This week, I'm honored to be joined by Debra Whitman, expert on aging and longevity, AARP Chief Public Policy Officer, and author of The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond. Don't let AARP scare you! Whether you're in your 30s or your 60s, you're going to learn the 5 things proven to help women live up to 14 years longer, the steps you can take now to be sure you have a more satisfying life as you age, and the data-based reason we all need to embrace aging with mor...
Nov 03, 2024•20 min
If you've ever wondered whether best-selling author Gabrielle Blair -- A.K.A. Design Mom -- finds parenting fun and easy or just makes it look that way, you're going to love this conversation! We're talking about the new book she co-authored with her husband Ben, The Kids Are All Right: Parenting With Confidence in an Uncertain World , and wow does she have great ideas! She shares her tips for defining and creating a "family culture," reducing parenting stress, finding more joy and happiness in ...
Oct 24, 2024•35 min
A lot of moms are hitting a phase where our kids get older and we're wondering what the next chapter looks like for us. If you know you can be more fulfilled with your life but don't know where to start, you'll get so many helpful tips from my guest, award-winning journalist Katherine Goldstein She's the founder of The Double Shift , a fellow at The Better Life Lab at New America , and a fierce advocate for moms, families, and gender equity. Tune in to hear us discuss Katherine's popular HuffPos...
Oct 19, 2024•27 min
Tips for managing anxiety could not be a more timely topic, after the US Surgeon General's advisory about parents and mental health and the start of a new school year. You are going to LOVE my guest, Dr. Christopher Willard . He's an incredibly engaging and relatable author, clinical psychologist, and faculty member at Harvard Medical School. He's also one of the leading advocates for mindfulness as "psychological first aid" for parents and kids. He discusses the proven benefits of mindfulness i...
Sep 09, 2024•39 min
"Hope is bold," Brad Montague tells me. The New York Times best-selling author and illustrator explains how hope, in combination with play, togetherness, and joy, can be a force for change, and help spark kids' imaginations for what's possible. What a treat you’re in for this week! It’s a truly inspiring, happy-making conversation with the man you may know for his many children’s books (including the upcoming Fail-a-bration , already a #1 new release!). He also created the Kid President web seri...
Aug 14, 2024•32 min
Guess what? We all age! So why is the world so tough on women who do just that? Can we reclaim aging as something to celebrate? You'll get some wonderful answers today from Karen Walrond , author of the award-winning Radiant Rebellion: Reclaim Aging, Practice Joy, and Raise a Little Hell We discuss how we all inadvertently promote ageism (ever said "senior moment" when you forget something?), how to "self-interrogate" to understand our choices a little better, Karen's nuanced view on women incre...
Jul 30, 2024•35 min
"Life is hard. Adulting is hard. The political climate is hard," confesses Dr. Christine Koh , one of my favorite humans and the host of the Edit Your Life Show . So she's here to share 5 small (really!) life edits you can make right now, that have immediate and positive impact. One of my favorite: Identifying the kinds of people you should be spending time with, thanks to a 4-question litmus test. It's brilliant. You'll find Christine's tips to be actionable, specific, and above all, realistic!...
Jul 15, 2024•35 min
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. Dr. Devorah Heitner a renowned author and expert on kids and technology, joins me to provide thought-provoking insights that challenge a lot of the conventional wisdom, so get ready for a fresh take on parenting in the digital age. You'll get actionable advice for parents, compelling research that supports it, and the nuances of complex issue...
Jun 29, 2024•30 min
So here's a fun surprise: Today, my own daughter and rising high school senior, Sage, joins me on Spawned for the first time! She's asking fantastic questions about college admissions on behalf of teens who have shared them with us. In our third and final podcast in our Insider's Guide to College Admissions , with Alyse Levine of Premium Prep , you'll learn about weighted grades, class rank, tough math teachers, padding extracurriculars, arguing with parents about college preferences, and procra...
Jun 21, 2024•25 min
What a treat to have 30 minutes during Pride Month with the one and only Jonathan Van Ness, who's out with a brand new children's book, Gorgeously Me ! We're talking about how to create a culture of acceptance for kids who are different, but we touch on so much more. Like the book that traumatized Jonathan as a kid (eek!), their strongest memory of Barney, the importance to them of faith and spiritual connection, unpacking the mantra "I am exactly who I'm meant to be," optimism for the future, a...
