Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
A grade-by-grade guide to college admissions: What to do when (and why not to panic) | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
I'm so happy to be back with Alyse Levine, one of the foremost college counseling experts in the country, to continue our Insider Guide to the College Application Process. This week, we took a cue from you, our readers and listeners, who wrote in to ask what you...
Brad Meltzer on Empathy, Kindness, Magic, Transformation, and That One Guy in the Restroom That One Time
This week, I'm talking to #1 New York Times bestselling author, Brad Meltzer, fresh off his viral commencement address at The University of Michigan about empathy, transformation, growth, compassion, and...magic. (Were you thinking I'd be covering that other...
How to help kids identify and develop their interests | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
In January, I interviewed Alyse Levine, one of the foremost college counseling experts in the country, about de-stressing the college application process. It was so well-received, that we've partnered to create An Insider Guide to the College Application Process....
More coolness from recent weeks…
Beat the heat with 10 of the coolest backyard water toys, inflatable pools, and sprinklers.
This is a terrific time to find some cool backyard water toys for the kids, because they're all on sale, and let's be honest, we're all feeling the heat this summer. Back in 2020 we first shared our favorite backyard water toys when we were all stuck at home dealing...
The best of the 4th of July week sales: Huge savings on beauty and style, travel and tech, home and decor
If you're holding out for Prime Day and Nordstrom Anniversary Sale deals, we get it. And we'll have plenty of our favorite deals from them coming soon. But some of the July 4th week sales happening right now are pretty spectacular. So we're sharing our favorites that...
Your summer lifesaver, now on sale. Or is that my summer lifesaver?
Browsing through the early Prime Day deals on Amazon and looking for some camp care package gifts for my kids, I came across a deal that was made for me: The hands-free, USB-charged neck fan I have been craving for ages. After sitting through the hottest, sweatiest,...
Help kids be the change they want to see in the world with these 7 terrific children’s books about activism
We have written often about raising activist kids and what we can do to encourage them to get involved with whatever cause inspires them. One of the first place we turn are books, and in this case, wonderful children's books about activism. With the looming election,...
Can a high GPA make up for a low SAT score? And do “test-optional” schools really mean it? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider's Guide to College Admissions series, we're answering questions about the SATs and ACTs, like their relative importance, whether they matter more or less than your GPA, and whether "test-optional" schools really are. Here to answer: Insider...
Kids, social media, and mental health: Devorah Heitner on what we’re getting wrong and how to fix it
This episode is a must-listen for all parents of kids who have smartphones, especially if you're worried about the impact of social media on mental health. And isn't that all of us, these days? Dr. Devorah Heitner a renowned author and expert on kids and technology,...
Should you apply Early Decision to a college? Pros and cons? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider's Guide to College Admissions series, we're answering that tough question about Early Decision (ED) applications. What are the pros and cons? Does it really give you an edge? Is there anyone who shouldn't apply ED? Here to answer: Insider Alyse...
Summer job or internship? Do colleges have a preference? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider's Guide to College Admissions series, we're answering a common question about how to spend your summers in high school -- and especially that important summer between junior and senior years. Insider Alyse Levine, top college counselor and...
My go-to shops for the best camp basics for kids. (Hurry: Big sales now!)
It's that time of year: Camp clothes shopping! Or more accurately, the time of year I look at the kids' camp clothing checklist and realize we have outgrown everything and gah, where am I going to get those non-itchy navy shorts again at this late date? If you're in...
Deal of the Day: My favorite crew-neck tee is on sale under $10!
I'm often asked for the best t-shirts for women -- why this is such a hard thing to find I don't know, but it is. My answer these days: If you like a crew neck tee, the Uniqlo crew-neck tees are on sale for just $9.70 each this week. Wow. They're thick, soft, and...
We found 10 stylish, athletic two-piece swimsuits for teens who aren’t feeling the teeny bikinis
While some of our daughters are rocking the teeny bikini that are back this summer, others are more interested in athletic two-piece swimsuits that let them be as active in the pool or on the beach as they'd like. As it turns out, it's a little harder to find stylish...
Summer sales! The best of the June deals right now
Hooray, it's Monday! Which also means... v Visit the Cool Mom Picks Deals Page for our favorite deals we've tracked down from our favorite brands. From the big stores we all shop, to the indie companies we love supporting. You'll find deals on style, beauty, home,...
The Original Makeup Erasers: Okay fine, I love them. Here’s why.
Truly, I always imagined The Original Makeup Erasers were just washcloths with a gimmick and now I realize that 1) I was wrong and 2) I am hooked! Since I figure I can't be the last person to try them after being bombarded by ads and reviews, so I wanted to share my...
Answering teens’ (brutally honest!) questions about college admissions | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
For our final podcast in our Insider Guide to the College Application Process, I thought we'd do things a little differently. This week, we gathered questions that teens themselves gave us about college admissions and applications -- and I'm joined by two special...
The best summer camp care package ideas for tweens and teens: A comprehensive list from a mom who’s been sending them for 10 years
There is a certain joy in putting together summer camp care packages for my tweens and teens each year. It's not just loading them up with stuff so I can make sure they remember me (ha), it's that a summer camp care package can provide them with some little surprises...
Morgan Harper Nichols’s beautiful art becomes artful hair accessories | One Cool Thing
Browsing Target this morning, I was surprised to come across these Morgan Harper Nichols designed hair scrunchies. In fact, I did a double-take to be sure it was the MHN referenced on the packaging. Considering I know Morgan from her wildly popular Instagram feed --...
What is Juneteenth? 6 great children’s books that explain this important holiday.
If you want to learn more about Juneteenth as we approach its anniversary, or just want to be sure its history and relevance has a place on your bookshelves, we have found some terrific children's books about Juneteenth to help. After all, I know a lot of us...
How do I know if a college will provide a safe environment for me? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider's Guide to College Admissions podcast series, a question we've been getting more and more from both parents and prospective students: How to know whether a college environment will be a safe place for you physically, mentally and emotionally....
The addictive Emoji Kitchen lets you combine emojis to make your own
Now that I've discovered the Emoji Kitchen, I have one more time suck I didn't need...except wow, did I need this one! Ever wish that you could make a rainbow star? A ghost holding a dead flower? A "100" but in green? That's what Emoji Kitchen does. Just visit...
Amazon Editors announce their Best Children’s Books of the Year So Far…including one I adore!
Today, the Amazon Books Editors announced their annual mid-year list of the Best Books of the Year So Far, including a hand-picked list of The Best Children's Books of the Year So Far. And I'll get to them allll in a sec. But first, there's one book in particular that...
How do you know if a college is a good fit? 7 questions to ask | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
We've received so many questions from parents regarding the college admissions process, and we couldn't address them all in our Insider's Guide to College Admissions podcast series. I want to get to them all! So we are kicking off a Q&A series with Alyse Levine,...