Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
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 --...
“There’s nothing romantic about depression” | Spawned Ep 268
This week, I was really happy to get to sit down and chat with Amy Koppelman, director, writer, and producer of the recent film A Mouthful of Air starring Amanda Seyfried and Finn Wittrock. It's based on on Amy's critically acclaimed novel inspired by her own...
More coolness from recent weeks…
The impact of Covid on kids: Anya Kamenetz on what we know and what we don’t yet | Spawned Ep 285
This week on Spawned, I have the honor of welcoming back the wonderful Anya Kamenetz, NPR Education reporter and author, to talk about her new book, The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Kids' Lives...and Where We Go Now. I will tell you this: From the title alone, this...
200+ of the best gifts for kids by age: The ultimate guide for birthdays and holidays!
Every year, it's our joy to put together our guide to the best gifts for kids by age, from one-year-olds to those picky tweens and teens. To be sure, this is a (long, long) labor of love! Christina and I spend literally months combing the corners of the web to create...
Over 20 of the best Advent calendars for 2022: From the magical to the luxurious, to… goofy dad jokes?
I'm just about ready to think about all things Thanksgiving, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that NOW is the time to order an amazing Advent calendar so you can start the countdown to Christmas on December 1st. The best ones goes fast! Which is why we've rounded...
25 wonderful Hanukkah gifts for toddlers to teens 2022 | Holiday Gift Guide
With Hanukkah coming up December 18, it's time to share some of the best Hanukkah gifts for kids in 2022 -- that actually are Hanukkah gifts. Because this year, more than previous years, a lot of us are really thinking about what it means to be Jewish and to celebrate...
Voting help and Election Day resources 2022: How to find your voting place, watch the polls, report voter intimidation and more.
You might have heard, but there's a super important midterm election this Tuesday, November 8 in the US. There's a lot on the line that impacts our lives, including bodily autonomy for women and girls, the cost of prescription drugs, maintaining social security, and...
Download this free printable gratitude coloring page to make your Thanksgiving table extra special
One of our readers' favorite posts over the past few years has been Kate's roundup of 5 beautiful gratitude journal printables for kids -- and frankly, for us adults too. Related: 8 gratitude activities to practice with your kids this Thanksgiving Click over and...
What you need to know about perimenopause, with Dr. Makeba Williams | Spawned Episode 284
If you're like me, you got to your mid-40s and suddenly started to get weird period symptoms and sort-of hot flashes and night sweats and asked yourself, "Wait, is this perimenopause?" Well, we're not the only ones. Even though perimenopause happens to all of us women...
What to do with leftover Halloween candy: 11 creative ideas besides you know, just eating it.
We're always happy to offer up parents ideas for what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy you'll surely end up with. Well, at least after the small gorge-fest that your trick-or-treaters may be entitled to after all their hard work. So we've put together some...
The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care, by Rina Raphael | Spawned Ep 283
I will never think of yoga, supplements, activated charcoal or bath salts the same again. Today Show producer turned health/wellness journalist, Rina Raphael, joined me to talk about her absolutely fascinating, fairly funny, and very smart new book The Gospel of...
12 fantastic no-carve pumpkin ideas for kids of all ages.
Who here is a fan of no-carve pumpkins for Halloween? As someone with a toddler who definitely shouldn't be anywhere near sharp objects, I've become a staunch convert. And as someone who doesn't always get to my Halloween pumpkin until the last-minute, it beats the...
9 fun free printable Halloween coloring pages to help keep little fingers out of the candy stash
I've been looking around the web for some great free printable Halloween coloring pages (did I mention free?) to help keep the kiddos occupied while the adults polish off that first bag of peanut butter cups. If your kids are anything like ours, your cobwebs are up,...
2 inspiring new books for our change-making girls: International Day of the Girl Child picks
If you know our site, you know it doesn't have to be International Day of the Girl Child for us to recommend inspiring new books for girls. And yet, today is that day, and I just happen to have a couple of new books on my desk that I'm excited to share with you. Oh,...
How to raise media-savvy kids and help them BS-proof their brains: Dr. Seema Yasmin | Spawned Ep 282
According to Dr. Seema Yasmin, we're living through a misinformationdemic. I've always thought that media literacy should be a mandatory subject for kids, but it's never been more evident than today -- so I'm incredibly grateful for Seema's wonderfully helpful,...
The ultimate hurricane and storm preparedness checklist: 30+ ideas from parents who have been there.
As Puerto Rico is still feeling the results of last week's Hurricane Fiona (and can still use our aid and support) we're now turning our concern to friends in the path of Hurricane Ian right now. And we know a lot of you are looking for tips to help get you prepared...
This wonderful activity kit for kids welcomes refugees to their new home.
As the daughter of an immigrant and a long-time resident of Massachusetts, I watched in disgust as Florida's governor tried to humiliate and punish vulnerable migrants by flying them, unannounced, to the island of Martha's Vineyard. Without any support systems in...
Developing healthy eating habits and positive food relationships with our tweens and teens | Spawned Episode 281
We're back with Season 6 of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, launching our new season with an incredibly helpful episode about developing healthy eating habits and positive food relationships with tweens and teens. But, our guest, Nicole Cruz, a registered dietician...
What Liz is reading this week: Links to check out, from dream analysis to shocking truths about “maternal instinct”
There is so much good reporting these days, so many good op-eds, so many independent journalists and bloggers and substacks worth reading these days and I thought I'd share a few of the articles I've really found fascinating lately. I tend to read a lot about...
Gen Z for Equity: This teen’s small business is taking a stand against racism
If your kids' book covers or school folders are looking a little plain this early in the school year, take a look at the cool social justice stickers we've just discovered from new, teen-led Etsy shop Gen Z for Equity. The stickers were all designed by creative...
The personalized baby shower favor that was too cute not to share immediately
As I mentioned recently, my heart has always been with small businesses, and particularly those run by women. So when I came across this completely adorable baby onesie teabag -- personalized, no less! -- I had to share it. This post contains affiliate links and some...
The Immersive Nutcracker is the ultimate experience gift for families this holiday.
This is a sponsored message from The Immersive Nutcracker For generations, The Nutcracker has been an essential part of so many families' holiday traditions. The classic story never fails to make a little magic for our children, no matter how many times they've seen...
5 fabulous boots and booties for fall 2022, and their affordable Target dupes
Back to school for my kids means back to boots for me. Seems fair, right? Take one peek at any fall 2022 shoe trend post at your favorite style magazine and it's boots, boots, and more boots, which yay! because I have that category covered in my closet. But that...