When Kristen wrote a viral post last week about wearing crop tops in response to a conversation with her daughter, the comments from our readers were so inspiring, we knew we wanted to discuss body positivity further on Spawned. Please join us for a very honest, and probably very relatable conversation about owing our shapes (especially as we age), why we think we "can't" wear certain things, words we're trying to avoid around our kids, and why we might want to lose the word "flattering." Plus, we have some expert tips on how to talk about bodies and clothes with our kids, so we can model healthy thinking for them too. // SUPPORT OUR AMAZING SPONSORS: Notes from the Backpack is a new parenting podcast from the National PTA, hosted by Helen Westmoreland and LaWanda Toney, and it covers your child’s learning, development and success in and out of school. // The Last Kids on Earth book series is like Diary of a Wimpy Kid meeds Walking Dead (ooh!) and it's perfect to keep your 8-12 year olds reading this summer. // The SPLASHPAD mat makes cleaning easier by keeping your bathroom and kitchen sink area clean and dry. Save 30% on Amazon using code "30CoolMom." // Thanks so much for listening!

Spawned Parenting Podcast with Kristen and Liz of CoolMomPicks

Crop Tops Over 40? Sure! | Ep 245

If you need a laugh as much as we need a laugh, you'll appreciate this vintage Spawned episode with author and Twitter superstar James Breakwell. And hey, maybe his parenting tips will help us survive this summer! Meet our sponsor: Notes from the Backpack, a parenting podcast from the PTA. Subscribe now while you're listening to Spawned. You can find all the links from the show over on our podcast page on CoolMomPicks.com. Follow us on social: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

These parenting tips from James Breakwell are lifesavers. Literally. | Episode 244

It's one of our all-time favorite, most-listened-to episodes, which isn't that surprising considering how much Dr. Ken Ginsburg has changed the way we approach parenting our teenagers. In this vintage Spawned episode, Liz asks him some of your (and our) tough questions about parenting teenagers. It's an episode we bet you'll keep listening to over and over again. Thanks to our sponsors: Notes from the Backpack, a parenting podcast from the PTA. Subscribe now while you're listening to Spawned. And Prisma, an alternative educational option for parents looking to homeschool for the coming school year. You can find all the links from the show over on our podcast page on CoolMomPicks.com. Follow us on social: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Parenting teens: Expert answers to some of the toughest questions | Spawned Episode 243

On our very special Father's Day episode, we're thrilled to welcome Christopher and Camilla "Pepper" Persley. You may have heard about Pepper, who at just 10-years old is making her mark in the world of professional women's sports as a podcaster and journalist. We chat with them both about Pepper's exciting journey, as well as how to parent your kids towards their passions. And as always, we close out our show with our Cool Picks of the Week, and wow, this week, we have LOTS! Meet our sponsors: TilePix, a fantastic gift for Father's Day, Graduation, or any day, which turns your photos into cool art. Use code COOLMOMS to save 60% + free FedEx shipping (or pick them up at your local Walgreens. And Prisma, a very cool alternative schooling idea for those families looking to continue school at home for the 2021-2022 school year. Make sure to visit our site for all the links from the show!

Parenting your child towards their passions: A special Father's Day episode with Christopher and Pepper Persley | Ep 242

We read a fair amount of parenting books, and lately we've seen the idea of "influence" popping up when it comes to the role we play with our children. That's why we were so excited to welcome author Kelly Rippon as a guest on Spawned with Kristen and Liz this week. You may recognize her as the mom of Olympic medalist Adam Rippon, but as a single mom of six kids, along with being a corporate speaker and college instructor, she's taken everything she's learned and turned it into a fantastic new parenting book: Parent Up: Inspire Your Child to Be Their Best Self.  Meet our sponsor Prisma, who's disrupting the school game and offering alternatives to families for fall. Follow us on social: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook + visit CoolMomPicks.com for our show notes.

