Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
A professional organizer’s top back-to-school organizational tips for the real world | Spawned Ep 119
While we're enjoying a little time off for summer, we're updating some of our greatest hits Spawned episodes you might have missed -- starting with "organizer for the real world" (as we call her), Laurie Palau of Simply B Organized. She taught us one of our very...
NBC’s Making It contestant Robert Mahar reveals one brilliant thing parents should do to bring out creativity in their kids
Imagine how thrilled we were to learn that our old friend and popular cool mom pick Robert Mahar was a contestant on the popular new NBC DIY craft show Making It. Yes, there might have been squealing involved. We've known him since we started our site 12 years ago, so...
How to deal with mean girls: Expert tips for building resilience + strength in our daughters
If you have a daughter, it's inevitable at some point that she will encounter the heartache of mean girls. It may be when she hits middle school (oh God, middle school) -- or it may be as early as kindergarten. And when it happens, it will hurt you as much as it hurts...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Tips, tricks and recipes to help you host the coolest, gooiest, best slime party.
Who else has a kid who's dying to have a slime party? Hey, we get it! Our own kids' obsession with slime seems to be here to stay. Forever. And surely we're not the only ones with tubs of various types of goo piled high on our countertops. We figure, if you can't beat...
9 clever, cool kids’ tees for book lovers | Back to School Guide 2018
We of course love t-shirts for our kids featuring their favorite superheroes, pop culture references, rock bands, and athletes. And our kids love them too. But there's something extra special about the t-shirts that show the world who our kids are, and not just who...
The best baby gear for twins, picked by actual parents of multiples.
So, you've gotten the mind-blowing news that you're having twins. Congrats! And, OMG! Now you have to start figuring out a zillion things including the best baby gear for twins. Because trust us, you're going to want to start prepping that nursery for two. We talked...
One girl gang you’ll want your kid to run with
Last year, I was instantly taken with Wee Rascal's t-shirts for kids that turn historical figures into hip idols. From Maya Angelou to MLK, there's a hero or heroine for every kid to proudly wear on their chests. But if you can't pick a favorite? Now it's a bit...
Why it’s good to ignore your kids sometimes. Yes, really. | Spawned Podcast Ep 120
While we're enjoying a little time off for summer, we're updating some of our greatest hits Spawned episodes you might have missed -- and one of our favorites is this fantastic chat with Dr. Catherine Pearlman, author of Ignore It!: How Selectively Looking the Other...
Can you go swimming during your period? You can with PantyProp.
Having grown up in a time that lots of girls couldn't go swimming during our periods, it's so nice to see brands taking on that issue. Even if you're wearing a tampon, lots of girls and women have a heavy enough flow that the thought of an accident at the pool or...
10 growth mindset books for kids that challenge them to try harder and think bigger
Failure is hard for kids, but it's essential to their growth. That's why teaching growth-mindset for kids has become so popular lately in parenting circles. Parents are increasingly moving away from helicoptering (yay!) and instead, giving their kids the freedom and...
How your entrepreneurial girl can star in an inspiring new novel
Kids come up with some of the most creative business ideas, and when they have the drive to actually launch their own lawn-mowing-for-seniors company, not-embarrassing-at-all-first-bras or nothing-but-organic lemonade stand? Truly inspirational. If that's the case...
Beyond loveys: 11 sweet comfort items to send kids to school with fewer worries | Back to School Guide 2018
Lately I've been thinking about the kinds of comfort items I can pack to help relieve some of my son's back-to-school anxiety. He's starting preschool for the first time (wow!) which means I'm expecting knots in the stomach, sweaty hands, and separation anxiety -- and...
11 incredibly creative ideas for first day of school photos | Back to School Guide 2018
I'll be honest, I don't have a whole lot of time for planning creative' first day of school photos for my kids. Between making sure everyone remembers to put on shoes after a no-shoe summer and packing up 47 pounds of school supplies, our first day of school photos...
Wha-aa? A pool float made just for pregnant women. And our bellies.
We'll be honest, we are completely flipping out over this new pregnancy pool float. HOW HAS NO ONE THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE? When you're pregnant, nothing is comfortable. It's like all the regular things in the world start actively conspiring against your growing girth,...
Everything you need to know about a family vacation at Aulani: A Disney Resort and Spa
When a local yoga studio owned by a couple of friends of mine mentioned they were doing a yoga retreat with discounted rates at Aulani Disney Resort and Spa in Oahu, I jumped at the opportunity to join. Hawaii is one of my favorite places, and I was thrilled to be...
A professional organizer’s top back-to-school organizational tips for the real world | Spawned Ep 119
While we're enjoying a little time off for summer, we're updating some of our greatest hits Spawned episodes you might have missed -- starting with "organizer for the real world" (as we call her), Laurie Palau of Simply B Organized. She taught us one of our very...
NPR selects the 200 greatest 21st century songs by women, and we’re here for it!
We talk a lot about reading diverse women authors, supporting women artists, and shopping women-owned shops. But one thing we don't discuss nearly enough is women musicians -- at least outside of the kids' music category. Which is why we're thrilled to discover NPR's...
What Can a Citizen Do? Why Dave Eggers’ new picture book is required reading for all kids.
We often think of being a citizen as having the ability to vote (something not nearly enough of us do -- I know, I know, that's another post), but there's so much more to it. And kids are surely hearing this word a lot more these days as we discuss the current issues...
Is Eighth Grade okay for middle schoolers despite the R rating? One parent’s view.
Last night, I finally saw Eighth Grade, hoping to screen the movie before seeing it a second time with my 11 and 13-year-old daughters. Tonight, thousands of you have the opportunity to see Eighth Grade totally free, at unrated screenings in every single state around...
Why Pharrell Williams would like it if you bought one of our favorite kids’ backpack brands
We're big fans of Parkland Bags, the label making the affordable, great-looking, eco-friendly backpacks that you might have noticed all over our back-to-school shopping guide this year. They're all made from recycled water bottles, which already puts them way up on...
An honest review of Tentrr, the Airbnb of camping.
Last year, our friend Anna Fader of Mommy Poppins fame posted about her positive experience with Tentrr on Facebook. The service functions like Airbnb, except for campsites, and if that sounds like a brilliant idea, you're right. Particularly for those of us who love...
7 new novels to add to your summer reading list, stat | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from Author Buzz Make room on your bookshelf! From powerful book club reads to thrilling mysteries to fascinating historical fiction, here are 7 highly-acclaimed new summer novels for you to discover all from authors you may already love --...
This Ruth Bader Ginsburg paint-by-numbers kit is the craft of the year
Ever since Ruth Bader Ginsburg pledged to remain on the Supreme Court until at least turning 90, she's solidified her role even further as a heroic icon to so many of us. As if such a thing were even possible! So of course I fell in love with this Notorious RBG...
NBC’s Making It contestant Robert Mahar reveals one brilliant thing parents should do to bring out creativity in their kids
Imagine how thrilled we were to learn that our old friend and popular cool mom pick Robert Mahar was a contestant on the popular new NBC DIY craft show Making It. Yes, there might have been squealing involved. We've known him since we started our site 12 years ago, so...