers: 6 expert tips for parents | Life Skills Series
If one thing has become abundantly clear over the past few years, our kids are growing up seeing all kinds of problems we face in the world, and they're increasingly asking us what they can do, or how they can be part of the solution. That's pretty awesome. And what's...
The worst parenting advice we got: 10 tips you definitely want to ignore as a new parent
Raise your hand if you've ever gotten terrible parenting advice! Wait, all of you who have kids? Ha, yes. Of course all of us have. It's like a rite of passage for new parents. But the good thing is, with some perspective and guidance, you can help separate the good...
24 cool, creative Easter basket ideas for kids all under $20. (We love them all!)
We love finding cool, creative Easter basket ideas for kids that are still affordable. I mean, yes, there are always jellybeans and Peeps, but maybe consider some of these cool Easter basket ideas under $20 as ideas that can be a little more special -- after all,...
What’s the story of the real St. Patrick’s Day? History Channel to the rescue.
If you're one of those parents who can answer any question without saying let's go check the internet! like I do, then more power to you. As for me, I was researching the story of the real St. Patrick's Day to help explain it to my kids, and came across the wonderful...
14 seriously cute Easter gifts for babies to keep them from eating the fake grass
Looking for cute Easter gifts for a baby's first (or second) Easter is always so fun. So much cuteness! So much pastel! So many rabbits! And the best part is, you can save all the good chocolate for yourself. We skipped the fussy baby bow ties and itchy crinoline...
Melinda Wenner Moyer’s parenting strategies to raise good kids into great adults | Spawned Episode 293
We often discuss what it takes to raise kind, generous, ambitious, resilient, wonderful kids who will become kind, generous, ambitious, resilient, wonderful adults. Which is why we wanted to bring back one of our favorite interviews -- parenting and science journalist...
5 ways summer camp can help your kids grow emotionally: From a mom who’s seen it first-hand.
I am what you'd call a camp evangelist, especially after seeing all the ways summer camp has helped my kids grow. And I've had a long time to be able to see that growth -- our youngest is about to finish her ninth (!) year at the same camp, while her stepsister is now...
7 cool, reusable snack containers for kids that beat plastic bags
We've got a gaggle of snackers in our homes, so cool snack containers for kids are an absolute must. They're a far more eco-friendly choice over plastic bags, which as we all know by now, not only saves waste but plenty of money over the long run. Plus, we've found...
16 of our favorite hygge gifts for everyone who needs more comfort and coziness right now
Hygge gifts may be a new category for a lot of us who don't have families from Denmark, but it's something we could all use more of these days. It's the Danish concept of coziness -- a lifestyle all about finding comfort, pleasure, and warmth in simple things that...
7 wonderful children’s books about African-American pioneers your children may not know — yet
It's safe to say that during Black History Month in particular, our children are learning all about our nation's great civil rights leaders, like Martin Luther King, Jr.,  Rosa Parks and Frederick Douglass. But, as you may recall from the film Hidden Figures, it...
Reaching your organizational goals: Sarah Hart-Unger on prioritizing, organizing, and managing time | Ep 292
Is a messy desk a sign of a messy mind? Is organization something we just have to give up for a while as parents? Is a single, perfect whiteboard the key to solving all your time management woes? Sarah Hart-Unger of the podcasts Best Laid Plans and Best of Both Worlds...
24 cheap, easy, sexy ideas for date night at home. Because shockingly, parents can’t always get out.
We're all about trying to find enjoyable, cheap and easy ideas for date night at home, especially for those of us with kids who'd like a little extra help rekindling that proverbial spark when we're stuck sans sitter. Even if it's just a few hours off from actually...
The Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria: What we can do to help
As the overwhelmingly huge rescue and recovery efforts are underway in southern Türkiye and northern Syria after the devastating 7.8 earthquake, so many of us want to find ways to help the 15 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The numbers of dead keep...
These creative teens have turned a passion for tie-dye into an amazing charitable effort.
We have heard that the kids are alright. And in today's world, it's always exciting to see teens who are not just being entrepreneurial, but doing good things with their efforts. Like really, really good things. Enter Tie Dye For A Good Cause. New York teens Ella, Eve...
Cool Valentine’s Day jewelry for women: 14 pieces that are edgy, funky, and anything but traditional.
I have always loved the range of cool Valentine's Day jewelry for women, like me, who aren't quite into the traditional stuff. Nothing wrong with a solid sterling Tiffany heart necklace of course! But if you're shopping for Valentine's Day jewelry for a woman who...
14 excellent new children’s books for Black History Month – and the rest of the year too
February is Black History Month, which gives us a great opportunity to share some of our favorite new books about Black history for kids. But honestly, we are always looking for smart, educational, and enlightening children's books about and by Black Americans for our...
16 truly special Valentine’s gifts for best friends who could use a little extra love right now
Valentine's gifts for best friends isn't always something that comes top of mind when we're shopping for gifts for the kids or our significant other. But c'mon -- could we have gotten through the past couple of years without all the amazing friends in our lives?...
Outstanding videos and resources to teach our kids about the Holocaust on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Today marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Memorial Day. It's particularly poignant this year, with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp. The sad truth is, the older we all get, the more the survivors and...