The power of influence in parenting, with Kelly Rippon | Episode 241

The issue of division of labor and mental load are not new problems in relationships, but the pandemic has certainly exacerbated them. On this episode, we chat with author Eve Rodsky about her book Fair Play, which addresses these exact challenges with a helpful system that actually saved her marriage. Hooray for advice that really works! And as always, we close out our show with our Cool Picks of the Week. **Language warning** Yes, we curse in this episode! Earmuffs! Follow us on social! We're on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Plus, head over to Cool Mom Picks for more show notes.

So, about that whole mental load thing... with author Eve Rodsky | Episode 240

When we talk about inclusion and representation, the 1 in 5 people with disabilities are often left out of the discussion. Especially kids. So it's a thrill to get some thoughtful insight from Broadway star and disability advocate Ali Stroker, who is best known as the first Tony-winning actor who uses a wheelchair for mobility. (Her Ado Annie was perfection!) We chat about how she came to be proud of her community, ways to create more opportunities for kids with disabilities, and her wonderful new middle grade novel The Chance to Fly, about a musical theater-obsessed teen who also uses a wheelchair; it's going to be meaningful for so many kids. // Please support our amazing sponsors! Use code COOLMOMS at TilePix to save 60% on 12 or more of their cool photo tiles that help you hang a gallery wall like a pro. // Visit Prisma to learn more about their innovative online school to help 4th-8th graders be their best selves. Fall seats are filling up now!

Tony-winner Ali Stroker on helping kids be proud of their disabilities | Ep 239

Overcoming the Mom-Life Crisis: Ditch the Guilt, Put Yourself on the To-Do List, and Create A Life You Love, by entrepreneur and MomAgenda founder Nina Restieri is not the book I thought it would be. At all. Nina reveals some really personal, difficult details about seeming like you have it all together when you don't, and "hitting bottom" before she could rebuild and get to a better place. In our chat, she's sharing so much helpful advice to help us re-center ourselves in our own lives, including how to say no, why the word "should" can be harmful, and why manicures don't count as self-care. Plus, Nina offers a fascinating take on whether the term "mom entrepreneur" is good...or not so much. // Thanks so much for listening, subscribing, and taking a moment to give us a sweet, sweet 5-star review! // Shownotes: CoolMomPicks.com // Extra-special thanks to our sponsor, The Great Courses Plus, offering you 30 days unlimited, on-demand video courses free through this link!

The Mom Life Crisis: How to recenter yourself in your own life | Ep 238

Should your 8th grader be taking PSATs? Will your high schooler fail life if they don't take 12 AP classes? Are you even thinking about college too late -- or too early? ACK! We know the college application process can be stressful, so we're thrilled to be joined by Betsy Cadel, a member of the NY State Association for College Admissions Counseling and founder of College Essay Helpers to talk us down and give us really solid, actionable tips. You'll want to take notes on this one! // Thanks so much for listening and subscribing. // And hey! Can we ask you a favor? A tiny, teeny one? If you are one of the thousands of listeners who enjoy Spawned, we'd be grateful for your 5-star reviews and kind reviews, which really help support us!

College applications with less stress: Betsy Cadel | Ep 237

Particularly if you're non-Black, it can be hard to know the "right way" to speak up about racism -- or what we can do at all, when the idea of dismantling racist system seems so overwhelming. So we're grateful for the time, guidance, and incredible insight of author, veteran broadcast journalist, and Black mom of two, Rene Syler. // Thank you so much for listening and subscribing. Your kind reviews really help support us. // Brought to you with the gracious sponsorship of Trade Coffee, whose coffee subscription gifts supports the best indie, local roasters around the country; and Soul Riders: Darkness Falling, the third book in the Soul Riders series of books for tweens and teens from Star Stable Entertainment.

Rene Syler on Speaking up about racism | Ep 236

Growing up in rural Sweden, Helena Dahlgren always felt like an outsider. But when she discovered female protagonists, like Anne, from Anne of Green Gables, her life changed and she finally felt seen. It's, in part, what inspired her to become a writer. On this episode, she shares her thoughts on how books play an important role in shaping tweens' and teens' perceptions of themselves. And as always, we close our show with Cool Picks of the Week. Find all the links from our show on CoolMomPicks.com, including more from our sponsor Star Stable Entertainment, whose Soul Riders book trilogy (which Helena is the author of, actually) is now complete and on sale at Amazon.com. We're on social! Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, so come say hello to us!

