Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
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,...
Instagram, girls and body image: What parents need to know | Spawned Ep 252
Recently, I wrote about that article, the one about Instagram, teens, body image and self-esteem -- and the conversation I had about it with my 14-year-old daughter. It generated so much great conversation on our social feeds, that Kristen and I wanted to chat more...
Why it’s important for kids to read diverse books, with author Meena Harris | Spawned Ep 251
With the recent news of the York Central School District book ban (only just a few hours from where Kristen lives, by the way), we thought it was important to re-share this amazing episode with the delightful, brilliant Meena Harris. She's an activist, strategist, mom...
More coolness from recent weeks…
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...
Handmade play food for kids: 10 of the most adorable shops on Etsy
Kids love playing with real food in the real kitchen, which usually makes...a real mess. To cut down on some of the flour-all-over-the-floor-itis that comes with kids' cooking, I found some of the cutest play food makers on Etsy. Their creations are so appealing, kids...
Hot winter nail trends of 2021-2022 that are sophisticated, not silly
We've all had the best time looking at the hot winter nail trends of 2021 into 2022, to help get our fingers up to date -- if not our shoe collection. One limb at a time perhaps? When it comes to beauty trends, I love nail polish because it's a relatively inexpensive,...
We’re grateful for this Thanksgiving tablecloth that lets kids doodle during the meal
With big holiday dinners back on the menu this year, I was thrilled to discover this cool color-your-own Thanksgiving activity tablecloth at Tiny Expressions. It's full of activities for kids -- like word searches, tic-tac-toe, and ample coloring opportunities -- and...
How to make change in the world, without losing your joy: A chat with author Karen Walrond | Spawned Episode 258
We know that over the last few years in particular, many of us have felt extra activated to help make change in the world. But if we're honest, engaging in activism can be exhausting and at times, soul sucking. Well, our good friend, life coach and author Karen...
Here’s a wow: This browser extension gets you free purchase protection for the things you buy online
This is a sponsored message for Mulberry 'Tis the season for holiday shopping, and that also means holiday savings. At least if you're savvy. That's where Mulberry comes in. Download the free Mulberry browser extension from Chrome, and for 12 entire months -- even...
A lovely way for kids to send a letter of thanks to our vets on Veterans Day. (Or any other day)
November 11 is Veterans Day, and while every day is a good day to honor our brave veterans and give thanks to retired soldiers for their service, it's always good to have a national holiday to inspire us to action. So many of us here come from military families, and...
Spectacular Sisters is the perfect gift for a favorite sister in your life
As one of three sisters, I was naturally excited to get my hands on Spectacular Sisters: Amazing Stories of Ssters from Around the World, by Aura Lewis. I've been having so much fun revisiting some of my favorite sister stories, while also learning about some amazing...
My fave early Black Friday Deals at Nordstrom that let you treat yourself. And yes, they’re available now.
Yes there are Black Friday deals at Nordstrom today, and no you did not time travel to the future. When you combine the ubiquitous conversation around supply chain issues with the excitement for a lot of us to get into the holiday spirit ASAP to try to make up for...
Celebrating Diwali in a country that hardly knows it exists
Diwali. Being the light we share. Guest contributor: Nirasha Kumar Growing up as a minority in South Africa, living under an Apartheid regime, I was forced to live only with people who looked like me, That meant that for me, the spirit of Diwali was merely going along...
Can you name the 5 core principles of raising responsible digital citizens?
We've talked a long time on Cool Mom Tech about the importance of raising responsible digital citizens. And one thing we know: However old your kids, it's never too early -- or too late -- to learn a few new parenting tips to keep our kids safe in the digital world....