More coolness from recent weeks…
The Father of All Dad Guides: An A to Z of OMG they totally know my dad
To be sure, The Father of All Dad Guides: From (A)doring to (Z)addy by Madeline Davies and Tara Jacoby will never be found in that proverbial Hallmark aisle of faux calligraphy Father's Day cards and sentimental trinkets. This book offers an irreverent, somewhat...
30 amazing Father’s Day gifts under $15: For when the thought counts, but so does the gift | Father’s Day Gift Guide
Each year we scour the web for the coolest Father's Day gifts to fit any budget, and one of our most popular posts is always gifts for dad under $20. But this year I thought I'd challenge myself and try to compile some really cool Father's Day gifts under...$15. Yes,...
19 incredibly cool gifts for dads who love the outdoors | Father’s Day Gift Guide 2019
This Father's Day, if you're shopping for a dad who loves the outdoors -- and struggling a little -- I feel you! My husband would rather take my kids hiking and camping than pretty much anything else, and I love that so much. And yet it can be expensive. And tastes...
These very funny award ribbons honor all your dubious achievements
It's become a cliché that everyone today wants a trophy. Not true at all. Some of us are perfectly happy with a first-place ribbon. And so you have to check out the very funny award ribbons at Frankie and Claude, honoring all kinds of everyday achievements. There are...
6 wonderful Father’s Day picture books that celebrate Dad | Father’s Day Gift Guide
Every year we round up some of the best Father's Day picture books, and the new 2019 Father's Day book releases do not disappoint. They're heartfelt, beautifully illustrated, and wonderfully diverse. Oh yeah, and highly conducive to bedtime snuggles. I think these...
How to enjoy, not endure, your kids with Casey O’Roarty | Spawned Episode 155
Parenting isn't something that's happening to us. It's something that's happening for us. But we know first hand how difficult it can be to remember that. It's easy to get stressed and overwhelmed, which is why we need someone like Casey O'Roarty of Joyful Courage in...
Want a Harriet Tubman $20 bill? Here’s how to make your own, legally.
Artist Dano Wall is blowing up the internet with his 3-D printed Harriet Tubman $20 bill stamp. It's designed to fit perfectly where her portrait was slated to replace Andrew Jackson's portrait in 2020, as decided in part by popular vote - and possibly thanks to a...
The most adorable ice packs for those summer boo-boos and ouchies.
I always have responded to my kids' bruises and scraped needs with, "good! That shows that you're being a kid!" And it's true. They've become proud of their playground battle scars -- but that doesn't necessarily make the initial pain go away faster. Ice packs help do...
The National Parks Junior Ranger Program is a brilliant and easy way to get kids excited about your next family vacation
If you're planning a family trip to one of our amazing national parks this summer, I want to recommend that you schedule some time to let your kids take part in the National Parks Junior Ranger program. This is a wonderful educational program that helps kids learn...
How to survive the last month of school. You’ve got this, parents | Spawned Ep 154
The countdown to summer has begun, and if your schedules are anything like ours, things get a whole lot crazier this last month (or couple of weeks, depending on where you live). On this episode of Spawned Parenting Podcast, we're sharing our tried and true tips for...
Radical Kindness, by Angela Santomero: Cool Mom Picks Book Club Selection 2
We are thrilled to announce the second selection in our Low-Commitment Cool Mom Picks Book Club with a topic that's near and dear to me: Radical Kindness: The Life-Changing Power of Giving and Receiving, from best-selling author, children's TV creator, and Fred Rogers...
Here are our favorite mineral sunscreens: 3 splurges and 3 saves, all safer than chemical sunscreens
If you've seen the new report from the FDA concluding that chemical sunscreens are not as safe as we thought -- for you or the environment -- you may be looking for the best mineral sunscreens out there to replace your former go-to. I started using a mineral-based...
Coding with Kids: The online summer camp that blends fun and real world STEM skills. | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from Coding With Kids If you're trying to balance fun and educational activities for your kids this summer, Coding With Kids is a fabulous solution offering both! Coding With Kids offers live, week-long online coding camps for kids -- they...
FACTS: Illegal abortions kill women. Alabama will kill women. Here’s what you can do about it.
In light of the inhumane, outrageous, regressive, and entirely cruel Alabama anti-abortion law signed yesterday, Kristen and I knew we couldn't be silent today. Let's be perfectly clear: Making abortion illegal does not eliminate abortion. It kills women. Taylor M...
7 important reasons that children need baby dolls — both girls AND boys
For years, we've written about the joy and beauty and specialness of baby dolls as gifts for our kids, from newborns to toddlers, even our school-aged kids. A doll can be a cherished best friend, a bedtime comfort, a travel companion, a tea party guest, and these...
I found the best drugstore waterproof eyeliner. Affordable, and it works!
I was on the mad lookout for the best drugstore waterproof eyeliner or eye pencil last week. As in...I was frantic. Knowing I was heading to a beach-y press trip last week, and knowing full well that I'd end up with eyeliner down my face in the 99-degree humidity, I...
Maternal mental health: What we can do to spread the word about this important issue | Spawned Ep 153
Did you know that one out of seven women will be affected by maternal mental health? That's a staggering number and yet, women experience judgment and misdiagnosis of their maternal mental health disorder every single day. On the episode of the Spawned Parenting...
I turned off my binge shows (eek!) and tried going to bed earlier for one month. Here are 7 things that happened.
I am tired all the time. Like, I'm a parent. You are probably a parent. You get it. And yet, entertainment junkie that I am, I found myself staying up until midnight (or later!) catching up on every darn MA-rated show and movie each night, after the kids were in bed....
Lulla dolls mimic Mom’s breathing for a better night sleep for all
The first few weeks of my son's life, he refused to sleep without being cuddled up next to a parent. Since I know this is a problem for many newborns, and older babies too, I was excited to learn about the Lulla doll, which plays the sound of a mom's heartbeat and...
Here’s the allowance system that has worked for my family.
I've tried many different allowance systems and allowance apps over the years with my four kids, but it wasn't until I tried this new approach at the beginning of 2019 that I was able to stick with something for longer than a month. If you're looking to start giving...
Virago Fitness: Yoga pants for an amazing cause.
When Brittney Hogan's husband was killed in action in Afghanistan, she found herself coping in not so healthy ways. That was until a friend convinced her to go for a run and everything changed. From that experience, her 503(c) non-profit Virago Fitness was born, where...