Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Pandemic fails, data-driven parenting, and how to make better decisions for your family, with author Emily Oster | Spawned Podcast episode 262
In the course of our parenting lives, we make a whole lot of decisions, so when I read Emily Oster's most recent book The Family Firm, which offers a very smart, data-driven method to decision making, I really wanted to chat with her on our Spawned podcast. But then I...
Kids, gratitude, and the holiday season: Can parents do better? | Spawned ep 261
As we head into the holiday season, which can be filled with the abundance of food, gifts, and celebrations, we know that a lot of us struggle with all the excess. It's valuable for us to slow down as parents, and consider ways to help develop and express more...
Answering parents top questions about the Covid-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 | Spawned Ep 260
While some of us (including Kristen and myself) are rejoicing about the approval of the Covid-19 vaccine for kids 5-11, we know that a lot of parents still have questions. As you should! This is our kids we're talking about, and as parents, we research everything --...
More coolness from recent weeks…
My all-time favorite jean shorts are back at Target. Hooray!
As someone who basically lives in jean shorts once the weather gets warm enough, I've purchased a lot of pairs from many different places over the years. But when Lisa introduced me to these jean shorts at Target a couple of years ago, I've never worn anything else....
A comparison of the best kids consignment shops online: Where to buy, and where to sell.
Lately I've been on the hunt for the best websites for kids' consignment clothes and trying to compare them to help me find the best option for my own needs. Buying gently pre-owned clothes is more sustainable, for one thing, plus kids grow so fast! I know that for a...
A Kids Book About War: A free download that we wish didn’t have to be written
We've been posting a lot of resources about how to talk to our kids about the war in Ukraine as well as a list of wonderful children’s books about anxiety and worry. We wish we didn't have to, but that's the world we are living in right now, and we know that even our...
Moms are wondering, “What’s next for me in life?” Here’s one way to figure it out. | Spawned 272
If you've hit a point where you're asking yourself, "what's next for me? Should I keep this career? Should I dump this side hustle? And where should my efforts go when my kids are getting older?" you're definitely not alone. And this is the podcast episode that may...
3 of my favorite styling products for grey hair
If you've been growing out your grey hair, or have already finished like me, you'll probably notice that your new grey hair requires slightly different products for styling. I'll be honest: I feel pretty fortunate that my current grey hair texture is the same as my...
Wonderful children’s books about anxiety: for kids who are worried about the world around them
We were actually surprised to realize that that we hadn't yet put together a list for parents of children's books about anxiety. Considering how many other topics that children's books have helped us with -- from books about neurodiversity to children's books about...
Wordle nation, we found a Wordle t-shirt that’s as clever as you are!
I instantly knew this super clever Wordle t-shirt from the funny folks at RAYGUN was going to be a hit with so many people I know. I mean, anyone else wake up to a flurry of Wordle scores from their friends slash competitors every morning on Twitter? Yes? Me too. So I...
How to talk to kids about war and Ukraine: Expert tips from Melinda Wenner-Moyer | Spawned 271
After science journalist and author Melinda Wenner Moyer published the NY Times article, How to Talk to Your Kids About Ukraine, I knew we had to have her back on Spawned to elaborate on her 5 expert tips. You may remember Melinda from our recent interview on raising...
Beautiful, authentic Ukrainian Easter egg coloring pages that help support Ukrainian artists
As Easter gets closer, sitting down with Ukrainian Easter egg coloring pages and crayons or markers opens the door to talk to our kids about what they’re coloring — just as we mentioned in our roundup of fabulous, famous International Women’s History Month coloring...
This absolutely wonderful preschool program lets kids learn right from home
This is a sponsored message from New Sphere Not every preschool-aged child is currently enrolled in preschool, for all kinds of reasons -- maybe the ones near you are expensive, there are no seats available, or maybe your kids are just learning at home with parents....
Discover the Joy of Movement with Beyond Yoga: Empowering Mothers One Pose at a Time
In the journey of motherhood, finding time for self-care and physical well-being is essential, but it's often challenging. Beyond Yoga, a lifestyle brand that champions comfortable, stylish, and inclusive activewear, offers solutions that resonate with mothers across...
Gifts supporting Ukraine: 11 wonderful ideas with 100% of proceeds giving back to Ukrainian causes
As the war intensifies in Ukraine, so does the worldwide support, and that includes gifts supporting Ukraine like the ones I'm sharing here. We love that there are so many organizations helping Ukraine right now, and while we encourage donating generously to your...
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....
10 simple ways to find more time in a busy day. No magic required.
We would probably all love an extra hour in the day. Or two. Or six. Especially with the busy holiday season upon us right now. But since we're not magicians and we don't own a time machine (yet), the only way we'll be able to find extra time is if we take a good look...
Sunflower earrings for Ukraine: A sweet purchase for a great cause.
This spring, we hope to see sunflowers everywhere, and that includes sunflower earrings. Especially when they're giving back to Ukraine like the ones we've just found. Indie jewelry designer, mom and art director Farah Brigante of Naaz Design Co has created a...
Affordable music lessons from Grammy winners and Juilliard musicians, all from the comfort of your home
This is a sponsored message on behalf of Virtu.Academy Instilling a love of music and supporting your child's passion for the arts just got a whole lot easier and more affordable, thanks to Virtu.Academy, a convenient online platform that offers private music lessons...
This quick tip can make your donations go further for your favorite causes
Over the past few years, I've committed to my favorite charities and causes by changing my donations from end-of-year or once-in-a-while to an automated recurring monthly contribution. I've learned that it's a really solid, easy way to help organizations and...
21 fabulous, famous women coloring pages celebrating some of our favorite American women
One of the great ways to get our kids excited to learn about anything at all is through crafts and coloring pages. So for National Women's History Month this year, we searched the web to find some of the very best printable coloring pages featuring groundbreaking...
How we can protect transgender kids in Texas and throughout the U.S.
If you are as outraged as we are by last week's directive out of Texas that equates gender-affirming medical care to child abuse and calls on licensed professionals and members of the general public to report transgender parents of minors to the authorities, keep...
What we can do to help Ukraine right now: Donate, share, call
I know I'm not the only one worrying nonstop about citizens in Ukraine the past few days. Despite claims to the contrary, President Putin invaded Ukraine at multiple points on the Ukraine border this past week and seems to be targeting Ukrainian troops defending their...
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 --...