Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Spring 2018 fashion trends: The good, the bad, and the OMGWTF
We're lightening up the mood this week on the Spawned podcast, as we take a look at this year's hottest spring/summer fashion trends and...well, we laugh. And gasp. And covet -- just a bit. Take a listen this very fun episode of Spawned, and get our takes on some of...
Kids and activism: 10 smart ways they can put their passion to good use.
With the strong, courageous teens of Parkland Florida's Majory Stoneman Douglas High inspiring so many of us over the past two weeks (jeez, has it only been two weeks?) Kristen and I been thinking so much about kids and activism. In part, because we're already seeing...
7 tricks to create more positive thinking in your life | Spawned ep 102
While I'm not at all someone who believes that positive thinking cures all ills, brings all joys, and sends millions of dollars pouring into your bank account (as I said pretty clearly on our recent episode of Spawned), I do understand that positive thinking does have...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Mother’s Day is not for dog moms | Spawned Ep 109
After getting a Mother's Day pitch for dog moms, we're trying to figure out why everyone is trying to claim Mother's Day from moms. Can't we just have one day that's our own? On this fun episode of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we're talking about all the people who...
Say my name, say my name.
How hard was it to pick the perfect name for your baby? Ugh. My husband and I discussed (and debated) for months over the merits of different names, and name meaning always came into play. In fact, we even threw out some good contenders just because we didn't like...
A list of excellent articles + analyses to help parents discuss “This is America” with our kids.
On Saturday night, I saw messages from friends, including our own editors and contributors, pop up on my computer. They all were versions of, "Whoa. WATCH THIS," with a link to the new Childish Gambino video, "This is America." After watching it just once, I was...
10 things you should always keep in your car, especially if you’re driving with kids.
If you live in your car like I do, then you know that the safety of your kids -- and hey, yourself -- is always top of mind. After finding myself unprepared for minor incidents (thankfully small ones!), I've learned the hard way that I need to remember to have certain...
15 seriously funny Mother’s Day cards for moms who can appreciate a good laugh
Every year, we search far and wide (well, spend a lot of time on the internet) to find you the funniest Mother’s Day cards. Because some moms just appreciate a little sarcasm and wit over a flowery, sentimental message (But hey, that doesn’t let you off the hook for...
6 ways to simplify your tech life on your smartphone or tablet
It's probably no surprise that decluttering — your home, and your life in general — can really help keep stress levels at bay. Whether you go full KonMari on your closet or just purge your kids' toy bins from time to time, being able to access what you need, when you...
8 of the sweetest mother-daughter necklace sets, from fancy to DIY | Mother’s Day Gifts 2018
These awesome mother-daughter necklace sets are making me teary. The mother-daughter relationship can be really special, especially with little ones or even those tweens and teens for whom the connection is extra important. Oh -- and of course, for moms too! That's...
Is Avengers Infinity War okay for kids? A no-spoiler perspective from one mom.
Should I see Avengers: Infinity War with kids? Is it okay for middle-schoolers? Will my third-grader freak out? Is there a ton of violence? Am I the best mommy in the world because I refuse to allow my children to be exposed to unnecessary violence, profanity, and...
Great tips from Siri Daly to make it more fun to feed your kids | Spawned 108
Feeding kids! We all love it so much! Hahahah. No. Well, maybe some of us do. But most of us -- it's just another one of those things we have to do as parents, and make the best of it. That's why it was so fun to speak this week about that very thing, with the super...
31 affordable Mother’s Day gifts for all kinds of moms, and how to make them more special
We've always said that Mother's Day gifts don't have to be expensive -- but they do have to be thoughtful. (Well, at least they should be, right?) One of my favorite gifts from my kids of all time, aside from the hand-written cards and artwork of course, is an awesome...
4 cool DIY Star Wars slime recipes to keep little Padawans busy: May the Fourth be with us all.
Not that we ever need an excuse to find our kids some cool DIY Star Wars themed slime recipes. But considering Star Wars lovers everywhere — locally and in galaxies far, far away — are celebrating May the Fourth today, well, it seemed particularly appropriate. As you...
How to support the first Off-Broadway musical about children with disabilities.
The conversation around disabilities can be tricky with young children, so I was happy to learn about the Addy & Uno Off-Broadway show that's educating kids about diversity and inclusivity in the most fun way: with music and puppets. And I was even more touched to...
32 cool (really!) Mother’s Day Gifts, all $15 and under | Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2018
If you're looking for affordable Mother's Day gifts, as in, all $15 or less (really!) you've come to the right place. Because around here, we all know the best Mother's Day gifts have nothing to do with how much you spend. Even so, I get that it's super hard to find...
15 beautiful Mother’s Day gifts that give back, beautifully | Mother’s Day Gift Guide
If you're struggling to shop for Mother's Day gifts for the mom who has everything, we always say, turn to Mother's Day gifts that give back in some way. Some of the most memorable gifts our own kids have given us are ones that support other moms and families who...
6 smart home tech upgrades for the family that are totally worth the money
If you’ve got spring cleaning fever like we do, then you know that there’s just something about the change of weather that makes us want to get things clean and organized so we can enjoy our homes and families. Turns out, there are a bunch of cool gadgets that can...
Whoa. These celebrity-designed Vans for Custom Culture offer crafting inspiration galore.
If you have a tween or teen (or you're just a cool mom) you probably have a pair of Vans in your house. How many are gathering dust in your closet? Five? Ten? Forty? Van’s Custom Culture program might just inspire you to give those shoes a new life. The program...
4 very cool first-words books for toddlers that are anything but basic
My tweens (gah!) grew up reading Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, and I have to admit -- it's hard to argue with that title. It's a classic! But a some new and very cool first-words books have caught my eye recently, and I just have to share them. Because every...
17 wonderful Mother’s Day gifts for Grandma, Nana or Oma | Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2018
In our 2018 Mother's Day Gift Guide, we can never forget a selection of our favorite Mother's Day gifts for Grandma! There's nothing that quite makes you appreciate a cool grandma more than having your own kids, and this is the perfect time to honor her sacrifices,...
This rainbow-bright Mother’s Day gift box from Studio DIY is making sure kids don’t go hungry.
Attention, color lovers -- and anyone still searching for a baller gift for Mom. Just released yesterday: A gorgeous, brand new Studio DIY Mother's Day gift box that's been hand-curated by Kelly Mindell (the mastermind behind Studio DIY) and supports No Kid Hungry...
A look at the new LEGO Creator Expert Roller Coaster set. Just…wow.
LEGO just keeps getting more insane -- in the best possible way -- with their new building kits, especially when it comes to the brand new LEGO Creator Expert: Roller Coaster set. You thought the LEGO Millenium Falcon Collectors Set was something? Well, yeah. It was....
18 fantastic Mother’s Day gift ideas for stepmothers who you definitely don’t want to forget. | Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2018
For our annual Mother's Day Gift Guide, we always know how important it is to include Mother's Day gift ideas for stepmothers -- plus mothers-in-law, godmothers, and all those other important mother-like figures in our lives -- who we love and want to honor in some...