Jun 07, 2024•30 min
I am so happy to continue our 3-Part Insider Guide to the College Admission Process with my guest, Alyse Levine , one of the country's most prominent college counseling experts. Today we're focusing on a grade-by-grade guide to supporting our kids on the path toward college applications. Some of the topics we cover: Why middle school should be about focusing on healthy work habits How and when to make the most of clubs and after-school experiences Plotting out high school courses like a decision...
Jun 01, 2024•49 min
Fresh off his viral commencement address at the University of Michigan, I'm joined by best-selling author Brad Meltzer . (Yes, that Brad Meltzer from the "I Am..." biographical children's books we all own!) He talks about his thoughts on kindness as a "naive ideal worth fighting for," the need for more empathy online, his love for the Harlem Globetrotters, and why he believes one person can change the world. Plus, he shares some deeply personal stories of kindness that changed his own life, incl...
May 24, 2024•26 min
As parents of teens know, it's the college admission season. That's why I am thrilled to welcome back Alyse Levine , one of the most prominent college counseling experts, to help us out. You all loved my interview with her in January about de-stressing college admissions, which is why I invited her for a 3-Part Parent's Guide to the College Admission Process. To start things off, Alyse is sharing insider tips and insights on how parents can help their children identify and develop their passions...
May 10, 2024•30 min
Spawned is back (whoo!) with host Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks and Mom-101. I'm excited to get back to what I love most-- helping us get through the ups and downs of parenting together. Each week I'll be joined by compelling experts, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, comedians, therapists, and even some big celebrities. I'm thrilled to kick things off with Jaclyn Lindsey, the remarkable founder and CEO of kindness.org . We're talking about what the science of kindness can teach us about ra...
May 05, 2024•28 min
It is so tough to navigate the college search and admission process -- emotionally, practically, financially. (Eep!) It completely stressed me out, and I'm a pretty Type B mom. So learn from my mistakes! To kick off a new year of Spawned, we're lucky to be getting super helpful tips from Alyse Levine, one of the foremost college counseling experts in the country. She's not only worked with high school students at all levels, she's the former assistant director of undergrad admissions at Washingt...
Jan 17, 2024•35 min
At the end of such a tough year, we're looking to find all the holiday joy where we can, and make fun for our kids -- but why do moms always seem to be the people behind the fun, and not part of the fun? Liz is joined by Margaret Ables, co-host of the fabulous What Fresh Hell parenting podcast to commiserate, and we're offering smart tips (eg stop trying to make things perfect!), sweet family stories, plenty of laughter, and a lot of compassion for moms feeling overwhelmed right now. Thanks to o...
Dec 08, 2023•26 min
We all say we want to raise kids who are happy, healthy, and can be their authentic selves. So what happens when your kid is becoming someone who's really different from what we had imagined? That's the story Kate Brookes tells in the wonderful Transister: Raising Twins in a Gender-Bending World . She's incredibly forthcoming, funny, reflective, and supportive, whether you're raising kids who defy traditional norms of gender and sexuality--or are just individuals in their own way. Really, this i...
Jul 18, 2023•33 min
When the Surgeon General issued his recent advisory on social media and the health of our kids, I knew author, columnist, and adolescent digital media expert Dr. Devorah Heitne r would be the perfect person to ask for guidance and reassurance. And wow does she come through! Here, she offers incredibly helpful, specific tips about what we can do as parents to keep our kids healthy on social media-- and what we should not do (no spying!) -- with Devorah's trademark non-judgmental, common sense, re...
Jun 20, 2023•31 min
Bestselling author, podcast host, and psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour shares her insights and thoughtful advice on raising emotionally connected and resilient teens and discusses the impetus for her newest book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers . Visit Cool Mom Picks for show notes, and follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook , and Instagram . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jun 07, 2023•25 min
I have wanted to talk with best-selling author, TED Talk phenom, and "professional troublemaker" Luvvie Ajayi Jones for so long! With the release of her wonderful new children's book, Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess , it's the perfect time. We discuss what it means to make good trouble, tips for talking to kids when they break the rules, and why to teach our children that it's not only possible to recover from big mistakes, it's important not to let those mistakes define us. Also, be sure to st...
