Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
The great screen time debate. Where do the experts really stand? | Spawned Ep 98
If there's anything that parents can never seem to agree on, it's screen time, so we decided to figure out why this topic is so polarizing on this week's episode of Spawned with Kristen and Liz. And, who better to give us some firm, research-based answers than Anya...
Are video games hurting our kids? Believe it or not…no. | Spawned 97
Parents have so many questions and concerns about kids and video games. Are they hurting our kids? Are violent games making kids more violent? Are they playing too much? Are certain games worse than others? How do we manage the time kids spend playing games -- and...
Liz and Kristen’s favorite holiday gift ideas from our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide
We have to admit that picking favorite gift ideas from our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide is sort of like picking a favorite kid; it was really hard to do! But, we somehow managed, and we had a lot of fun doing it. Whether you're smack in the middle of your holiday shopping...
More coolness from recent weeks…
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...
20 wonderfully creative, personalized Mother’s Day gifts for a mom who’s like no other. | Mother’s Day Gift Guide
I'm convinced that personalized Mother's Day gifts make the absolute best presents. Why? Because they show that the giver has actually thought ahead, and because they're designated specifically for Mom. As someone who lives in a household where everything's...
These silly swim masks are going to be the talk of the pool this summer.
Fun water toys are really having their moment, aren't they? From crazy pool floats to OMG unicorn yard sprinklers, we're not the only ones obsessed. So when we saw these silly swim masks, we knew we had to share with you all! Because it's twice as fun preventing...
The amazing story behind Girlfriend Collective’s new sustainable, ethically produced t-shirts.
We get it – you don’t need another t-shirt. But we think once you hear about the Girlfriend Collective’s new Cupro Collection you mayyyyyy find room for at least one more to squeeze into your closet. (Yes, right there, next to your vintage Coachella 1999 tee and your...
Screen-Free Fun is the remedy for “I’m bored.”
This week is National Screen-Free week, our kids' favorite week of the year. Ha! We love hearing from our readers about the different ways you manage screen time at home, including some of the tricks you've picked up from Cool Mom Tech. Lots of you have strict rules...