Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Jenny Lawson on depression, anxiety and why we have to talk about it | Spawned Episode 255
We can't believe after all these episodes of Spawned, we've never had the chance to chat with Jenny Lawson. A.K.A. The Bloggess. A.K.A. the best-selling author. A.K.A. new indie bookshop owner. A.K.A. the woman who first left a comment on Liz's blog comparing her to a...
How to be a compassionate parent of LGBTQ kids | Spawned Episode 254
If you have questions about parenting LGBTQ+ kids, wow do we have the answers, thanks to the absolutely delightful Kristin Russo, author of This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids. If you know her -- or her terrific book, or popular podcast about Buffy the Vampire...
How Ada Twist, Scientist is making STEM more accessible to girls | Spawned Episode 253
In a very exciting first for Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we chat with aerospace engineer, Keji Sojobi, who is a part of the new book-to-TV adaptation of the very popular Ada Twist, Scientist. We love how she's working to make STEM more accessible to girls,...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Wish your kids loved science more? This holiday, give them the gift of MEL Science and watch their interest grow.
This is a sponsored post on behalf of MEL Science. If you're looking for a great holiday gift that will get your kids excited about science in a fun and engaging way, while also giving you a great activity to do together each month, MEL Science makes a great holiday...
12 creative gift ideas for the man who has everything. Or…does he? | Holiday Gifts 2021
If you need to find a creative gift for the man who has everything it requires just a little more thought. Fortunately, we're here to help! Is there anything better than surprising someone we love with a gift they didn't even know they wanted? We know it can be a...
Why we’re supporting Bombas this holiday: The gift that gives back in more ways than one
Every year we share our favorite holiday gifts that give back, to help us maximize the impact that our gifts can make on the world this time of year. And every year, we talk about Bombas Socks -- the incredibly comfortable, increasingly stylish, mission-driven socks...
Incredible advice for better parent-child communication: An interview with William Stixrud Ph.D. and Ned Johnson
If you've ever struggled to connect with your kids, help them solve problems, open up to you, or just give you more than a one-word answer when you ask how school was today...well, help is here! We have had a lot of favorite Spawned podcast guests over the years, and...
A new children’s picture book with a beautiful message we all need to hear right now
This is a sponsored post on behalf of mineditionUS We're only now coming to understand how to help our kids process the hardship and loss they've experienced these past couple of years. We've always turned to children's books as a tool for exploring difficult topics,...
10 absolutely fabulous over-40 style influencers to follow, no matter what age you are
I realized recently that I've been inspired by a lot of fabulous over-40 influencers who are helping me feel more confident about aging. While I'm still in my 30s, I'm realizing that forty is just over the horizon -- and approaching faster than I anticipated. (Whoa,...
Quick Picks: The Panasonic Extra Long-Range Video Baby Monitor
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Panasonic As new parents, a baby monitor can give you some much-needed peace of mind, when you need it most. That's why the Panasonic Extra Long-Range Video Baby Monitor is such an amazing essential gadget, that can be used in...
12 wonderful Dolly Parton gifts for the Dolly fans in your life. (A.K.A. everyone we know.)
It goes without saying that I will always love Dolly Parton, so naturally I was drawn to these amazing Dolly Parton gifts. If you haven't listened to the Dolly Parton's America podcast yet, let me assure you that people of all stripes, plaids, and paisleys love my...
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...
The cutest board books for babies and toddlers, for the holidays and every day!
This is a sponsored post on behalf of mineditionUS Give the gift of reading and togetherness this holiday season, and well, any day of the year, with the board books from mineditionUS/Astra Books for Young Readers. They've been carefully created with everything babies...
A comparison of our 9 favorite custom photo book services, for one of our all-time favorite gifts
Since custom photo books are among our very favorite gifts for the holidays, for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and even for teacher gifts and gifts for favorite sitters, we've put together a helpful comparison of our top picks. For years, we've compared our favorite...
4 ways to get your kids involved in vacation planning… and why you should.
I've always had my kids involved in vacation planning. In fact, we voted on our first official family road trip from a power point presentation my son did after researching three locations, and they've been involved in some capacity ever since. And well, according to...
The best Black Friday Deals of 2021: From the big stores to small shops and indie makers
Each year we share the best Black Friday deals online to help you manage your time, your budget, and get back to family faster. This year is no different, as we share the best Black Friday deals 2021 from big stores and brands along with the small businesses we love....
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...
3 unique subscription boxes for kids that teach the values of gratitude, kindness, and giving back to others
As we get closer to Thanksgiving, charity and giving to others is particuarly top of mind, which is why I was just so happy to discover several subscription boxes for kids that teach those very values. Many of us are talking to our kids about things to be thankful...
This may be the most fun way to help kids improve their reading + writing skills
This is a sponsored message from Night Zookeeper Over the past couple of years, parents have really seen the value of educational apps and websites to help engage our kids in core subjects. If their excitement for reading and writing could use a little nudge, Night...
If you have stinky teens, pets, car seats, or other things you can’t just toss in the wash, here’s help | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from FunkAway You may not be familiar with FunkAway but when you learn what it does, you'll be singing its praises. Funkaway is an extreme odor eliminator, beloved by users across the US, from parents to actual Ninja Warriors. Unlike air...
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 --...
10 of my favorite holiday gifts from Oprah’s Favorite Things list 2021 | Holiday Gift Guide
Oprah's Favorite Things list rarely steers me wrong. Her exclusive-to-Amazon gift finder is how I found the Trufflin' Sriracha and Ranch Gift Set last year, which I bought for myself, then my parents, then re-ordered again for myself because whoa. (Oh -- and it's...
The benefits of Minecraft for kids, with author Delilah S. Dawson | Spawned Episode 259
If your kids are like our kids, they are obsessed with Minecraft. Still! Kids of all ages are loving this game, and well, let's just say, it's here to stay. That's why we were so glad to welcome former Cool Mom Picks associate editor, now New York Times bestselling...
The top 10 hot holiday toys and games in 2021 to grab before they sell out | Holiday Gift Guide
Each year, there are zillions of lists out there of the hot holiday toys and games for the year. And each year, I kind of wonder how they came to that list. (Sorry, I'm picky!) So I thought that this year, I'd put together my own list to help you out. Here you'll find...