Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
The best advice for new parents: 29 essential, honest, supportive tips from some of the smartest parents we know
There's no shortage of people who claim to have the best advice for new parents. The hospital janitor. The cashier at Target. Your mother-in-law. Someone else's mother-in-law who you've never even met. Caring for a newborn is already overwhelming, but when you add in...
What’s it really like to be a solo parent (and what other parents can learn from them)
If you've ever wondered what it was like to be a solo parent (or a single married parent, as they're sometimes called), you're in luck! Both Kristen and our special guest co-host Courtney Greisman have been there, and share their honest experiences about...
A look at the brand new curvy Barbie: Will you buy her? | Thinking: Parent
Well, after oh, only sixty years or so of women complaining about Barbie's unrealistic figure, Mattel has decided to get with the 21st century zeitgeist and the changing look of the world, today releasing Barbies with three brand new body shapes -- curvy, tall and...
More coolness from recent weeks…
In memory of the 11 year old who died at summer camp from meningitis this week
"Were your kids vaccinated for meningitis?" my father asked as I picked up the phone tonight. He's always asking me questions like this after seeing something or other in the news or on Facebook. He's a good Grandpa that way. "Sure," I said with some relief. "Our...
Made in America shirts with the ultimate made in America story.
While it isn't realistic that every article of clothing we all own is made in America, I'm always thrilled to share ones that are. And I just discovered a company called Bridge & Boro that's getting ready to design and manufacture gorgeous some new premium US-made...
8 must-read summer reading books for tweens and teens who want to stay woke. That’s a good thing.
Lately, as my kids are getting older and the world has gotten (ahem) a little crazier, my 10- and 12-year-old have been questioning what's going on. I chat with them about my own observations and beliefs...and ask them about theirs. But one thing that helps us both...
Scaring your friends: The best part of summer!
If you thought Michael Phelps racing a great white was the summer's biggest shark-in-a-pool news, that's because you haven't seen this hot water accessory yet. Yes. It's a wearable shark fin. We know our own aquaphiles will get themselves into a frenzy the second they...
The 10 most read fiction books on Amazon this week: Are they worth adding to cart?
Beach reads are one of the greatest things about summer -- whether or not you actually make it to the a beach. To help you find your next great literary escape, I checked out the top 10 most-read books on Amazon this week a new list they've started publishing. It's...
4 great websites and videos that teach kids how to tie knots. Road trip entertainment, check!
One of the items on my son's bucket list this summer is to learn to tie a bowline, a half-hitch, and a square knot...with his eyes closed. They are requirements for his scouting program, but have easily become at-home entertainment for the whole family. They're...
Oh, please please tell us they’ll come out with one for adults.
Since unicorns show no sign of going away -- nor would we want them to -- I couldn't wait to share the most adorable baby gift ever: The soft, cuddly new unicorn hooded bath towel from Pottery Barn Kids. I saw it at a recent press event for all the new goodies coming...
4 stylish summer diaper bags to make schlepping your crap bit more glam
Now that my son is 4 months old, I'm craving a diaper bag that's a little more stylish and summery than the workhorse tote I hauled around when he was a newborn. Because now that he's screaming slightly less often -- or at more regular intervals, anyway -- I've been...
11 of the coolest emoji accessories for back to school. Or any time of year!
If your kids are like ours, they still can't get enough of emojis and emoji accessories, whether on their smartphone cases, their notebooks, or their name labels. Insert praise hands emoji here. With World Emoji Day coming up (it's July 17!), and back to school season...
Cards Against Humanity for Her: The most absorbent pack…ever!
What do we girls do after we've fixed our men their martinis, fetched them their slippers, and they retire with the paper to catch up on those boring old things like economics and geopolitical conflict ? Why, we play Cards Against Humanity...for Her. Of course. The...
Tips for getting a better night’s sleep: 8 tips you may not have tried.
What no one tells you about becoming a parent is the total and complete lack of sleep you'll suffer. Sure, we all know it's rough when they're new babies. But, spoiler alert: It lasts way beyond the infant years. We know moms who can't fall asleep because they're...
Come on, rap me Amadeus: Mozart meets hiphop for kids!
As long time fans of funky kindie artist and now Grammy winner Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, we knew that their latest 5-song EP Mozartistic would be cool even before we listened to it. And... it is. As you might have guessed, the album blends the classical Mozart with hip...
A new baby swaddler that completely reinvents the baby swaddler. Whoa!
Is there really anything new in baby swaddlers. Not much, generally. Mostly variations on fabrics and Velcro positioning. But as a new mom myself, I am flipping out over the Kepi Kozy Support Swaddle and Dock. You heard that right: It's got a dock. This swaddler...
Plus, you get to hum the Jaws theme while you push it.
Yes, it's a few weeks until Shark Week, a much-awaited tradition around these parts, but I couldn't wait to share this awesome shark stroller that one of our eagle-eyed staffers spotted around Brooklyn this week. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the...
The best Amazon Prime Day deals that don’t look like leftovers from your grandmother’s yard sale
It's Prime Day! Which means those of us savvy shoppers are kind of glued to our screens today, checking in just to see if there are any amazing deals on stuff we would be buying anyway. That being the operative phrase. Whether it's kitchen goods, art supplies for the...
Cool crafts you probably never knew you could do with pool noodles.
When researching our post about the coolest water activities for your yard, I noticed something pretty awesome: pool noodles are the hot crafting supply of the season. Maybe it's because they're only $1 each (or less) at dollar stores, or because their versatile...
5 sleepaway camp postcard sets that are cool enough for cynical kids.
Since old fashioned pen to paper is usually the required form of communication at camps, cool sleepaway camp postcards make it easy! They keep writing short and sweet, don't require envelopes, and if you give your kid a set all stamped and ready to go, the odds are in...
All about that babe: 7 of the most outrageous kids’ amenities at hotels and resorts
Sometimes it's the little things that make your vacation really special ... and sometimes it's the huge splurges you'll remember forever. If that's what you're looking for on your next vacation, check out these five luxury resorts and hotels with some incredibly...
This board book about breastfeeding wins baby shower gift of the year!
Graphic artists Tupera Tupera are known for pushing boundaries with their cheeky, irreverent books. I mean, have you seen their Japanese-language book about poop for kids? Well, their newest board book is a winner too, though it might be moms who are more interested...
Raising curious kids: Expert tips from Brains On host Molly Bloom | Spawned ep 80
This week, we are talking about the importance of curious kids -- how to raise them, how to keep them that way. And there's no better person to join us for this chat and answer our questions than Molly Bloom of Brains On, the popular science podcast from Minnesota...
Paint it forward: How to turn rocks into random acts of kindness
Kids like rocks. Kids like painting. Kids like giving gifts. So it's pretty brilliant for Creativity for Kids/Faber-Castell to come out with the brand new Hide & Seek Rock Painting Kit which brings all three together. Admittedly on first glance I was like, okay,...