Empowering and inspiring tweens and teens with books, with author Helena Dahlgren | Episode 235

After author Judith Warner's New York Times article about adolescents and the pandemic went viral with parents reacting very strongly one way or another, we invited her on Spawned to talk about it with Liz! Join us for an enlightening conversation about why the majority of kids are more resilient than you might think, recognizing the difference between unhappy and "impaired," what we can say and do to help our kids get best through this, and why honesty is the best policy with kids -- even when it comes to our own feelings and struggles. // Gratitude to our sponsors, Rock from the Sky, the new picture book from Jon Klassen; as well as TilePix, where you can get 60% off your order of 12+ ready-to-hang photo tiles with code COOLMOMS // Thanks so much for listening and subscribing, friends! //

Judith Warner on Kids, Resilience, and the Pandemic | Spawned 234

Welcome to our first kids and addiction episode of Spawned. It's long overdue. And; thanks to our guest Jessica Lahey, columnist and author of The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence, you'll come away feeling encouraged, empowered, with detailed guidance on what we can do and say that makes a difference. You won't want to miss this extremely important, honest discussion stemming from Jessica's own life raising kids as a recovering alcoholic. (Plus a few bonus cool picks of the week...we couldn't stop!) // Shownotes: Cool Mom Picks // Please support our amazing sponsors who support us: Use code "cool mom" at Our Green House for 10% off their gorgeous, eco-friendly, make-your-own gift baskets. And be sure to sign up for your free, unlimited 30-day trial of The Great Courses through this link. Take a course with us! They're fun!

How to raise addiction-resistant children, with Jessica Lahey | Ep 233

Spawned listener favorite Jordan Shapiro is back! He totally changed the way we think about kids and tech, and now he's joining us to challenge our ideas about gender roles in parenting, and chat about his new book, Father Figure: How to Be a Feminist Dad. Is such a thing even possible? Well... We learn a whole lot about our own preconceptions here, how we can help change things -- and we get to laugh while doing it. (See why we love him so much?) Plus, some very cool Cool Picks of the Week. //Show notes: Cool Mom Picks podcast page // Chat with us in the Spawned FB Community // Graciously sponsored by the (very cool!) award-winning Panasonic Baby Video Monitor that's safe, secure, and even helps babies sleep. Really. // Thanks for listening and for subscribing! - L + K

Can You Really Be a Feminist Dad? With Jordan Shapiro | Ep 232

We love this talk with Kate Eberle-Walker, author of The Good Boss, on what's good and bad for women in the workplace right now, how we can better support women, how we can even change the game entirely. (And of course, some fun bad boss stories!) Whether you're a manager or have one yourself, whether you're temporarily out of the workplace, you'll love this helpful discussion, filled with inspiring tips. // Thanks to our sponsors Google Families, providing parents the help to raise healthy digital kids, and EcoFreaks Hand Sanitizers - use code COOLMOM to get a free fun keychain for kids along with the purchase of a family pack. // Shownotes: Cool Mom Picks podcast page. // Don't forget to subscribe, and give us a sweet sweet 5-star rating to help support Spawned. Thanks for listening!

"Embrace the Janet Jackson rule": Supporting women in the workplace | Ep 231

Hi, we're Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase of CoolMomPicks.com and parents to six kids between us, that we know of. We've got a microphone and more than the two minutes the Today Show gives us, and we're not afraid to use them. Join us (and some awesome celebrity guests) for candid parenting culture discussions, non-judgy (mostly) tips, and a good dose of humor, if we've had enough coffee. Which is always. Named a top podcast by The Washington Post, Mental Floss, Business Insider and Fatherly; 2016 Iris Award winner for best parenting podcast.

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Spawned Parenting Podcast with Kristen and Liz of CoolMomPic...

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