Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Fourteen talks to have before your child turns fourteen, with author Michelle Icard | Spawned Episode 229
As parents, we have a general idea of the conversations we need to have with our kids before they to the throes of teendom - like the sex talk, and the drugs and alcohol talk - for example. But there are actually a whole lot more conversations that we need to be...
Kate DiCamillo on why kids need superheroes right now | Spawned 228
It's a bit of a statement say we fan-grilled a bit over this week's guest on the Spawned Parenting Podcast, two-time Newbery award-winning author Kate DiCamillo. Surely you know her incredible children's books like The Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn-Dixie, and...
Janice Johnson Dias on parenting with joy, raising change-makers, and navigating the f*ckery of life. | Spawned 227
Fair warning: This episode may really make you miss your IRL get togethers with your favorite mom friends, because that is exactly what this conversation with Dr. Janice Johnson Dias feels like. We knew that talking to Janice would be helpful, but to be honest, we had...
More coolness from recent weeks…
11 fantastic gifts for stepmothers on Mother’s Day. Because we love them too. | Mother’s Day Gift Guide
We certainly couldn't forget to include cool gifts for stepmothers in our Mother's Day Gift Guide this year. After all, for a lot of us, Mother's Day is a chance to give thanks to all the nurturing women in our lives who have helped make us who we are -- and that...
Amira’s Picture Day: A lovely children’s book about Eid
For years, we've gotten plenty of pitches from publishers for countless children's books about holidays. And by holidays I mean, generally Christmas. But that's starting to change, and we're so thrilled to see more representation of all kinds of families, and all...
How to raise addiction-resistant children: Jessica Lahey | Spawned Ep 233
For years, Jessica Lahey has been one of our favorite parenting columnists and authors. So we were honored she joined us to offer her wise advice on talking with our kids about drug use, abuse, and addiction, all of which you can find in her essential new book, The...
Beyond cantering: 4 life lessons my daughter has learned from horseback riding
As someone who didn’t grow up around animals, I’ve learned a lot raising kids who love them, especially my youngest who is an avid horseback rider. When she first asked to take riding lessons, I thought it might be a passing phase, especially considering she had tried...
7 must-read children’s books about inspiring Asian-Americans you may not know
When it comes to creating empathy and developing a commitment to justice and respect in my children, I tend to turn toward good children's books. While we've recognized AAPI Heritage Month through children's books in the past, the recent increase in violent...
The Dolly Parton Little Golden Book we’ve all been waiting for. (“We” being my entire family.)
If you know anything about me and my family, you might have guessed that we'd be marking our calendars for the launch of My Little Golden Book About Dolly Parton, which will be added to the Little Golden Book library this coming September. As a Nashville-native, I've...
Can you really be a feminist dad? Jordan Shapiro on fatherhood, masculinity, and gender roles in parenting. | Spawned 232
While we love all of our Spawned guests, there are some interviews that truly reshape our views on parenting. That's just how we feel about this chat with global education expert Jordan Shapiro. He changed our views on kids and technology thanks to his...
Your tweens and teens will love this empowering book series
This is a sponsored message on behalf of Star Stable Entertainment What do you get when you combine magic, friendship, and horses? The answer is... Soul Riders, the popular trilogy from Star Stable Entertainment, the makers of the popular Star Stable Online that my...
8 stylish planters that totally zhuzh up your living space indoors
If you had'n't noticed, houseplants are having a real moment right now. I'm cracking up over friends who are naming their plants and calling themselves "plant parents." It's a serious obsession and considering the year we've had, I get the need to fix up your home in...
Hey, it’s April 1! And you know what that means around here…
It means nothing. Absolutely nothing in 2021. &$#*# April Fool's Day! I mean, can't we just have one day when we are not terrified about something -- real or otherwise? So my April Fool's Day proposal is we just get rid of it. And that's not a meta April Fool's...
“Just embrace the Janet Jackson rule” and other tips for supporting women in the workplace.| Spawned Episode 231
What is the "Janet Jackson rule" exactly? Let's just say it could really help you succeed in your career (and has nothing to do with wardrobe malfunctions that were entirely the fault of a guy but that's another story). If you're a working woman -- or a man, frankly...
Create to Stop Hate: The online auction 100% supporting the work of Stop AAPI Hate.
We have all been just devastated by the increase in hate crimes against the AAPI community. Even if you've avoided the horrific videos, from Atlanta to San Francisco to NYC, surely by now you've seen the #StopAsianHate social media posts and hashtags. In 2020 alone,...
“Back in the Burbs” is self-care in the form of laughter
The world is a little overwhelming these days (understatement of the year, right?) and sometimes we just need to kick back, chill out, and as a wise songwriter once sang, forget about life for a while. Oh, and laugh. More laughing please! PLEASE. One way to do all of...
The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself: the eco-forward book full of hands-on, earth-saving fun
It's a clear, gorgeous 65-degree day here today, and it's the perfect opportunity for me to send my 10-year-old to the back porch with a copy of The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself -- along with permission to do any of the fun eco-friendly activities in this book...
50+ creative ideas for Easter Basket gifts from the drugstore. Easy!
With Easter around the corner (this Sunday!!!), I'm thinking about how I'm going to fill three Easter baskets and dozens of plastic eggs before this holiday hops onto the scene. Instead of running all over the place, hitting the drugstore before Easter Sunday will be...
Why this long-range baby monitor is sure to be a registry favorite.
This is a sponsored message from Panasonic When you’re a new parent, you just want to know everything is okay with the baby. Pretty much, all the time of course, but especially when you're not in the room together. That's why the Panasonic Long Range Baby Monitor is...
How to show up for yourself and your friends, especially during pandemic times | Spawned Episode 230
We've talked a lot about self care these days, and our need for our community and village (hello, We Time project), but... we haven't actually put the concepts together, even though they are most certainly intertwined. That's where our guest, Rachel Miller, comes in....
5 clever and safer ways to blow out birthday candles during Covid-19
I saw a recent Twitter thread that asked about all the things we may never go back to since COVID-19: Eating from a buffet. Trying on makeup samples. Shaking hands. And one that comes up time and again is that time-honored tradition of blowing out the candles on a...
Hand sanitizer cute enough for an Easter Basket? Sign of the times.
A few years back, kids probably wouldn't have considered hand sanitizer as a "cool" Easter gift like they would a funky lip balm or a springy AirPods case. But this year, OLIKA, who makes the cool, natural -hand sanitizers shaped like cute birds, that we've shared...
How to decorate with tea lights: creating ambience, not a shrine
We've hit spring. So yay! But, that also means we've all been inside for a long time now. A year of quarantine has taught me this, at least: it's time to update my home decor. A new rug or dining set may not be in my budget, but do you know what is? Tea lights. And I...
3 powerful children’s books about grief, to help them process an unimaginable 12 months.
You know we often turn to books when we want to help our children through their struggles and feelings, and this month feels like the right time to share some excellent children's books on grief and loss. When I think back over the last twelve months of COVID-19, it's...