Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Self-care tips to help you survive the election: Spawned Episode 56
If you're like us, these last few weeks of the election have been pretty stressful. Between listening to the rhetoric ourselves and trying to shield our kids (or speak to them about it in a way that makes sense), we're feeling overwhelmed. So, we decided to talk about...
Sexy Halloween costumes that make you say, just..no. | Spawned 55: The Halloween episode
This week on Spawned, we are laughing so hard (truly, like, mascara-running laughing) discussing the craziest sexy costumes we've seen. Plus, more Halloween fun. Click right here to hear Kristen ranking these best of the worst ideas for "sexy" Halloween costumes from...
Is it ever okay to brag about your kids on social media? Spawned Episode 54
If you've spent any time on social media, you've probably seen parent humblebrags, you know, like the mom wishing her child would eat junk food because "ugh, kale chips are so expensive!" So on today's episode of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we try to figure out why...
More coolness from recent weeks…
What to say when you call your representatives (and why it’s not scary)
We've seen so many important issues rise to the surface in 2017, and with that, more people calling their representatives. But we also see people saying that it makes them nervous, or they don't know just what to say. I can safely say that all of us here at Cool Mom...
The best travel mug we’ve ever used. And we’ve used a lot of them.
I have used an embarrassing number of travel mugs in my life, and none have come close to the YETI Rambler that I received as a gift from a friend a few months ago. It's going to be my new go-to gift for everyone because I can't stop talking about it. Which brings me...
THERE WILL BE BLOOD: The great (and hilarious) period discussion | Spawned ep 87
This week on Spawned with Kristen and Liz, a brutally honest, very funny, no-holds (or anatomical references) -barred discussion about girls, periods, and yep. Vaginas. Because you can't talk about periods without talking vaginas. And the more we say the word, the...
What’s in your bag? 16 items I never leave home without.
Over the years, I've carried many bags, and collected a whole lot of things in them. Helicopter toy? Check! Hand sanitizer? Always. 40 broken crayons? Got 'em. Ah, parenting. But, save the rare date nights when I'm carrying a small clutch, there are always items in my...
7 easy and still creative baby Halloween costumes you can make with a onesie
After years of making baby Halloween costumes, we've learned two things: One, there's almost nothing cuter than babies in Halloween costumes. I mean, really. And two, you don't have to get all crazy-DIY to produce some seriously winning costumes. In fact, some of the...
School librarian politely declines some Dr Seuss books from Melania Trump, Internet goes insane. | Thinking: Parent
Earlier this week, I was introduced to the story of Cambridge, MA librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro, who graciously and thoughtfully declined to accept a box of Dr. Seuss books sent to her by Melania Trump as they were to a number of other high-achieving schools. I admit my...
#DrawingWhileBlack: Prints from 5 amazing Black children’s book illustrators and artists you will fall in love with.
Thanks to a 19-year-old artist who originated the hashtag, the #DrawingWhileBlack campaign on social media caught on and became a veritable treasure trove of art on Twitter. I watched in real time thrilled to discover the talents of hundreds of Black artists and...
A free printable protest poster to motivate you to keep on keepin’ on.
It's time for my tween daughter's room to get a decorating refresh, and I've got my eye on this this inspiring free "fight hate" printable by Vanessa at Little Gold Pixel as a starting point. Okay, so she may be a little too young for coffee, but making art and...
Got a gifted kid? Here’s how to navigate the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Talent Search
After my daughter, now 13, was identified as qualifying for gifted education prior to heading to middle school, I decided I wanted to provide her with some extra learning opportunities in the summer and throughout the school year. And quite frankly, give her some...
The brilliant site that lets new moms register for the best baby gift of all: maternity leave.
There's no way to fully prepare for the sleepless and uh, very sore, whirlwind after you leave the hospital with a new baby. And while moms want to take ample time off before returning to work, the U.S. doesn't require that employers provide paid maternity leave,...
Teaching kids about racial justice with the best teacher ever: Langston Hughes.
Issues concerning civil rights and racial justice in America have never stopped being news. At least if you're paying attention. However over the past few years, they've really become front and center in a more widespread way, thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement...
How to DIY some of the most popular superhero capes on Etsy
We first spotted Lovelane Designs' amazing superhero capes on Etsy a few years ago and became instantly obsessed. In fact, we've featured them in more than one gift guide for kids over the years. That said, the quality and handmade design makes them spendy. So we're...
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...
Mermaid Vans: Because fins don’t work well in fall.
A quick trip to the mall and of course I find myself in the Vans store, at which point I might have squealed upon discovering these new mermaid Vans. How cool are they?! They're actually being billed as "snakeskin" but add the rose gold and well, I see mermaid tail....
Baby gear obsessed? The gorgeous fall DockATot designs are like works of art.
Not knowing what kind of sleeping arrangements you'll encounter when you're on vacation is one of the hardest parts of taking a trip with a toddler. Will the hotel have a crib? Will it be disgusting? Will your toddler "sleep" between you and your partner all night...
7 new favorite beauty products that maximize the ones you already own.
After getting a whole lot of products chosen for me this past Saturday from some pros, I culled it down to seven of my favorite beauty products to share that I'm still using today. (As in, years later. Hi! this is Liz from the future, updating this post.) You can find...
7 reasons girls should see the new LEGO NINJAGO movie | Thinking : Parent
As a fan of the original LEGO Movie and LEGO Batman, I admit I was a little skeptical about the new LEGO NINJAGO Movie. I wasn't very familiar with the NINJAGO franchise and wasn't sure if my 10-year-old daughter would be that into an action film featuring LEGO...
How to talk to kids about tragedy and natural disaster: Helpful tips and resources.
This has been a brutal month with consecutive natural disasters, many right in the contiguous US or close to home, and our hearts are so heavy. There's Hurricane Harvey's devastation in Texas, Hurricane Irma pounding Florida and the Virgin Islands, and now Hurricane...
Make a pledge to register voters in honor of National Voter Registration Day
As much as I love the many "National" days and weeks that help us celebrate everything from women's history to coffee, I think my all time favorite day is National Voter Registration Day. Observed annually on the fourth Tuesday in September -- that's September 26th...
An edgy diaper bag alternative for dads not down with the diaper bag thing.
I really like the collection of Brooklyn Backpacks with laptop sleeve from California indie biz, Rareform They're made from upcycled billboards (yay, eco-friendly!) with typography and graphics that give them an edgy look and feel, and ensuring no two are the same....
Hot trend: 15 hipster cat accessories and school supplies
Aren't cats the original hipsters? They sleep late, live on their own terms, and only pretend that you don't care what you think about them. But unlike real cats (and some real hipsters), they're a lot lower maintenance when they come into your home in the form of...