Spawned With Kristen And Liz Of Coolmompicks

Whatever age your kids may be, we know that managing screen time and finding the benefits (and boundaries) is a huge issue with parents. So we're THRILLED to chat with Angela Santomero, the successful creator of educational programs like Blue's Clues, SuperWhy!, and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. She's out with the new book, PRESCHOOL CLUES: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World, and she is just filled with common sense advice, smart perspectives, and pro tips that help parents make good choices when it comes to kids and TV. Plus, we've got some outstanding cool picks of the week for the mind, face + body! || Questions or comments? You can find us @coolmompicks on Twitter, FB and IG, or hit us up at spawned!coolmompicks.com. Thanks so much for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They're not mythical unicorns! Couples who work together actually exist. Lucky us, we got to chat with one of them on this episode of Spawned. We had a blast talking about balancing life in a love and work partnership with Tor Hyams, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and Lisa Rothauser, a singer, actor, and composer, who are currently working on a musical adaptation of the classic TV show, Green Acres. We think you'll appreciate their funny, frank conversations about a topic we know lots of people (including us) are curious about. We'd love to hear from you! You can email us at spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us with #spawnedshow, or find us on Facebook. And make sure to visit our podcast page on Cool Mom Picks for all the links from our show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

School's out, which means most of our kids are heading out for sleepaway camp, a few for the whole summer, and a few for just a week or two. There's even one going to Japan! (That's Kristen's oldest daughter). So, how do you decide if your kids are ready? How do you survive when they're gone? We're sharing our experiences on today's episode of Spawned, plus a super important Cool Pick of the Week that you won't want to miss. We'd love to hear from you! Drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us using #SpawnedShow, or swing by Facebook. And head over to the Cool Mom Picks podcast page to get all the links from the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're always fascinated by stories of women who have changed career paths after motherhood, and not just because that's our own story as well. We know lots of women who have found success in other areas, with the change often set in motion by having kids. We were so thrilled to chat with our friend Mallory Kasdan, host of the popular MILK podcast who shares her own struggles and challenges, along with her helpful advice. Let us know your thoughts! Drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us using the hashtag #SpawnedShow, or visit us on Facebook. We love hearing from you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know it's coming. The dreaded "Mom, I'm booooored!" But hey! We're here to help, which is what we hope you'll get from listening to this episode. We've got tons of suggestions for how to keep kids busy this summer, and if you are so inclined, off of screens (we've got suggestions for awesome screen time too). From family book clubs to scavenger hunts, to how to make family movie night educational (seriously!), we've got ideas you might not have even thought of.  And ones that won't take a lot of effort on your part. Promise. And as always, we end our show with our Cool Picks of the Week! Got an idea? Want to say hi? We'd love to hear form you. Drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us @CoolMomPicks #spawnedshow, or come say hello on Facebook. Thanks for listening!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, join us for a light, fun, super chatty episode about....shopping! Specifically, online consignment shopping. Which are the best online resale sites for sellers? Which are the best for buyers? Which pay the highest commissions to you? Which will suck all of your time away from your children? We've got so many great tips and tricks from our own experiences -- especially Kristen. Plus...we've got a fun live fashion unboxing that's pretty hilarious. Then some extra-cool cool picks of the week. Thanks so much for listening and subscribing! And keep those reviews coming -- they make us happy! | questions/comments: Hit us up on social @coolmompicks or email spawned@coolmompicks.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where do you start if you have a career dream, a passion, or a business idea? Why is it important for all of us to have more women running businesses? How are women changing startup culture? And what's up with only 2% of VC money going to businesses with women at the top?! (GAH!) Join Liz and Heather Cabot, the former ABC News anchor, current investor, Forbes columnist, and author of Geek Girl Rising, for a really engaging, informative chat that could change the whole direction of your life. No exaggeration! | Thanks so much for listening and don't forget to subscribe to Spawned with Kristen + Liz!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dog moms, single dads, the list of people trying to claim Mother's Day from moms goes on. So, we address it head on! Should moms get their own holiday? Do we all need to be able to celebrate everything? What about the folks who have a hard time with Mother's Day every year? We tackle these questions and more, plus share our cool picks of the week! Where can you find the links from our show, you ask? Head over to our podcast page on Cool Mom Picks. And we'd love to hear from you! Drop us an email: spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us @CoolMomPicks #SpawnedShow, or say "hi" on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you think preparing 21 nutritious meals a week is the joy of your existence? In that case, might want to skip this episode. Today we're keeping it real with the delightful, funny, and down-to-earth Siri Daly, who you might know from her TODAY Show cooking segments (often with her husband Carson Daly) and her bestselling cookbook, Siriously Delicious. We're chatting about how to make food "happy," tricks for getting kids to eat better without stress, meal-planning tips, plus totally random banter about Junior Mints and the joys of online friends.  We've got some extra-cool cool picks of the week today, too! || Questions, comments, show ideas? Hit us up at spawned@coolmompicks.com, or find Kristen + Liz on your favorite democracy-destroying social network as @coolmompicks using hashtag #spawnedshow.