Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Smart, surprising ways to foster real connections with your kids, with Dr. Sheryl Ziegler | Spawned Ep 185
We know many parents made resolutions and goals to spend more quality time with family in 2020. And well, we’re hitting that point in January when even our best laid plans get a little side tracked. It's okay, we're right there with you. That's why we were so excited...
How to save your children’s lives from real threats. Like werewolves. And woolly mammoths. | Spawned ep 184
On this week's Spawned parenting podcast, we are tackling a VERY SERIOUS SUBJECT. So profoundly serious, it could literally save lives. And it will. Because sure, you've covered your light sockets and put the Tide Pods on a high shelf, but do you know every danger out...
It’s okay to say vagina: Tips for raising sexually healthy kids and making it less awkward…for both of you. | Spawned ep 182
On this week's Spawned parenting podcast, we're focusing on about raising sexually healthy kids. i.e. How to have the sex talk, what to say, and how it's changed over the years. I don't use the term "brilliant" lightly, but that's how I feel about these ideas from our...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Holiday craziness and stress: Let’s sloooooow things down a little, please? | Spawned ep 174
If you feel like the holiday season came sooner this year -- along with the holiday ads, the holiday sales, the Mariah Carey videos, and the holiday pressure, it's not in your head. There are lots of reasons we're feeling it more this year, and social media isn't...
4 smart, simple tips to help kids make good media choices with their screen time.
We write a lot about the importance of raising good digital citizens. The way we see it, the internet isn't going away, and the older your kids get, the harder it is to start teaching them good behavior. So we start young, so that as kids get older, they'll know how...
How the new HomeHawk by Panasonic makes home monitoring simpler, easier, and way less expensive | Sponsored message
This is a sponsored message from Panasonic HomeHawk If you don't yet have a smart home monitoring system, it can seem overwhelming to get started. Systems can be expensive, and complicated, with professional home-wiring to schedule, and installation to figure out....
These 8 single-use products are going away in our lifetimes. Here are alternatives that make switching easy.
I love that increasingly, so many of us are trying to be more mindful with our product purchases, opting for eco-friendly reusable products instead of wasteful single-use alternatives. It doesn't just make good earth sense, it makes good budget sense. Besides, some of...
Finding Kindness: A beautiful new children’s book with a message the world needs | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message on behalf of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group Kindness comes in all shapes and sizes, which is exactly the lesson kids will learn reading the newest book from New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Underwood. Finding Kindness...
The most creative handmade kids’ Halloween costumes on Instagram this year
I've seen so many clever Halloween costumes this year, it's hard to keep up! There are always the year's super popular costumes -- the astronauts, the princesses, the superheroes and a lot of VSCO girls. (Including me, ha. Hey, it was what I could throw together 5...
Last-minute Halloween crafts, printables, pumpkin decorating, and party activities to keep the whole week fun.
If it's not clear by now, we loooove Halloween around here! And if you need some ideas for party activities on Halloween night, or fun printables and craft ideas to keep the kids out of the candy stash for a few more days, take a look at these terrific ideas we've...
Summer Discovery: A summer enrichment program for middle schoolers that’s tween approved
This post was written in partnership with Summer Discovery This past summer, my 12-year old son mentioned to me that he was finally ready for sleepaway camp, but knowing him, I wasn't sure the traditional sleep-in-a-cabin type experience was right for him. He's an...
This magical Harry Potter Advent calendar is so cool! Grab one now or good luck finding one.
We love finding cool, creative advent calendars each year, and this year we're geeking out over the new Infinity Harry Potter Advent Calendar Liz found over at Merchoid. Potterheads, don't let this one disappear (through the forces of muggles, not magic) before you...
Long belted shirtdresses: 5 favorites you’ll want to live in this fall and winter.
This past week, I made a rare impulse clothing purchase: a gorgeous, long belted shirt dress from Uli Herzner that I spotted at a Chelsea Market pop-up. I've admired her work ever since she made it to the S3 fashion show on Project Runway, and I'm so excited to get to...
The affordable, life-saving, NO FREAKING SNAPS baby pajamas our readers swear by
Last week, we shared the hilarious, if painfully relatable new mom complaint about snap-up baby pajamas, thanks to comedy writer (Jimmy Kimmel!), humorist (the New Yorker) and author of Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, Bess Kalb. Seriously, she's one of my favorite...
Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Book Club Selection #11
After speaking with Dr. Ken Ginbsburg on our Spawned Parenting Podcast, I went out and bought all his books, one of which I'm thrilled to share is the next pick for our Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club. I found his approach to parenting teens (and well, kids in...
Reader Q+A: What is a thoughtful gift for a friend who’s had a miscarriage?
Recently, we received a question on Facebook that hit me in the gut: Q: What is a really thoughtful gift to give someone who's suffered a miscarriage? This is so tough. And since October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month, it's a topic I thought was...
These hand-knit animal scarves require no food, no water, but lots of love.
While a real pet requires food, water, and responsibility, the phenomenal hand-knitted animals scarves from Dutch Etsy artist Nina Fuehrer require...well, just enough responsibility that they come home with your kids at the end of the day. At a recent Etsy holiday...
8 cute pumpkin decorating ideas for kids that are not scary at all
It's time to decorate those pumpkins, parents! And it's always fun to look around for some of the cute, creative pumpkin decorating ideas. Especially for those of us with little kids who aren't quite into the super creepy pumpkin vomiting...
11 new cookbooks parents should pick up now, from Suzy Chase of Cookery by the book
Cookbooks aren't just about recipes -- they open us up to new perspectives, new cultures, new ways of thinking about food. They can be funny, quirky or heartfelt., and they can even make our lives richer -- both at mealtime and beyond. Whether you're nodding along...
Cards honoring women’s achievements beyond motherhood and marital status. (Shocking, I know.)
I just got wind of Statement Cards, a new line of greeting cards designed to honor women's successes beyond the traditional congratulatory occasions. You know, like engagements, weddings, pregnancy and childbirth. Not that there's anything wrong with any of those...
23 wildly cute baby Halloween costumes on Etsy that will make you want many babies to dress up this year.
When you're a new parent, it's not like you have a ton of time, energy or brain cells to carefully DIY an Insta-perfect baby costume. So to make it easier, I've put together the guaranteed cutest handmade baby Halloween costumes on Etsy from all kinds of talented...
Roll with It: The best full-of-heart read for kids since Wonder
I've been looking for that next great heartwarming book to read to my kids after having fallen in love with Augie in RJ Palacio's Wonder a couple years back. So when I saw my friend Jamie Sumner's new book Roll With It in stores this week -- complete with an...
New LEGO Replay lets you donate your used bricks to kids in need. And it’s so easy!
I think you're going to be as excited about LEGO Replay as I am. Because if your kids are like mine, they've accumulated a whoooole lot of LEGO bricks over the years. And there comes a point where maybe they don't need them. Or at least all of them. (Seriously, I'm...
How can we prioritize what we love when we’re so damn busy? | Spawned Ep 172
Back in January, we spoke with Jake Knapp about making time for the things we love. In other words, prioritizing.(Way better word than "balance," don't you think?) Jake offered outstanding tips for making sure your days and weeks and years are spent on more of the...