Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
What manners do kids need to know?
Here's hoping Emily Post doesn't roll over in her grave after our discussion about kids and manners on today's episode of SPAWNED with Kristen and Liz. We share which manners are important to us: Please and Thank You, yes. Using Mrs. Last Name for every single adult...
Letting kids fight their own battles: Should parents intervene?
Do you let your kids handle their own battles, or do you step in to help? Or, gulp, do you fight the battles for them? On this week's episode of SPAWNED with Kristen and Liz tackle this pretty sticky parenting question and offer some solid approaches for how to...
Letting your kids play outside alone or walk to school: Is it bad for kids, or just bad for parents?
Do you let your kid walk to school alone? Or to the park? Or to the neighbor's house to play? But more importantly, have you ever let your kid go out alone...and lied about it for fear of repercussion? Today on the latest Episode of Spawned, Kristen and Liz have a...
More coolness from recent weeks…
The danger of fidget spinners: Miniature death traps! Or…not.
THE DANGER OF FIDGET SPINNERS is appearing all over our newsfeeds and splashing across subject lines flooding our inboxes. Hm, why are we not shocked? It was inevitable that the number of articles about the fidget spinner craze (hey, our kids are fans too), would be...
8 tips to start now to help your kids avoid the summer slide. It’s coming.
Summer break will be here in just a minute, but there are some things you can start planning now to help make sure your kids don't hit the summer slide on their reading and math skills over the break. Research shows that most kids lose about two months' of learning...
The quick-fix, natural bug bite remedy that really works. Really!
With the weather getting warming and my kids spending the afternoons playing outside, we're starting to see a lot more bug bites on their tender, sensitive skin. Mean ones. The kind that turn bright red, itch like crazy, and keep them up at night. Ugh! But, I've found...
8 surprising rules about flying with children that every parent should know
If you've watched the news recently, you've probably heard a disconcerting story or two about air travel passengers -- which can be all the more troubling when the story involves parents flying with young children who were subject to rules that no one knew, or worse,...
GapKids’ newest clothes collection: When activewear meets the Avengers.
Kids' activewear is kind of a funny phrase, if you think about it, since kids are such constant blurs of motion -- it's like every piece of clothing turns into activewear, purposefully or not. Which is what makes the new GapKids and Marvel collection even more super...
We tried the FLEX disposable tampon alternative, and here’s how it worked for us. In full detail (sorry). | Damn You, Social Media Ads
I'm coming up on my 25thish anniversary of my first visit from Aunt Flo. And over that those 2.5 decades, I've had the same exact routine every month: tampons and pads. I wasn't necessarily looking to spice things up in that department, but when I saw the ads on...
This Is How We Do It: The fabulous new book that teaches kids empathy while celebrating diversity.
One of the best ways our kids can learn empathy and celebrate diversity is to see the myriad of ways different people live their lives all around the world. Which is why I am loving the brand-new children's book, This Is How We Do It, by Matt Lamothe. My kids get to...
A fun summer fashion trend anyone can pull off. Seriously, we’re obsessed.
We've been keeping our eyes on hot shoe trends lately (it's hard work, but someone has to do it) and we've noticed a new look coming out of the Mediterranean that we're completely obsessed with: tassel, lace-up, blinged-out boho sandals. These shoes are so fun, and...
The one small spring cleaning task that makes a big difference
Spring cleaning can be a beast. Just the thought of getting everything tidier and cleaner -- whatever shape your home is in now -- can be so overwhelming, it can be hard to know where to start. So we reached out to household cleaning expert Dana K. White for some...
Should your kids be watching 13 Reasons Why? 15 must-read articles to help you figure it out.
Okay, parents. Let's talk 13 Reasons Why and whether your kids should be watching it. Because, no doubt, your kids are doing just that. And now that it's been picked up for a second season on Netflix, the question about whether your kids should watch it won't be going...
Work after baby: Lauren Smith Brody’s tips for surviving with sanity and style | Spawned ep 75
How do you get back to work after having a baby without losing your mind? How in the world can you start looking -- and feeling -- human again when you feel anything but? How do you carve out me-time when it seems least likely? And the big one: Is it possible to ever...
Build your own LEGO fidget spinner, await the gushing praise.
With the massive popularity of fidget spinners, it was only a matter of time before we found a DIY project for making your own. Fortunately this one doesn't require an engineering degree or even a 3-D printer: Just some basic LEGO pieces. The very clever Sarah at...
Mother’s Day advice: Been there, cleaned that up.
Even if the Macaroni necklace breaks, the flowers die, and the mimosas are gone in seconds, you always always get to keep your sense of humor. Hope you have the best Mother's Day! xo Liz + Kristen + The Cool Mom Team
Here’s how you can follow Cool Mom Picks, Cool Mom Tech, Cool Mom Eats. We promise we’ll make it worth your while.
Whichever social media site is your guilty pleasure du jour, we’re there, making sure you don’t miss our favorite posts on parenting, fashion, apps, recipes, deals and discounts, and random awesomeness from around the web. Plus our favorite part: we love hearing from...
10 inspirational art prints for grads that will encourage them to work hard, be kind, and follow their dreams.
I'm a real sucker for a feel good, motivational quote, so I love the idea of giving an inspirational art print as a gift to a recent grad. They can hang it on a wall or prop it up on a desk, and it'll be a daily reminder to go out there and go get 'em! These 10...
8 tips to compliment your kids in ways that are meaningful and empowering
As parents, we're our kids' biggest fans, right? That's why a lot of us tend to compliment them. A lot. Whether it's the first time they learn to ride a bike, the masterpiece they created in art class, a stellar report card, or even that time they remembered to clean...
A clever idea to get kids in the kitchen on their own, no nagging (or even talking!) required.
My boys have been cooking alongside me ever since they were little. But now that they're older and I'd love for them make their own breakfast, prep their own snacks, and put together their own lunches from time to time, I'm finding it harder to get them into the...
Emojis, sly cats, and other cool kids’ leggings you won’t see everywhere on the playground
Hold on to your credit cards, mamas. Because we found some seriously cool kids' leggings at The Trendy Tot Etsy shop. From magic 8 balls to emoji faces, these knee patches will add a ton of interest and personality to your kids' wardrobe this spring. Let's just say,...
Thoughtful ways to celebrate Mother’s Day when you really miss your mom.
My mother passed away exactly one year before my first child -- her first grandchild -- was born. While I miss her every day, it’s Mother's Day that always seems to swoop in with a special kind of sucker punch. Each year, I take a deep breath and steel myself for all...
Great news! NPR is releasing their first-ever podcast for kids!
NPR is the only thing I ever listen to in my car -- unless my kids want to hear "It's Raining Tacos." On repeat. (Because of course not every episode of Spawned is entire kid-safe.) So I was absolutely stoked when I heard that next week, May 15, NPR is going to...
The wackiest, coolest summer camps for kids. Can we go too?
Summer camps have changed a lot since we were kids. No offense to good ol' Camp Starfire and the many, many lanyards we made there, but the options for our kids are wildly creative, expertly thought-out, and -- sometimes -- curiously specific. Circus camp? Spy camp?...