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…
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...
Exquisite gifts that give back from a shop you need to bookmark, stat.
I mean wow! One bowl is made of woven grass. One bracelet is crafted from a parachute cord. And there’s so much more! These gifts are truly unique.
If you’re going to believe in unicorns, pick this one.
There's a lot of chatter going around that things just haven't been right with the world since Prince and David Bowie left it. I'm kind of in agreement. So I'm all for bringing them back in any way possible -- like this totally rad "Carry Me Home" Bowie and Prince...
Eliminating food dyes from your kids snacks? Start with these 3.
When it comes to treats and candy for our kids, we've always take a pretty common sense "everything in moderation" approach around here. Hey, we love candy! What's a trip to the movie theater, a birthday party, or a special occasion lunchbox treat without some sweet...
New play kits for kids make playing doctor a respectable endeavor
These are medical pretend-play kits designed by professionals… for kids!
Summer ice activities. They’re so hot right now.
During these dog days of summer, when there's really no other word to describe the heat but "blergh," we parents have to think way beyond the sprinklers and water balloons that we've been relying on to keep our kids cool (and occupied). It's time to seriously up the...
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...