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So… about that whole mental load thing. A chat with Fair Play author Eve Rodsky | Spawned Episode 240
If you're like, "oh hey, how did Kristen and Liz get a photo of me?" you need this. The issue of division of labor and mental load are not new problems in relationships, but the pandemic has certainly exacerbated them. There's been no shortage of articles, like this...
Broadway’s Ali Stroker on helping kids be proud of their disabilities | Spawned Ep 239
When we talk about diversity and inclusion, people with disabilities are often left out of the conversation. We think about gender, race, sexuality, cultural heritage -- but not always disabilities. So was I a wee bit excited to talk to Tony award-winner Ali Stroker...
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...
Listen now: Donzaleigh Abernathy on “Uncle Martin” and growing up in the civil rights movement | Spawned 226
Every night [I] had the fear of going to bed. Because at dinnertime, members of the white supremacist Group, the Ku Klux Klan, would call. every single evening at dinner. Not some nights, but every single night once we moved to Atlanta, and threaten to kill us. My...
So much coolness. Where to start…
5 wonderful new books about spring for kids! YES, it’s finally here!
It's spring! Or as this homeschool mom thinks of it, spring book season! So many of us are relieved to have made it through the brutal pandemic winter, and reap the rewards of longer days, warmer weather, outdoor grilling, maybe some backyard camping, and of...
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...
Terrific music to diversify your kids’ playlists, after 3 children’s music nominees back out of the Grammy awards
When three of the five nominees for this year's Children's Grammy awards declined to accept their nomination due to a lack of diversity in the nominations, the tight-knit world of kids' music rallied around the artists in support. Cool Mom Picks "kindie rock"...
9 smart, beautiful flower alternatives for Mother’s Day that will last a whole lot longer than a bouquet.
Mother’s Day will be coming up before you know it, and while we love getting fresh cut bouquets of flowers, there are other options! Consider these flower bouquet alternatives for Mother's Day that will last way past the big day. Yes, it may seem a little early, but...
Meaningful actions for International Women’s Day. It’s more than wearing a “boss girl” t-shirt.
Today on International Women's Day, I'm feeling more hopeful than I have been for a while. For the past four years, it's been rough, and now here we are, with our first ever woman elected into the White House, hope for some important new legislation supporting...
Join The We Time Project! A little bit of community and learning. A whole lot of fun.
It's a year into this pandemic (like pretty much officially now), and if you're like us, you're longing for connection with people. Well, people not in your home. We want to do something with other people! And that's no surprise. We're humans after all and we thrive...
We’re supporting these amazing indie stationery shops right now that need us. Can you join us?
This global pandemic has impacted so many small businesses we have loved for years, from indie bookstores to local restaurants. And, now, one of our favorite letterpress cards and gifts shop, Sapling Press has raised the alarm that they -- along with about 250 other...
How to encourage your kids’ interests and passions: 5 expert tips
We keep looking for the silver lining in the past Year That Was Like No Other, and as we talk to other parents, one thing comes up over and over: "my kid discovered they really love _____." Whether it's manga or chemistry, dystopian fiction or skateboarding,...
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...
I discovered the best ever pandemic pajamas, and hey! Jodie Foster and Alexandra Hedison seem to agree.
This past year, on a special episode of A Very Pandemic Christmas, I realized it had been a while since I had any decent pajamas. So I asked Santa for a very specific pair of soft, cozy, but still cute pajamas. Hey, I have to differentiate between my sleeping clothes...
We love you Moderna & Pfizer & Johnson & Johnson, oh yes we do…
Well, hey there scientists at Johnson & Johnson! Did you hear us singing your praises (loudly, and possibly with some happy tears) this weekend as your single-dose vaccine joins Moderna and Pfizer on the approved Covid vaccine list? Because we did. Clearly I'm not...
What Do You Meme? Custom Cards make family game night waaaaay more personal (and hilarious)
Here's what I suggest for the weekend: Entice your teens out from their bedrooms for a hilarious family game night using your set of What Do You Meme? game cards. Only surprise them when they open the box, to find that you've booby trapped the deck with photos and...
Listen now: Donzaleigh Abernathy on “Uncle Martin” and growing up in the civil rights movement | Spawned 226
Every night [I] had the fear of going to bed. Because at dinnertime, members of the white supremacist Group, the Ku Klux Klan, would call. every single evening at dinner. Not some nights, but every single night once we moved to Atlanta, and threaten to kill us. My...
Expressie: Finally! A quick dry nail polish that makes at-home manicures a cinch.
Since the pandemic started last year (LOLSOB), I've been trying to give myself manicures, which goes pretty well until I get to the part where I can't do anything for a few hours while I wait for my nails to dry. That was until I decided to give Expressie, Essie's...
What you can do to fight anti-Asian racism and xenophobia
The beginning of 2021 feels just as heavy as 2020, with the pandemic still in full force, and then our friends in Texas getting hammered with snow, ice and power outages. But as an Asian American (4th generation American-born Chinese, to be exact), I've been...
How to help Texas right now: Millions of people need us.
The stories and photos I'm seeing in the wake of the Texas storm, some from close friends, are shocking. Right now, all 254 counties in Texas have been hit, with 2.5 million Texans still without power at the time of publishing. Many of them are are living without...
6 cool ways to support indie bookstores right now. They need it…and we need them.
I'd like to put in a plug for supporting indie bookstores right now, even if it takes a little extra effort. I'm seeing a lot of people trying to get through this looooong February (what's that even about?) by recommitting to reading. I mean hey, even the most...
How organizing our homes is giving us some control we need, with Naeemah Ford Goldson | Spawned 225
With a lot of insanity in the world, it may feel weird to talk about organizing solutions right now. But that's exactly the reason we're talking about it. We have so little control in our own lives -- in the world -- and it's disorienting and destabilizing. So it...
These articles explain how the pandemic is impacting mothers and you know? We’re allowed to feel like crap about it.
Considering this is a site dedicated to mothers and parenting, I would not be surprised to learn that you were one of the thousands (millions?) who read The Primal Scream interactive series on the New York Times this week. Compiled by Jessica Grose, Jessica Bennett,...
If your kid is a problem-solver, they could win a cool 25 grand. Here’s how.
This is a sponsored message on behalf of the Young Scientist Challenge Our long-time readers know we're big advocates of teaching kids to think critically, solve problems, and use their imaginations. In fact, we're pretty much counting on the next generation of...