Spawned Parenting Podcast with Liz of Cool Mom Picks

Encouraging creativity in kids is so important to us, and it's not just about crafting or calligraphy. We are SO happy to be joined by creative maven, entrepreneurial role model, mom of two, and social media megastar, Joy Cho of Oh Joy! Design Studio to talk about how to encourage more creativity in kids -- even if you don't think you're creative yourself. So many great tips for parents, caregiver...

On this very special Valentine's Day episode of Spawned, we're chatting live with author and Meet Cute lead writer Robert Wilder. Together, in our sound editor's recording studio, we chat about all things Valentine's Day - from gift ideas and celebrating with kids, to some racier topics (ahem). Plus, we learn more about Meet Cute, the new Rom-Com scripted audio company that's shaking up the podcas...

Have you outgrown your home? Do you feel priced out of your current zip code? Are you ready to move from the joys of urban rats to the joys of suburban raccoons in your garbage? AND. Does all of this make your palms sweat? Fear not! This week we're joined by the witty, and extremely helpful "Marie Kondo of Moving," Ali Wenzke. She's sharing tips from her book, The Art of Happy Moving, to help fami...

With Valentine's Day around the corner, we've got fun craft ideas and activities on the brain. Because if you're like us, the lingerie and dinner out just isn't in the cards, which to be honest, is perfectly fine with us. So on this episode, we're sharing everything from fun crafts, printables and recipes, to our favorite games and family-friendly activities that can help you connect and make memo...

This interview with Peggy Orenstein on her new best-selling book, Boys & Sex, is absolutely a must-listen episode for all parents. Once again, with all caps: IT'S A MUST-LISTEN. Whether you have younger boys, older teens, or even girls, this very candid interview is one of the most eye-opening, informative scary, and yet hopeful discussion about how we can bring up the next generation of sexua...

Parenting is hard. We know that's an obvious statement. But some parts are decidedly harder than others, and one of them is discipline. But thanks to our guest, Lynn Burrell, a school psychologist and co-founder of our sponsor Weldon, we've got tips, tricks, and helpful advice when it comes to tackling this challenging issue. And as always, we close out our show with our cool picks of the week. We...

We know many parents made resolutions and goals to spend more quality time with family in 2020. And well, we’re hitting that point in January when even our best laid plans get a little side tracked. It's okay, we're right there with you. That's why we were so excited to talk about ways to foster real connections with your kids in surprising ways, thanks to the help of our guest, Dr. Sheryl Ziegler...

Today we're joined by third-time guest and fan favorite James Breakwell, A.K.A. the popular humorist Exploding Unicorn, and author of How to Save Your Child from Ostrich Attacks, Accidental Time Travel, and Anything Else that Might Happen on an Average Tuesday . As you can imagine, this is a VERY SERIOUS INTERVIEW about VERY SERIOUS THREATS TO CHILDREN. I mean, if your kid ever encounters a werewo...

Oh, stop squirming! Most of our listeners have one right? And yet, why is it still so hard to talk about sex and sexuality with our kids? (And why do we have to mark this "explicit," ya know?) Well this week, Liz is chatting with family sex communication researcher and "Beyond Birds & Bees" educational workshop host Dr. Heidi Croatt, who has truly genius ideas to help you rethink everything --...

This week we're talking about how to create more positive thinking in your life, and all the ways it brings success. (It's true! It's science!) Author, NFL/NHL trainer, and professional joy-spreader Sandy Joy Weston is sharing some wonderful tips, especially for parents, and bringing loads of energy and inspiration to this conversation. We hope you get a ton out of it, because we know we did!. //...

Parenting teens is not for the faint of heart, but it's certainly not all sturm und drang like some folks might make you believe. On today's episode of Spawned, we're chatting with Dr. Ken Ginsburg about raising resilient teens, and getting answers to popular parenting questions. We're so thrilled to welcome our sponsors Prodigy and Circle back to our podcast. Have you checked them out yet? Prodig...

It's here! Our annual Cool Picks of the Week Holiday episode, where we share all of our favorite gifts for everyone on your list from our holiday gift guide . This year, we're highlighting our picks from small makers, indie artisans, and lots of female-run businesses. If you love hearing our Cool Picks of the Week, you're going to love this episode. We're happy to welcome our sponsors Prodigy , a...

