Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Helpful tips for flying with kids from been-there-done-that moms who survived. Mostly.
With spring break here or coming up for lots of us, and summer vacations around the corner (whoo!), we know so many families will be hitting the skies -- some of you for the very first time with kids in tow. So, as a couple of been-there-done-that moms who've flown...
Earmuffs! Or, how to talk to your kids about politics during an ugly election season
I've always aimed to raise my kids to be politically aware and engaged, and to help them understand how valuable their voting rights are and how important it is to become an informed voter. Ever since they were toddlers, I've taken them into the election booth with...
Are you oversharenting? 5 questions to consider before you share photos of your kids on social media
Not a week goes by where we don't get some question related to social media and kids. It's definitely something on most parents' minds these days, and a debate that can get, well, pretty heated. And we get it, no one wants to be judged about their parenting choices....
More coolness from recent weeks…
6 literary totes to help you with your book nerd cred.
As a new mom to a 4-month-old boy, I look at my rare lounge chair time to lie back and crack a novel a rare indulgence -- and necessary sanity-saver. Happily, I've found some of the very coolest literary tote bags for all the readers and avowed book nerds out there...
The perfect LBD…for your toddler
Kate just turned me onto the very cool online boutique Will and Ivey, and poking around their sale section, I instantly fell in love with this super chic toddler swing dress. On sale, no less! It's everything I always loved about dresses for my girls when they were...
Grab this Golden Snitch fidget spinner now! No Nimbus 2000 required.
Attention muggles: we've just discovered the fidget spinner of your Harry Potter-loving kids' dreams.They will love taking pretend-play to the next level with this totally on-trend Golden Snitch fidget spinner. UPDATE: This shop no longer seems to exist. We've found...
I found the best bath bombs in a kind of random way.
My girls are totally infatuated with bath bombs, ever since my middle schooler joined a Harry Potter Potions after-school science club (so cool, right?) and made her own handmade bath bomb. So when I started combing our neighborhood looking for one for a gift, well...
Behold! The magical color-changing rainbow unicorn mug that we need now.
One look at the short video of the color-changing rainbow unicorn mug in action and you will want it too. You may even scream, I WANT IT! like I did when Kristen sent me the link. Just pour in hot water and -- magic -- the mane slowly becomes a rainbow, while the...
3 fantastic children’s books to get the kids to read before they become hit movies.
There are three fantastic children's books being made into movies for release this fall and early 2018. The way I see it, that gives us plenty of time to read them before scheduling a family movie night to see them! I'm a big believer in reading the book first before...
9 OMG emoji photo booth props you can totally make yourself.
We've embraced the emoji world takeover with clapping hands, champagne bottles mid-pop, and dancing twins in bunny leotards. Resistance is futile we've learned. And with The Emoji Movie coming out this week, we imagine even more will be psyched to discover our...
This Women’s March coloring book is what democracy looks like.
There's no denying that the massive success of The Woman's March on January 21, 2017, marked it as an historic day in our country, the world and the continuation of a long history of boss ladies making our voices heard. So I was so excited to discover this We March...
A dad created this awesome makeup brand to empower his daughter. And all of us too.
It's not often that you'll find a makeup brand that celebrates who women already are instead of making promises as to what women should be. But when Bill Xaing's daughter was born, he realized that he could do something to change that. So he created RealHer Makeup, a...
Mifold vs. BubbleBum: Travel booster seat smackdown
My kids have all used traditional booster seats in the car, but recently my son has had a chance to test out two cool booster seat alternatives so we could really give you the scoop on the pros, cons, and differences between the Mifold and the BubbleBum travel booster...
Don’t toss it yet! 7 brilliant hacks that give second life to your baby gear.
I've racked up quite a bit of baby gear as a mom of four. From diaper bags to bottles to wipe warmers, I could fully stock my own Babies R Us resale outlet! But now that my kids are beyond the baby years, it's time to purge. Because no parent needs leftover diapers...
5 pool rules for kids that everyone should commit to memory.
Sometimes, I think kids have a button in their heads --like in the movie Inside Out -- and it gets pressed whenever they see water. When activated, it's like this button overrides all rational thought with POOOOOOOL! the second they see one. That's why it's important...
Hamiltones crayons: We don’t know how to say no to this!
My daughter has been completely obsessed with Hamilton because she is a normal 2017 kid. And as an artist, she's just as obsessed with these Hamiltones Hamilton crayons by Thespian Swag. Enough that she's been forwarding me pictures of them for days. Now that I've...
We can’t believe the reason a kids’ softball umpire asked a deaf 10-year-old player to remove her hearing devices.
Parents of kids with special needs are used to having to fight for their kids' rights. It's part of the parenting territory. But when my friend told me what happened to her deaf child at her softball tournament this week, I was shocked. (Please note an editorial...
Cool hard-side kids’ luggage: 9 options that might get them to carry their own bags
There are few better moments for traveling families than the day your child is ready to carry their own luggage through the airport! (Can I get a woot?!) I've put together some fantastic hard-side luggage for kids that makes for fantastic first-time luggage, whether...
A mermaid pillow so mesmerizing, your kids just might choose it over an iPad.
Mermaid fever is at fever pitch for my kids and probably yours too. So when we heard about mermaid pillows, well. Turns out, they're truly magical in the most unexpected of ways. Mermaid Pillow Co. calls its puffy creations (which, by the way, are not all...
The Star Wars: A Force Awakens Monopoly set was missing Rey. Then one little girl changed that.
When Hasbro's new Star Wars: A Force Awakens Monopoly set came out in late 2015, fans discovered something was missing. Well, someone was missing: Rey. And one 8-year-old wasn't okay with that. (And honestly, neither were we.) So Annie Rose Goldman wrote Hasbro a...
We’ve got 8 cool summer coloring pages for teens and tweens that they won’t roll their eyes at. (Maybe.)
We're all about awesome printable coloring pages, especially if they're free, and the designs are cool enough that even our most cynical teen and tween artists can appreciate them. These 8 summer coloring pages are just perfect because they celebrate the magical...
So many cool shark shoes for kids! Because…shark shoes!
It's that time of year again: Shark Week! Which is a favorite of ours around here. And it's become a bit of a tradition for us to round up our favorite shark picks for kids. This year, we couldn't help but notice how many awesome kids' shark shoes there are....
An animated film celebrating Black dads, daughters, and a whole lot of hair love.
When I discovered a Kickstarter project for an animated children's short film that will celebrate Black dads, their daughters, and the beauty of natural hair, my heart swelled with love. As a mom to two curly-haired biracial daughters, I personally know how important...
Say Zoop! is the perfect follow-up to Press Here
Fans of the interactive children's books from Hervé Tulle, Press Here and Mix it Up, now have another wonderfully charming, engaging book to add to their kids' bookshelves in Say Zoop! Once again, children are asked to perform a series of tasks related to the...