Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: Essential tips for parents from James Breakwell | Spawned ep 86
You know, on Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we've covered a lot of important info to help our listeners navigate this crazy parenting thing: Bullying, picky eaters, playdate hell, political unrest, mental health, the eye-rolling tween phase...you name it. But one...
That’s inappropriate, Mom: When to let kids watch R-rated movies | Spawned ep 85
One of the great things about our kids getting older is the ability to watch movies and shows that we actually want to see too. (No offense, Bubble Guppies.) But it's also tough to figure out what they're emotionally ready for, what's over their heads, and what scenes...
Ignoring your kids: Surprise! It makes you a good parent | Spawned Ep 84
When we became parents, no one told us...ha, okay, scratch that. Everyone told us that there'd be terrible twos, terrible threes, terrible tweens (oy) and all sorts of tantrums and difficult behaviors to manage. Experts to the rescue! This week on Spawned with Kristen...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Moms of color share the importance of Black Panther and it’s amazing.
When I left our sold-out Black Panther theater on opening night, I wanted to run out and start shouting on the street, SEE THIS MOVIE NOW! In brief: It was just spectacular: The casting is stellar, the special effects are killer, the production design and costumes are...
Why dress like a Kardashian when you can dress like Dustin Henderson?
When Dustin wore a retro purple Thunder Lizard dinosaur sweatshirt from the Science Museum of Minnesota in season one of Stranger Things, fans cleaned out the museum's supply of Dustin's dinosaur sweatshirts faster than you can say NO BARB, STAY AWAY FROM THE POOL!...
We’re crushing hard on these nature-inspired handmade blocks.
I took one look at the nature-inspired handmade wooden blocks from Water & Lightning at Toy Fair 2018 and...instant love. These minimalist but colorful stacking blocks feel amazing, are nicely weighted, and the perfect size for both little hands learning to grasp...
17 of the coolest black and white baby gifts for sophisticated babes.
Recently I've been coveting the clean, cool aesthetic of black and white baby gifts -- nursery decor, clothes, toys, you name it. Which probably has something to do with the fact that as my young son has accumulated more and more presents and hand-me-downs, his...
My 5 little fashion secrets that help protect your clothes, save you time, save you money
At this point in my life, I'm not spending a ton of money updating my wardrobe each season. Instead, I'm all about little fashion helpers that help me get more out of the staples I do own. Like my favorite knee-high boots I want to last more than a few years. Or the...
A custom board game for preschoolers can help you win best birthday gift ever.
My board-gaming family geeked out just a little this week, getting our hands on our very own personalized board game, Our Family's Race Across the U.S.A. For my kids, a new board game is always fun...but one with their own photos as the game pieces? Minds blown. Race...
Bevy & Dave makes Black history blocks that help build future leaders, too.
After attending the NY Toy Fair each year, there's always one product I'm really excited about having discovered, making me want to run back to my laptop and share it with you all immediately. While there were actually quite a few great finds (you followers of our...
How these new temporary tattoos can be part of a self-care routine. For real.
We're big fans of Tattly temporary tattoos, as our readers well know by now, thanks to their cool collaborations with indie artists, and all-ages designs. But their new collection, which are designed to smell great, have really caught our eyes. And noses. Created in...
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood turns 50 today! Here are 5 favorite episodes to share with your own kids.
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the first episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. As a kid who looked forward to watching him and Mr. McFeely and Lady Elaine Fairchilde every day on our teensy black-and-white '70s TV, I can think of nothing better than sharing him...
The hot accessory trend of 2018…designer fanny packs! But you have to call them belt bags.
I never thought I'd see the day that fanny packs were showing on the Fashion Week runways and touted by designers as a hot new accessory, and yet here we are. Only, don't call them fanny packs. They're belt bags, sweetie sweetie dahling. If I'm going to be honest, I'm...
What Olympic sport is competing which day? This website has the answer!
Let's be honest, the Olympics coverage is a mess. (And you know I'm a total Olympics-watching geek if you have been following our Instagram Stories on Cool Mom Picks!) Live events aren't live -- unless they are. The medal ceremonies seem almost non-existent. And while...
Make a lost tooth sweeter with these 9 creative Tooth Fairy traditions.
You may actually look forward to the next loose tooth with these sweet picks!
We tried out the 3 top DNA testing kits. Here’s how they compare.
Ever since my sister mentioned that she found an Austrian princess in our family tree, I've become a bit of a genealogy buff. I've spent some time building out our family tree on Ancestry.com and it turns out, my daughter can apply for a Daughters of the American...
Download these free printable Wonder activity sheets and help choose kind
We're all huge fans of RJ Palacio's Wonder and the 2017 Wonder movie that the book inspired. Fans as in, we all sobbed into our popcorn bowls and loved every minute. So I was psyched to discover these free printable Wonder-themed activity sheets (PDF) that bring the...
7 hot toy trends from Toy Fair 2018
This is a sponsored post on behalf of these brands showing at 2018 Toy Fair We always look forward to attending the annual Toy Fair in New York, when the hottest of the hot toy trends for each year are revealed to us all. The big event kicks off this year on February...
Valentine’s Day as a parent. It’s…different.
However you celebrate today, moms and dads, you deserve it! Lots of love, Liz, Kristen + the Cool Mom team.
Meet the new children’s book from Maisy author Lucy Cousins | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from Candlewick Press It's here, it's here! Splish, Splash, Ducky has hit the stands, ready to mesmerize your little ones with interactive prose and friendly drawings from New York Times best-selling author Lucy Cousins. Fans of Lucy...
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...
At a time we need more feel-good stories, you should see what this hospital is doing for kids with special needs. | sponsored message
This is a sponsored message from St. Mary's Kids At a time that we are all looking for the helpers, and trying to find goodness in the world, St. Mary's Kids is providing it daily for thousands of kids. And while some children's hospitals may be better known or get...
Chinese Year of the Dog baby gifts: These adorable doggie-themed baby gifts are best in show.
If you happen to be anticipating a new baby this year -- whether your own or a friend's -- you're in luck. Because February 16 marks the of Chinese New Year and the official start of the Year of the Dog, which means you can celebrate babies and puppies, two of our...
6 exquisite children’s books about women African American singers and songwriters. May they inspire children to lift every voice and sing!
It's Black History Month and hopefully you and your children are spending time learning and celebrating our nation's Black inventors and innovators, activists and leaders. There are just so many wonderful children's books about African American pioneers that inspire...