May 02, 2023•23 min
One of our all-time favorite guests, Dr. Ken Ginsburg, is back to chat about his newest book, Congrats—You're Having a Teen! and debunk some of the most common myths about parenting teenagers. Dr. Ginsburg's insights and work have changed the way we parent our kids, so let's just say if there's an episode of Spawned to listen to, it's this one. Thanks to our sponsor, Camp Tuku , a wonderful camp for kids located in the beautiful Catskills Mountains. You can learn more about them on their website...
Apr 13, 2023•36 min
Author Michelle Icard chats about her book " 14 Talks By Age 14 ," sharing how parents can approach the difficult conversations we know we need to have with our kids. Find Michelle's helpful book, wherever you buy your books. Follow us on social media: Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram . And for show notes, visit CoolMomPicks.com . About our sponsor, Camp Tuku: If you have a child age 6-14, Camp Tuku is where “nature meets joyful minds.” This exceptionally beautiful sleepaway camp rests in 1,00...
Mar 30, 2023•37 min
We all want to raise kind, generous, caring, empathetic kids -- who turn into great adults. So we turned to the perfect guide: Parenting author, science columnist and researcher Melinda Wenner Moyer . She shares so much science-backed data and turns it into parenting strategies, we can all put to use in our own families immediately. We think you'll love this episode! - Liz + Kristen Graciously brought to you by Camp Tuku , a stunning sleep away camp for kids 6-14 in the Catskill Mountains of NY....
Mar 14, 2023•43 min
Prioritizing and organizing your life, your family schedule, and especially your time is something a lot of moms (like, uh me!) can use help with. Take a listen for some terrific tips from Sarah Hart-Unger , host of Best Laid Plans podcast and co-host of Best of Both Worlds. She shares her genius "nested goals" approach, offers advice for list-making, talks organization vs prioritization, gender imbalances in time management -- and even finding peace in the chaos. This is the interview I needed!...
Feb 15, 2023•20 min
As a mixed-race Chinese American, I've struggled to feel a sense of belonging. I grew up feeling more accepted by the German (white) side of my family. Then, as I got older, I learned more about the Chinese side of my family and felt a connection to the experiences of Asian Americans. Just recently, especially as I was editing my book, A Thousand Miles to Graceland , I've found myself somewhere in the middle; not necessarily feeling Chinese, and yet, also not White, either. Thankfully, I'm not a...
Jan 22, 2023•34 min
With the invention of smartphones (and tablets), keeping track of our digital memories (think photos, videos, scans), has become more difficult than we might have expected. In this episode, David Vaskevitch, CEO of Mylio Photos , shares the challenges that he experienced with digital memory preservation, and how families can make it a whole lot easier. Find us on Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram , along with our show notes at CoolMomPicks . Thanks to Mylio Photos for sponsoring this episode. S...
Jan 10, 2023•25 min
We've talked to so many incredible guests in 2022 -- film directors, authors, journalists, political pundits, activists. So we thought we'd share some of our favorite quotes and thoughtful advice in this fun look back at what we've learned over the past year here. If there's one you want to hear more about, you're already on your podcast app! Just click through to the Spawned library, scroll down, and take a listen! Thanks so much for joining Kristen and me this year - as with parenting, we're a...
Dec 29, 2022•35 min
Moms are so busy trying to make fun for everyone over the holidays, sometimes we forget that we're supposed to be having fun too! How do we do that without adding "have more fun" to our to-do lists? Margaret Ables, co-host of the fabulous What Fresh Hell parenting podcast is joining me to offer smart tips, sweet stories, a lot of laughter, and a lot of compassion for moms Going Through It right now. - Liz Thanks to our sponsor Mylio Photos for offering our listeners 20% off when you subscribe. I...
Dec 20, 2022•25 min
We've discussed the sex talk on Spawned a few times, however, if your school district is like mine (and many across the country), they are making sex education an optional, home-taught module. That means, we need to be more invested than ever in ensuring our kids are getting comprehensive sex education. That's what Andrea Brand's new book, “Stop Sweating & Start Talking," can help with, and a lot more. *Note, while this episode is marked explicit, it is due to the topics, which are for paren...
Dec 13, 2022•37 min
Just when I thought I was pretty aware of what I needed to know about teens and sleep, I got my hands on Lisa L. Lewis's book The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, And How Parents And Schools Can Help Them Thrive and I realized there was so much I didn't know. That was all solidified during this episode. Whether you have teens or not, Lisa's research for this book uncovered why sleep is so important for teens (hint: their brains are growing!), why they're not getting enough sl...
Dec 06, 2022•39 min
