The latest from Spawned: Our award-winning parenting podcast
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Helping kids with reading: What we don’t know | Spawned ep 219
Parents have always played a huge part in kids' reading skills, but that's never been more true than it is now. It's not just our toddlers and preschoolers either. Yay, virtual school. (/scarcasm) So we were so happy to chat with ah absolutely fascinating guest, Dr....
One Good Thing a Day: A beautiful, easy exercise to help get you through these crazy days | Spawned ep 218
Last week, I stumbled into a wonderful idea thanks to a conversation with a friend about how tough these days re lately: Start the morning by naming "one good thing" you are going to do that day. Whatever that means to you. It inspired the most diverse, inspired array...
So about those gender reveal parties… and other things parents need to know about gender stereotypes | Spawned Ep 217
With gender reveal parties on our minds these days, we were so glad to chat with author Lisa Selin Davis about gender stereotypes and what parents need to do to start to changing them, all of which she talks about in her new book, Tomboy: The Surprising History and...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Clever ideas for Halloween costumes using face masks. I mean, as long as we’re all wearing them. (Right? Right?)
I imagine that searching for Halloween costumes using face masks is going to be a thing this year -- and I don't mean your typical Halloween masks that cover your whole face. You know how no kid wants their long-planned costume ruined by a heavy winter parka over top?...
8 fun Halloween face masks for kids…that aren’t too scary. (Because we’re all wearing face masks, right? Right?)
Getting my kid to keep his face mask on is a pretty tall order, but I'm hoping that introducing some new Halloween masks designed for kids will make it a little easier. I can just pass his off as a costume accessory that way, right? I found quite a few I thought were...
Stylish leggings you can wear as pants: 10 of my favorites to keep you feeling comfy and cool.
Welp, we've officially hit that point in the pandemic when we differentiate between our leggings and our nice, stylish leggings. Or is that just me? Answer: No way that's just me. You all went kind of wild for our team's recos for of our favorite sweatpants and...
Parenting lessons from the first debate: Teaching kids how to have a productive discussion, without bullying or name-calling.
My kids' eyes flew wide open when they stepped into the living room last night and caught some of the fiasco (or you know, Dana Bash's more colorful term) that passed for a presidential debate. This morning, our team discussed that while we're exhausted by all the...
No hate: A kids’ craft kit supporting a message we can all agree on.
Well. This certainly has been an interesting start to Anti-Bullying Month. After four years of strife, anger, division, hatred, bullying...I can safely say that parents are tired. I know I'm tired of apologizing to my kids that they have to grow up seeing the worst of...
Nike’s new maternity collection is made for mamas of all shapes and sizes.
We're always on the lookout for maternity clothing that honors woman, of more shapes and sizes than some of the designer labels. Not all of us look like all the size 2 models in maternity catalogs, ya know? As for me, I basically lived in athleisure while I was...
What you can and CAN’T wear to the polls: Don’t get turned away on Election Day!
I'm in several politically-minded Facebook groups, and lately, the women there have been asking what everyone is planning to wear to the polls this year so we can identify each other. Some said they'll be in all blue, others will be wearing their RBG earrings, and...
Get (temporarily) inked to vote.
Political activism is something we talk about all the time here because, as Kristen so aptly said in a fantastic thread on our Instagram, "Parenting is politics is values is life." We have been and will be doing everything we can this year to make sure people get out...
The best laptop sleeves for kids: The features to consider before you buy.
Laptop sleeves may not an item that's generally on your back to school shopping list, especially if you have younger kids. But then, this back to school season isn't like any other. Whether kids are embarking on hybrid options that require them to go to school a day...
How to help fulfill Justice Ginsburg’s last wish: 3 simple action steps to help voters
"My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in a statement to her granddaughter before she died, this past Friday. I have been so saddened and yeah, troubled and angry since Friday night....
Our favorite Patagonia fall jackets for the family let you shop your values. At least if your values include standing up for the planet.
You may have seen the news this week about the new labels in Patagonia shorts. Just four words appear on the underside of the labels: Vote the a**holes out. This isn't just cheeky resistance; Patagonia is a company that's always stood up for the environment, so it's...
A study about the ignorance of teens + young adults around the Holocaust + anti-Semitism is disturbing. Here’s what we can do as parents.
This morning I woke up to the study that's making the rounds on Twitter: Nearly 2/3 of US young adults are unaware that 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust -- some get the numbers wrong, some didn't know at all. Dig deeper into the survey results from The Claims...
So about those gender reveal parties… and other things parents need to know about gender stereotypes | Spawned Ep 217
With gender reveal parties on our minds these days, we were so glad to chat with author Lisa Selin Davis about gender stereotypes and what parents need to do to start to changing them, all of which she talks about in her new book, Tomboy: The Surprising History and...
Math just got a whole lot easier (and less stressful) with Photomath | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message for Photomath As so many parents put on their teacher or learning coach hats this fall to help their children, they have to be ready for whatever questions that might be thrown at them. That's why they all need the free Photomath app fired...
What we can do to support our teens through a school year like no other. | Spawned ep 216
After reading author and psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour's NY Times article, The 2020 Back to School List for Teens' Emotional Well-Being we just knew we had to talk to her about it. Her premise: kids need some emotional "supplies" that have nothing to do with backpacks...
7 favorite pieces of political jewelry that support voting rights organizations
If the continued interest over Michelle Obama's lovely "Vote" necklace from last month's speech at the Democratic National Convention was any indication, many of us are also eager to promote our voting rights loud and proud, this critically important election year....
20 fun, educational board games that totally count as homeschool time: Math, science, geography and more
If you don't think of family board games as an educational opportunity to supplement your kids' learning, well put away the Cards Against Humanity (ha) and check out these suggestions! To be clear, as a homeschooling mom, I'm a big fan of actual curriculum for my...
Election Fact Check: Absentee ballots and voting by mail | Spawned ep 215
Whether you're pinned to election coverage right now, or avoiding it as much as possible, we think every American should listen to this interview with Amber McReynolds, former Director of Elections for Denver, and now the CEO of the bipartisan National Vote at Home...
How to get your hands on iconic photos + paintings to support equity for Black artists. We can’t pick a favorite!
By now, I think our readers are aware that that creating more equity and representation for Black Americans across every industry is one of the most impactful ways to dismantle racist systems. So as a fan of original rock portraits -- and of organizations that...
7 cool face mask accessories for kids, to help them keep their masks to themselves
The past few weeks, my Instagram feed is full of my friends' adorable kids in their back-to-school outfits... complete with fresh, new face masks.I'm so proud of these kids for being responsible about in-person schooling, and for parents for insisting on kids wearing...
10 books kids and teens should read before they become movies and TV series in 2020.
This year, even though we haven't been able to go to actual movie theaters, we're still seeing plenty of great movies from home. Yay for film companies adapting! And yay for me spending less than $50 to get everyone popcorn! If you're big on reading the book first in...