The latest from Spawned: Our award-winning parenting podcast
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...
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,...
Should we send our kids back to school? AKA The deja vu episode | Spawned Episode 246
Just when we thought back to school 2021 would be less stressful than 2020, the Delta variant decided to throw a huge, dangerous wrench into our decision. As so many parents struggle once again with sending their kids back to school, especially as many school...
On modeling body positivity for our kids: Where we succeed, where we can do better | Spawned Ep 245
When Kristen wrote a viral post last week about wearing crop tops over 40, in response to a conversation with her daughter, the comments from our readers were so inspiring, we knew we wanted to discuss body positivity further on Spawned. Interestingly, we each have...
These parenting tips from James Breakwell are lifesavers. Literally. | Spawned Ep 244
On this week's Spawned parenting podcast, we're bringing back a vintage episode with one of our very favorite guests on a very serious subject. Lifesaving, even. Because even though we made it through the pandemic, what are we supposed to do about unprincipled...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Your family’s hydration situation just got a whole lot easier.
With school around the corner -- which means sports and activities and all the things that keep us all very busy -- the challenge of keeping our kids (and ourselves) hydrated is top of mind. Actually, if I'm being honest, it's always at the top of my mind. I'm...
For every parent who’s yelled about stepping on a LEGO, this new Adidas collection is for you.
What parent among us has not joked, complained, or (possibly) cried about stepping on a LEGO brick at some point since having kids? Exactly. That's why I'm not sure which I love more -- the Adidas x LEGO sneaker collection, featuring sneakers that look like LEGOs, or...
Does DefenAge 6-week Perfection Neck Tightening Cream really perfect your neck? Here are my before and after photos.
I'm a woman on the other side of 40, and when DefenAge reached out to see if I'd like to try their 6-week Perfection Neck Tightening Cream, I said, "Why the heck not!" Let's see if in just six short weeks, I, too, can have a perfect neck! " Whatever the heck that...
If you’re a woman reentering the workforce, you won’t believe who’s offering free 1:1 mentorships
We all know that re-entering the workforce is particularly hard if you're a woman. Even more so if you're a mom who's taken time off to raise kids. Even more than that, if you're a mom of color. So here's to some incredible mentors who are doing something proactive to...
Barbie honors real-life healthcare heroes and wow, more stories like this please.
If the Barbie #ThankYouHeroes initiative isn't the epitome of our times, in the best possible way, I don't know what is. Barbie has added all kinds of famous role models to their collection in recent years, and now they're honoring some global women that you may not...
12 must-have electronics and small appliances for dorm rooms | Back to School Shopping Guide
It's kind of amazing that we're searching for the best small appliances for dorm rooms these days -- with our own teens in mind! It's like we blinked and our team went from back to school shopping for preschool backpacks to sending some of our oldest kids off to...
Try these must-read books for kids who like video games. Because all genres are good genres!
I've been searching the shelves of my local bookstore to find great books for kids who like video games. And I'm sharing them here, because I know I am not the only parent whose once-avid reader would much rather pick up an Xbox controller than a book these days!...
10 of our most popular summer articles to help get you through the season
This week we're doing something I don't think our team has done in 15+ years -- we are taking a full staff summer break. (Whoo!) Some of us are traveling, some of us are hanging with the kids, some of us are counting the seconds to Ted Lasso season 2, some of us are...
Making a Baby is the diverse, inclusive, very frank children’s picture book about sex and reproduction that we’ve been looking for
When my kids were in early elementary school, every parent I knew seemed to be looking for the perfect children's book about sex and reproduction. I cannot overemphasize how much I wish I'd had the beautifully inclusive and thoughtful Making a Baby by Rachel Greener...
Cerebral has been called the “best online service for mental health” and we can see why.
We are pleased to present this sponsored message on behalf of Cerebral We all know that we've been through a lot this past year. The need for affordable, accessible mental health treatment has grown immensely, and finally someone is doing something about it. Enter...
25+ amazing deals from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale because we’re SO ready to refresh our wardrobes!
Get ready, everybody, because the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is upon us. Liz and I have scoured their early announcements to find the very best, most amazing, super fashionable Nordstrom Anniversary Sale deals that we'll be snagging when it starts on July 28. (Yes, we...
We need to talk about our alcohol use, parents: An honest review of Quit Like a Woman
This past December, I decided to stop drinking. While I've always had a complicated relationship with booze, I wouldn't consider myself an alcoholic. I've been drunk a handful of times in my life, and for the most part, just have a couple of glasses of something maybe...
On modeling body positivity for our kids: Where we succeed, where we can do better | Spawned Ep 245
When Kristen wrote a viral post last week about wearing crop tops over 40, in response to a conversation with her daughter, the comments from our readers were so inspiring, we knew we wanted to discuss body positivity further on Spawned. Interestingly, we each have...
Forget Hot Girl Summer. It’s about to be a Hot Mom Summer.
We've heard the buzz about having a Hot Girl Summer, and we're totally on board for living your best life this summer (and well, all the time). But as moms, we can't just toss a bathing suit on, pack a cooler, and head to the beach on our very own. Because there are...
This non-profit creates absolutely free, Instagram-worthy room makeovers for adopted kids and foster families
Several months ago I stumbled on the work of the non-profit group Bloom Family Designs on a friend and fellow adoptive-mom's Instagram feed. This organization creates beautifully designed rooms for adopted and foster kids — at absolutely no cost to the families. In...
Are Ruggable rugs really washable and stain-resistant? We bought one to see. | “Damn you, Social Media ads” series
Those ads for Ruggable have been popping up in my Facebook and Instagram feeds for ages, but it wasn't until their Star Wars line of rugs debuted that I finally gave in and bought one. In my defense, the designs are super cool! And subtle enough that our house doesn't...
Yes, this celebrity-fave face peel is as good as they say it is. For a change.
I've been recommending Aloisia Beauty's Korean-inspired clean beauty products since they first launched. (Like, here for example!) The brand was co-created by a longtime colleague and to be honest, I've been so impressed by every product I've tried so far.Then, a...
We found 8 stylish, athletic two-piece swimsuits for teens who aren’t feeling the teeny bikinis
While some of our daughters are rocking the teeny bikini this summer, others are more interested in athletic two-piece swimsuits that let them be as active in the pool or on the beach as they'd like. It turns out it's a little harder to find stylish but hard-working...
How to wear a crop top in your 40s? However the heck you want!
After an emotional conversation with my 12-year old daughter about body image, I decided I needed to set the example of "heck yeah, you can wear anything!" by taking on my nemesis: the crop top. I shared it on Instagram, and so many people (including The Today Show),...
These parenting tips from James Breakwell are lifesavers. Literally. | Spawned Ep 244
On this week's Spawned parenting podcast, we're bringing back a vintage episode with one of our very favorite guests on a very serious subject. Lifesaving, even. Because even though we made it through the pandemic, what are we supposed to do about unprincipled...
We found 8 stylish beach coverups for summer. Let’s get out there, already!
After a year of extremely limited social outings, I'm ready to be at the pool all the time. But, last year I also had skin cancer (I'm okay!), so in order to be safe with my very fair skin I'll need to stay covered up. I've been searching around for some stylish pool...