If you’re like us, these last few weeks of the election have been pretty stressful. Between listening to the rhetoric ourselves and trying to shield our kids (or speak to them about it in a way that makes sense), we’re feeling overwhelmed. So, we decided to talk about self care, and what we like to do when we’re feeling as though we’re about to blow up.

On this episode of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we share our favorite self-care tips, from bingewatching face-eating vampires (Liz) to meditating on Denzel Washington’s eyes (Kristen), even having sex (gasp!), we’ve got plenty of ways to de-stress and find some serenity now. Because yes, the election is important. But so is your mental health.

You can listen here, and make sure to subscribe to Spawned on iTunes so you never miss an episode:

Be kind to yourself art via Rad Quote Shop on etsy

Links from Episode 56

– Here’s what happened when Kristen put her phone away around her kids (if you’re thinking of doing a little social media blackout). Spoiler: It’s liberating!

– If you can’t do a complete social media blackout, here are some tips for how to turn off notifications.

– We’re all for binge watching! Meet the Patels is a fantastic documentary we highly recommend.

– We love adult coloring books, especially the Ryan Gosling one.

– Music can be a great escape. Liz is loving these tiny desk concerts.

– Kristen’s sex book, in case that’s how you cope (we’re all for it).

This Week’s Sponsor 

This week’s episode of Spawned is brought to you by FlapJacked, a tasty high-protein pancake mix you can feel good about. No added sugar, no GMOs, no wheat, no artificial ingredients — and kids love it! It’s packed with 20g of protein and 5g of fiber, and so easy to make; just add water and mix. Plus, you can whip it into all sorts of awesome recipes, like muffins, breads, even donuts (which we think is a delicious way to care for yourself during these stressful times).

Visit flapjacked.com to find 100 recipe ideas, plus save $10 off your purchase online through this link with code COOLMOM.

Our Cool Picks of the Week

Liz: The amazing Everyday Bravery pins from Emily McDowell.

Kristen: Our Cool Mom Picks Halloween mug. Bring on the mommy tax.

Special guest listener Alexis: Strategy card games, like Hanabi and Machi Koro.

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We love hearing from you! Drop us an email spawned@mompicksprod.wpengine.com and tell us your favorite cool pick and we might feature you. And thanks for subscribing to our podcast and telling a friend. Or 17. If you do, we’ll send you a mug. For real.