Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Margaret Ables on how moms can have more holiday fun – not just make it for everyone else | Spawned ep 288
I have been thinking a lot about the pressure on moms to make the holidays magic! Perfect! Memorable! Fun all day and all night! But what we don't talk about enough, is how we can have more fun over the holidays -- not necessarily to make more fun. And the perfect...
Why the sex talk with your kids is more important than ever | Spawned Ep 287
It's not the first time we've talked about the sex talk on Spawned, but if your school district is like mine (and many across the country), they are making sex education an optional, home-taught module. That means, we need to be more invested than ever in ensuring our...
Why our teens are so darn tired, with author Lisa L. Lewis | Spawned Episode 286
Just when I thought I was pretty aware of what I needed to know about teens and sleep, I got my hands on Lisa L. Lewis's book The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, And How Parents And Schools Can Help Them Thrive and I realized there was so much I...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Easter Baskets for Teens and Tweens: Look no further than these 28 amazing ideas!
It can be hard putting together cool Easter baskets for teens and tweens. While our youngest kids may be content with a stuffed rabbit and a basket full of candy-filled plastic eggs, I'm excited to treat my three kids with some cool Easter gifts for teens that they'll...
Where to get your hands on the new Betsey Johnson x Peeps handbag
If you have a Peeps obsession like so many of us, you have to peep (sorry) the new Betsey Johnson x Peeps rhinestone bunny bag that's out just in time for Easter. In classic yellow, hot pink, or baby blue, this crossbody bag is tricked out in a bevy of rhinestones,...
Lovevery Baby: the beautifully curated developmental toy box subscription that parents adore
Pretend for a moment you have a personal shopper for your baby or young child -- who also happens to have amazing taste and a degree in developmental psychology. Well, that's basically what you get with Lovevery Baby, a wonderful subscription service that curates and...
The cant-miss women’s clothing sales to look for right now
We've been sharing plenty of sales and cool finds for updating your home for spring, but if it's your wardrobe that needs a refresh, we've got you covered there too! Here are just 9 shops you should be browsing if you want to find something you love for less. Find...
Revamp your spring decor with these 8 shops you may not have considered
Are you excited about updating your home decor for spring? You're in luck because we have a list of 8 shops that you might not have considered for beautiful, affordable, lovely things. Whenever people think about refreshing their furniture, or home decor, or adding...
The new Etsy Gift Mode: Try it, it’s fun!
Over the past few weeks, Etsy has slowly rolled out a new tool called Etsy Gift Mode. It's essentially a "gift finder" search function that lets you look for gifts for a particular person (teacher, partner, baby, coworker), select the occasion, and then choose 3 or...
The Best End of Season Sales: We found deep discounts on beauty, fashion, tech, kids, home + more
I spent the last few days digging through 5 of the biggest retailers with the best end-of-season deals, just to help you all head right to the good stuff with the best discounts. And wow -- there's a whole lot that's raising my eyebrows right now. Whether you're...
Tween sports journalist Pepper Persley won’t let the bullies win.
"The most meaningful piece of advice...never change who I am because of what others say...know that there are people who will support me for being me." Isn't that a message we want all our kids to grow up with? If it needs a little reinforcement -- which is sometimes...
Acne Studio scarves alternatives: Get the “It Scarf” or just get the look for less
I feel like my entire social feed of fashionistas have been consumed with Acne Studio scarves as of late, with commenters wondering where to get them, why they're so expensive, and then of course, where to get them for less. Or at least how to reasonably steal the...
Protecting trans kids: We can do better. We must do better.
Reading about this week's tragic death of Nex Benedict has been simply devastating. Nex was a perfectly normal, happy, loving and loved 16-year-old child, who was beaten to death by three older students in their Oklahoma high school bathroom. This, after months of...
How to set up the perfect playroom for kids when you don’t have a lot of space: 8 expert tips
We love the idea of setting up a playroom for kids so that our children have their own space. But not all of us have an entire room to spare for play. Still, that doesn't mean you need to sacrifice half your living room or give up your dining room table. There are so...
Tons of creative last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts that won’t seem last minute at all
You’re almost out of time, lover. Good news: We’ve rounded up creative last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts that will remind your honey how much you love them every day. Even if you also have to love them enough to pay a ton for quick shipping or to run out and find a...
Black History Month for Kids: The best new Black history picture books they’ll love all year
We invite you to celebrate Black History Month for kids -- yours or any others! -- with our picks for the top books for kids that showcase the diverse and inspiring stories of African American heroes and leaders. Black history has never been a topic we discuss just...
Easy Last Minute Valentine’s Day Crafts That Kids Can Make
Even if Valentine's Day is coming up quick, there's still time for kids to make these last-minute craft ideas and printables to make anyone's February 14 extra special. (Even if their sweetheart is just Dad or Mom.) While a full school week left until Valentine's Day...
12 anti-Valentine’s gifts for people who hate Valentine’s Day (you know who you are!)
Each year, we love putting together Valentine's Day gift ideas, but I admittedly have had a love/hate relationship with Valentine's Day throughout my life. Love the opportunity to tell people in my life I love them, hate the pressure. Love helping my kids spread their...
40 of the Best Gifts for Girlfriends: Stylish, Sexy, Soulful + Smart
Finding the right gifts for girlfriends – romantic or otherwise – is so important. It's a way to say "I get you and you matter to me," whether you sleep in the same bed, or she’s your BFF from college who you catch up with once a year. What makes these particular...
Cool Valentine’s gifts for teens on Etsy … that they might actually like!
If you’re looking for cool Valentine's gifts for teens, we're happy to present a whole bunch of the best gift finds, all supporting the real makers we love on Etsy. I mean we've always been the place to find unique Valentine’s gifts for everyone on your list, but this...
Our favorite Valentine’s gifts for kids on Etsy this year, no cap
Sure Valentine’s Day is traditionally for our sweethearts, but we love giving adorable Valentine’s gifts for kids we find on Etsy. (Almost as much as we love embarrassing them by saying "no cap.) So I searched like crazy to find some Valentine's gifts for kids I can...
We found the best Valentine’s gifts on Etsy for boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses and partners. All made with love.
You don't have spend hours to find the best Valentine's gifts on Etsy for your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, partner, or sweetheart. Because we did it for you! We get it: searching for creative Valentine's gifts is hard in general, let alone finding actual makers on...
Sweet, easy Valentine’s Day crafts young kids can make their BFFs.
This year we're making sure that friend love doesn't get neglected on Valentine's Day, and so I've rounded up 8 awesome crafts that celebrate your kids' BFFs in the most adorable ways. Because while I can barely tell you the names of my middle school boyfriends (and...
These Valentine’s Day gift ideas are perfect for boys who aren’t so into the hearts and romance stuff
Valentine's Day has a tendency to skew all lace and hearts and sweetness, so as moms of boys, we wanted to find some cool gifts they would appreciate too. Of course these gifts are not just for boys, because cool Valentine's gift ideas know no gender -- but it is hard...