Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Jonathan Van Ness: On his new children’s book, and creating a culture of acceptance for kids who are different.
This week on Spawned, I had the best time speaking with the one and only Jonathan Van Ness!! They've just released an amazing new picture book, Gorgeously Me!, which is already making waves as a #1 new children's book on Amazon. Our chat was not only fun but super...
A grade-by-grade guide to college admissions: What to do when (and why not to panic) | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
I'm so happy to be back with Alyse Levine, one of the foremost college counseling experts in the country, to continue our Insider Guide to the College Application Process. This week, we took a cue from you, our readers and listeners, who wrote in to ask what you...
Brad Meltzer on Empathy, Kindness, Magic, Transformation, and That One Guy in the Restroom That One Time
This week, I'm talking to #1 New York Times bestselling author, Brad Meltzer, fresh off his viral commencement address at The University of Michigan about empathy, transformation, growth, compassion, and...magic. (Were you thinking I'd be covering that other...
More coolness from recent weeks…
How John Legend’s wonderful new children’s album was inspired by an affordable children’s toy we all had.
Last week, I had the privilege of meeting John Legend (I KNOW!) and hearing him play live about five feet in front of me (I KNOW, I KNOW!) as he introduced us to My Favorite Dream. His first children's album, produced by the incredible Sufjan Stevens is a love letter...
Deal of the Day: Amazon’s best-selling wearable book light, now up to 48% off!
If you've ever wanted to stay up reading in bed after the lights are out -- or have a partner who's kept you up -- you understand the benefit of a good book light. We just found Amazon's top-rated rechargeable wearable book lights on sale for up to 48% off! That...
These terrific children’s books about 9/11 honor the heroes and the helpers
I've been looking for children's books about 9/11 because now that 2001 is so far behind us that it feels like "history" to our kids (and now, to some young adults) so I want to be sure my kids really understand the importance of this day. You may want to read Liz's...
We’re getting our homes fall fabulous with these Etsy decor finds under $50
You know it's time to start thinking about fall decor when a light breeze comes in through an open window, the jeans and jackets move to the front of the closet, and the bed starts to need that cozy quilt again. Browsing Etsy, we found so many fall decor items to help...
Deal of the Day: The citrus juicer we’ve recommended for years, now just $12.74
For years, the Cool Mom Eats team has been recommending this metal lemon and lime squeezer from Zulay, which makes it a breeze to get the most juice out of lemons, limes, and other small citrus. Hurry and you can grab it for 36% off at Amazon for a limited time --...
Parents are stressed. Kids are anxious. Dr. Chris Willard shares why mindfulness is “psychological first aid” for all of us.
Here we are entering the stressful back-to-school season, just in time for the US Surgeon General's advisory about parents and mental health, on top of the knowledge that kids have been struggling for a while too. So what can we do about it all? This week on Spawned,...
Foxtail AI: This new app could be a game changer for reselling on Etsy, eBay, Poshmark, Depop and more
We've always loved discovering cool finds from resellers on Etsy, Poshmark, and Facebook Marketplace, and if you've ever thought of becoming a reseller yourself -- or you already are one --I think you should check out the brand new app, Foxtail AI. It's designed to...
Make money from home just by telling brands what you think about them – good or bad. Dream job!
If you're looking to make some extra money from home -- or on the commute to work, sitting in the carpool line for school pickup, or hanging in the bleachers waiting for your soccer player's game to start -- here's an idea that's worked for hundreds of thousands of...
Support these organizations fighting unnecessary gun violence. Don’t lose hope.
While this is not a political site per se, we have never shied away from sharing the causes, concerns and values that are dear to us as parents and as humans. And so I would be remiss if I didn't write about unnecessary gun violence and what we can do about it....
Fall 2024 shoe trends: 12 hot steals under $75 that update your wardrobe for less
If you're wondering what the fall 2024 shoe trends are, IMHO we're in luck! Chelsea boots are back, chunky heels that won't make you wobble, kitten heels that are feminine but not too tall, edgy moto boots, classic loafers, variations on mary janes. And if you want a...
What is Labor Day? This book, audiobook, and read-aloud video is a perfect way to explain. (With discount codes)
I'm not sure how many kids asctually ask what is Labor Day? It's become synonymous with the unofficial end of summer, a three-day weekend, barbecues, and yeah, some pretty great sales. So much so, we kind of blow past it without the tributes and memorializing we tend...
Labor Day Electronics Sale: Save $1000 off 4K Projectors, 25% off baby monitors and other smart home electronic deals from Vava
Starting today through September 4, visit Vava for a huge Labor Day weekend electronics sale. Cool Mom Tech has recommended their excellent products for years and you'll find huge discounts on everything from best-selling home theater tech to smart home essentials...
35 Labor Day weekend sales you definitely don’t want to miss! Big brands, small shops, high tech, high fashion…it’s all here.
While Labor Day of course means a lot more than a three-day weekend, we're certainly not saying no to the big Labor Day sales that are going on right now! To help you out, we've put together 35 of our very favorite Labor Day weekend sales worth checking out this...
30 cool lunch box accessories to make school lunch more fun. Lots on sale too! | Back to School Shopping
Each year, in our annual back to school shopping guide, we always love tracking down those cool lunch box accessories, water bottles, bentos, and other fun goodies that help make opening that same lunch box every day a little more special. Some of of these lunch box...
Free (mostly) printables for kindergarten sight word help, 12 ways
Finding all of these free sight word printables for kindergarten instantly brings me back to those sweet early days of school, sniff.I have teens now, but I remember how scary it could be to send your kid off to kindergarten, hoping that their reading and writing...
These pop-up floral cards are perfect for teachers or those college students you’re missing
With back-to-school season here, it's the time we start thinking about teacher gifts, thank you notes, and for those of us with college kids in our lives, tokens we can send to let them know we're missing them like crazy. For a gift idea that makes a bigger...
How this new mushroom coffee is gentler on your body, and doing good for the world
More and more friends (plus my own mom!) over the years have extolled the benefits of mushroom coffee to me, but I still hadn’t taken the plunge. That is, until we partnered with The Kind Coffee Cooperative, who sent me some of their new mushroom coffee to try. Made...
Cool Deal: We found the 256GB iPad for 27% off PLUS an additional $20-off coupon
When we see the iPad go on sale, we jump! Especially during back-to-school shopping season. Right now, we found a huge Amazon deal on the Apple's Wi-Fi enabled 256GB 10.2" Retina display iPad (9th gen) on sale for a whopping 27% off, PLUS, there's an additional coupon...
Cool Deal: We are buying ALL THE TKEES at 40% off during their end-of-summer-sale
Our editor Liz has been swearing by TKEES for years, and this is a great time to score the chic sandals that never go out of style. Right now, a big selection of TKEES is 40% off including best selllers. You'll find their popular glosses (shiny), liners (matte),...
Cool Deal: Freshen your footwear for fall with up to 50% off Converse Chuck Taylors
Right now, Footlocker is having a terrific sale on Converse shoes with amazing deals for the whole family. Styles for women like the All-Star Lift, the Chuck 70, the Converse All-Star Platforms, and edgier styles like the Run Star Legacy CX are nicely discounted up to...
15 of the coolest backpacks for preschool and kindergarten | Back to School Shopping Guide
When we put together our picks for the coolest backpacks for preschool and kindergarten each year, we think about how exciting it is for little ones to pick what may be their very first school gear ever. They geek out over all their school supplies of course, but...