This week on the Spawned parenting podcast, we're talking about something all parents can agree on: Saving money is GOOD! So we're sharing a favorite episode featuring our very best tips, tricks, and secrets for saving money on your holiday shopping -- all garnered from over 10 years doing this very thing for our readers on Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Tech. Trust us...we know things. (BWAHAHAHA......

Could writing thank you letters change your life? That's what happened to Nancy Davis Kho when she decided to write 50 thank you letters to 50 people to celebrate her 50th birthday. She turned her lifechanging experience into her new book The Thank You Project, which she talks about, along with how to instill gratitude in your kids. Plus, we close out our show with our Cool Picks of the Week. Our...

While you may know Alysia Reiner for her work on Orange is the New Black, The Deuce, and Better Things, she's also an award-winning activist and changemaker. On this episode of Spawned, she discusses a few of her current charitable passions, from immigration, which was inspired in part from her experience filming the final season of Orange is the New Black, to the environment, where she has even s...

At times, we've got eight kids between us (that we know of - ha), which can create some parenting challenges. Over the years, we've learned how to survive (and thrive), so we figured we'd share our tips, tricks, and advice that could help families of any size. We hope they help make life at little easier. And as always, we close out our our show with our Cool Picks of the Week. Thanks to this week...

Unlike other parenting milestones, like the sex talk and the drug talk, there's no precedent (yet) for having the tech talk with your kids, which is just a small part of the wild west that is digital parenting. On this episode of Spawned, we're sharing our own tips, tricks, and advice on what it means to be a tech-positive parent, and how we can mentor and empower our kids in this digital age. And...

If you feel like this holiday season came earlier this year, and the pressure is more pronounced, you're not imagining it. On this week's Spawned parenting podcast, we're (complaining) talking about the very real reasons this year feels more intense. BUT! It's okay! We've also got tons of expert tips for managing the 4 biggest stressors of the holiday season: Gifts, money, family, and external pre...

Today, Liz is joined by Suzy Chase, host of the #1 cookbook podcast, Cookery by the Book. Each week she talks to a different cookbook author to open our minds up to different cultures, experiences and ideas through our shared love of food. So today, we're talking about the best cookbooks for families right now, the hot trends in cooking, and some truly excellent tips to make feeding your kids easi...

This week on the Spawned Parenting podcast, we're talking about a topic we all struggle with: Priorities. How do we make time for the things we love when are all just so busy? How do we fit family, relationships, friends, hobbies, passion projects and our own health and well-being into our lives? (Phew!) Liz + Kristen check in 9 months after our interview with Jake Knapp on making time for things...

With the recent news that Japan Airlines will soon be letting customers know where babies and kids will be sitting on the plane, it got us thinking about kids in restaurants. Will there be a kids-only sections soon? With Kristen's husband and Liz's ex both in the food industry, we decided to tackle this classic parenting topic and share why we think it's so important, and how you manage it. And as...

The new parenting panic du jour: Kids and social media. TERRIFYING! But...wait. What if social media isn't really the problem some experts will tell you it is? What if parents are essentially just handing car keys to kids and being shocked that they don't know how to drive? There's so much more we can do! We think you'll love this episode, full of helpful tips and advice that go way, way beyond "d...

Here's an obvious statement: Motherhood is hard. And often, we feel like we're doing a sh*t job at it. That's why I was so glad to chat with author Leslie Bruce about her new book "You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom." I just love her honest, hilarious take on motherhood that I think you'll enjoy hearing too. Our sponsor: VSP Individual Vision Plans allow you to give the gift of affordable eyecare. As s...

This week, we're sharing a thoughtful, revealing and intimate chat between Liz and author/single mom advocate Rachel Sklar about the term "single mom" -- who gets to use it, why it's a loaded phrase, why there's a single mom heirarchy, and how race, age, and income are a factor in how single or solo parenting is perceived. Liz reveals some personal details she hasn't shared on the show before, and...

Working motherhood has evolved since our kids were babies. How has it changed? How has it stayed the same? What can women do to make the transition back to work easier? We chat about all these questions and more with Amy Nelson, CEO of The Riveter and mom of 4 (including a newborn, who makes a cameo on our show). She shares her advice about asking for help, setting boundaries, and making time for...