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With 13-year olds getting recruited by colleges, and a lawmaker in New Jersey warning parents not to get physical at kids' sports games for fear of jail time, we decided to tackle the complicated topic of kids sports on this week's episode of Spawned. Have youth athletics gotten out of control? Kristen and special guest Lisa Barnes (who filled in while Liz was away) share their own personal experiences with a combined seven kids in sports of some kind, and offer their own advice. You can find all the links we talk about on today's show over on CoolMomPicks.com. And we'd love to hear from you! Drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us @CoolMomPicks #SpawnedShow, or say "hi" on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the recent Cambridge Analytica data breach and myriad privacy issues, we're taking a closer look at whether it's worth staying on Facebook. And if we do, how do we keep our information safe? We're sharing various perspectives on the pros and cons of Facebook, as well as what you should do going forward if you decide to stay. Plus, we share our Cool Picks of the Week. Got thoughts? Comments? Questions? Drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com, hit us up on Facebook (yep, we're still there), or tweet us using the hashtag #SpawnedShow. And head over to Cool Mom Picks to see all the links from our show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With World Autism Day approaching (April 2, 2018), we chatted with Dr. Laura Klinger, Executive Director of the TEACCH Autism at UNC, and part of the team who helped develop the character Julia for Sesame Street who debuted last year. We asked her everything from how to correctly refer to kids with autism, to what research she and her colleagues are currently conducting about causation and treatment. And we discussed how families whose kids are not on the Spectrum can show support and empathy for those who are.  Got questions, comments, or show topic suggestions? Drop us an email: spawned@coolmompicks.com, hit us up on Twitter (use #spawnedshow), or say "hi" on Facebook. We love hearing from you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're browsing the hot fashion trends of spring for a candid discussion about what we can wear, what we can't, and what the heck women ever did to designers to deserve some of this. Will we say yes to designer fanny packs? Fringed go-go dancer tops? Giant floral prints? Misspelled designer logos? Take a listen for a fun, light, totally opinionated episode that's well worth your 34 minutes! || Questions? Comments? Hit us up at spawned@coolmompicks.com or find us @coolmompicks on social. And don't forget to leave us a (really nice) review if you like Spawned! We'd like that even more than sparkly metallic ankle boots.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, in the wake of the tragic Parkland school shooting, we're talking about the positive: The courageous, amazing kids-turned-activists of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High -- and how their actions are influencing so many kids around the nation. (Including ours. And maybe yours?) It's a really great discussion about how we as parents can encourage our own kids to get involved in issues they care about -- education, animals, the environment, you name it -- and what kinds of things we can all do to help feel less helpless and more empowered in the face of tragedy beyond our control. Questions? Comments? Hit us up via spawned@coolmompicks.com, follow us on twitter and facebook @coolmompicks using the hashtag #spawnedshow. Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all get into cycles of negative thinking (raising our hands here), and fortunately there are some simple tips to help you get out sooner. Because more positivity means happier you, happier kids, more success, more love. Really! Take a listen to these tips about the power of positive thinking from the energetic Sandy Joy Weston, fitness instructor, trainer (she was the first female trainer for the Philadelphia Flyers!), mom, and author of the new book, Train Your Head and Your Body Will Follow. | Questions? Comments? Knock-knock jokes? Hit us up at spawned@coolmompicks.com or find us on social @coolmompicks using #SpawnedShow. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you hear the one about the pregnant woman who wasn't allowed to drink a glass of water on the job? If only this were an isolated story. That's why, for all of us working moms, working dads, and working moms-to-be, Liz is so happy to sit down with working families advocate and A Better Balance founder Dina Bakst. This episode, they're talking about our legal rights as working parents, which protections are guaranteed to us, which states are leading the way, and where we really need to do better for moms and dads. If you have questions or comments, find us at spawned@coolmompicks.com or on social @coolmompicks. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy 2018! We're back with our extra special, super awesome 100th episode where we look back and share our most favorite Spawned with Kristen and Liz episodes. We share the funniest, the most helpful, and yes, the most controversial, plus some never before heard back stories. We'd love to hear from you about what you'd like to hear in 2018! Drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us with the hashtag #SpawnedShow, or head over to Facebook. Yes, we're there too. Thanks for listening, subscribing, and telling all your friends about us.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you're planning a spring break trip, a summer vacation, or a quick weekend getaway, you're going to want to hear these fantastic money-saving family travel tips from expert Shellie Bailey-Shah from KidTripster.com. Did you know there's a best day to book your travel? Wondering how to cut costs on your plane fare or rental car? You'll get a ton of helpful info to help you save money on your next family trip. We love hearing from you! Drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com, tweet us #SpawnedShow, and make sure to follow us on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raise your hand if you struggle to put down the phone sometimes. Yep, us too. So...we're joined by "The Art of Screentime" author and expert Anya Kamenetz for an honest conversation about how to realistically balance all that online time with real life. For both you and your kids. She's got some seriously amazing tips that were new to us, and we're excited to put them to use . Hope they help you too! || Thanks so much for listening and all your kind 5-star reviews! Best listeners ever! If you want to reach out with comments or questions: spawned@coolmompicks.com or @coolmompicks on your favorite social channel. (When you're not in the midst of your offline time, of course.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have SO many questions for video game expert Dr. Rachel Kowert: Are video games hurting our kids? Are violent games making kids more violent? Are they playing too much overall? How do we manage all that gaming time? And geez... are there ANY positive effects for kids who game? We think you'll be surprised at the answers and her common sense advice. This is a great episode whether your kids are just old enough for screens, or already masters of Minecraft. || Questions? Comments? Hit us up! spawned@coolmompicks.com or @coolmompicks on your favorite social channel. Thanks for listening!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices