How to talk to your kids about politics? Ken Burns has a book for that.
This election cycle has been pretty brutal, leaving a lot of us wondering how to talk to our kids about politics. Well, I just got a copy of Grover Cleveland, Again! by the celebrated documentarian Ken Burns and illustrator Gerald Kelley, and I’m convinced that...
Earmuffs! Or, how to talk to your kids about politics during an ugly election season
I’ve always aimed to raise my kids to be politically aware and engaged, and to help them understand how valuable their voting rights are and how important it is to become an informed voter. Ever since they were toddlers, I’ve taken them into the election...
How to talk to your kids about prejudice with the help of 12 of our favorite books
It’s been a big few weeks for America, hasn’t it? From the heartbreak of the Charleston shootings to the landmark #LoveWins Supreme Court decision to the Girl Scouts donor dust-up, people everywhere are talking about prejudice. While I’ve seen such a...
How to talk to your kids about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
Like probably all of you, we are completely overwhelmed with sadness about the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings that happened this morning in Newtown, Connecticut. Along with our thoughts that are with the families affected by this tragedy, and we’ll be...
Why it’s important to talk to your kids about religion (even if you’re not religious): 3 books to help guide your conversation
As a full-time religious studies professor for the past fifteen years, I’ve lost track of how many fellow parents have asked for recommendations when their kids started asking questions about religion. While evangelical Christians and other religious “insiders” tend...
Should you send your kids back to school? 14 considerations parents are talking about to help guide you | Spawned 211
This week on the Spawned with Kristen + Liz Parenting Podcast, we knew there was only one topic we could possibly cover: Sending our kids back to school As in, should we send our kids back to school? When should we send our kids back to school? Ack! It seems to be...
What is Indigenous People’s Day? Great resources for talking to your kids, because Native American history is American history.
Today, the second Monday in October, is the day that’s been traditionally celebrated as “Columbus Day” in the U.S., but knowing now what we know about Christopher Columbus, the holiday is fast transforming into Indigenous People’s Day. If...
Dr. Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech in its entirety: Where to watch, and what to talk about with your kids
Today we commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s life and legacy, as we have every year since we started this site. Over the years, we’ve shared plenty of excellent books, videos, resources, and websites to help kids understand the reason for MLK Day. And...
How do you talk to your kids about suicide and depression? Resources + tips for a very tough subject
With the tragic, high-profile suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain in the news this week, surely a lot of our kids are going to be asking questions about suicide. To top it off, they may have heard last month’s announcement about a second season of 13...Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!
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