What's been the impact of Covid on kids? On mothers? How about on education? On class division? On our careers? On healthcare? Today I'm welcoming back author and NPR Education Reporter Anya Kamenetz who researched it all and put it into the must-read book The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Kids' Lives....and Where We Go Now . Her fascinating point: The systems that failed our families, especially the most vulnerable, have been in the making for decades. Wow. But.. she also talks about the negat...
Nov 16, 2022•28 min
If you're like Kristen and in the throes of perimenopause, then you're probably wondering why no one talks about it. Well, that's about to change as Kristen chats with Dr. Makeba Williams, a physician who specializes in the healthcare needs of midlife and menopausal women. She answers all of Kristen's burning questions, which might just be yours too. Make sure you're following us on social media: Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook . And check out links to our Cool Picks of the Week over on our P...
Nov 02, 2022•29 min
I will never think about yoga, supplements, activated charcoal or bath salts the same way after speaking with Rina Raphael, author of the utterly fascinating new book The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Car e. How did wellness go from a legitimate health need to a $4.4 trillion industry? What's the role of wellness influencers in all this? Why are we so desperate to find salvation in a fancy (probably pink) bottle -- and why it makes perfect sense that we fal...
Oct 24, 2022•28 min
We don't want our kids to fall for false news, rumors, or disinformation. But how do we teach our kids media literacy when we can't even keep up with all the social media apps? Journalist, professor, and UCLA/Stanford professor Dr. Seema Yasmin joins Liz to talk about her incredibly engaging, very important new YA Handbook, "What the Fact?!: Finding Truth in All the Noise." She not only discusses how we help our kids separate fact from fiction, but how to actually BS-proof our brains so that we'...
Oct 04, 2022•34 min
As parents, one of the most challenging parts of raising kids is feeding them. It's especially hard if you have your own issues with body image and food, like many Gen X parents do. Thankfully, experts like Nicole Cruz, a registered dietitian nutritionist, and mom of three can really help. Her intuitive eating and non-diet approach to food felt revolutionary to me, and it's completely changed how I approach food with my kids. And as always, we close out our show with our Cool Picks of the Week! ...
Sep 21, 2022•48 min
You wouldn't think in 2022 that an author would have to fight to keep a female protagonist in a book, and yet that's just what happened to award-winning humorist Wendi Aarons when she first pitched her middle-grade book, Ginger Mancino: Kid Comedian . (Spoiler: It got published, Ginger is indeed a girl, and it's wonderful.) Wendi joins Liz to talk about the importance of funny girls in books, funny women in life, teaching kids comedy, and the road from wanting just to be "nice" to being funny en...
Jul 20, 2022•33 min
Since I got my first smartphone back in 2006, my relationship with my phone has certainly changed my life. It's also changed how I function as a person in this world, for better and for worse. Turns out, I'm not the only one, which is why I was so excited to chat with Emmy-award-winning journalist, and host of the new Mobile Diaries podcast from T-Mobile Stories , Shawna Ryan, which also happens to be today's sponsor. We chat about our first phones, how our lives changed when we got them, and ho...
Jul 06, 2022•32 min
Author, educator, and Prep Matters founder Ned Johnson joins Liz once again to talk us through -- or talk us down from -- the college application process. And yes, I mean parents! You'll appreciate his thoughtful insight on the whole process, "test optional" schools, financial aid, the pitfalls and benefits of stress, the impact of Covid, how Black students need to approach things differently, and why we need to reframe the concept of "selective" schools. It's amazing. // Sponsored by Dell's Bla...
Jun 28, 2022•41 min
We often forget that social skills are taught, which seems especially important after two years in a pandemic. We're so grateful for authors, like Catherine Newman, who help make our lives as parents easier. Her new book "What Can I Say?" is a super helpful, illustrated book aimed at tweens and young teens , to help them navigate life's awkward situations, from learning how to apologize, to standing up to bullies, and pretty much everything in between. Listen to this super helpful conversation a...
Jun 14, 2022•29 min
Our guest Roo Powell is the co-founder of SOSA (Safe from Online Sexual Abuse) and has put her child advocacy and deep knowledge to use by...disguising herself as a young girl and working with police to trap predators. That work is part of the Discovery Plus docuseries Undercover Underage. Roo's story is nothing short of fascinating -- and actually more encouraging than you might imagine. Take a listen for an honest, surprisingly non-alarmist perspective about child predators, online safety, gro...
Jun 08, 2022•30 min
I've been wondering: are moms okay right now? And are we going to be okay? Is anything okay for anyone these days? So I invited one guest I knew would have an incredible perspective, Jessica Grose , author and Parenting Editor of the New York Times. Take a listen for an honest, terrific discussion about the state of modern motherhood including childcare issues, burnout, lingering pandemic issues, the evolving role of parents on social media and "TikTok Parenting" -- and the silver linings we sho...
May 10, 2022•30 min
If you've got thousands of photos on your phone, you know how painful it can be to find the ones you need when you need them, not to mention create any sort of memory or photo book. Well, get ready, because professional photo organizer Casey von Stein (aka Miss Freddy ) whipped Kristen into shape (no guilt or judgment, either), and will do the same for you. Seriously, these tips are life-changing (and we don't say that lightly). This week's sponsor is Generation Joy , a fantastic kids' clothing ...
Apr 27, 2022•39 min
Who better to talk about self-care with than the ultimate self-care expert, Kate Spencer . You probably know her as the co-host of the super-popular podcast Forever 35 . But she recently released her first rom-com novel, In a New York Minute. On this episode, Kate talks about self-care, tackles a common complaint about rom-coms, and shares her current beauty faves in a rapid-fire session with Kristen. We'd love to hear from you! You can find us on Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram . And be sure...
Apr 19, 2022•38 min
This week, Liz is so happy to be speaking (again!) with award-winning journalist and The Double Shift founder Katherine Goldstein , about her recent HuffPost article, There's a Coach for That . It lead Katherine to research the difference alllll the many kinds of coaches out there, and today she's explaining what different coaches do, who they can help, and whether what we really need is a good friend, or even a therapist. If you've been asking yourself, "What's next for me?" this is such a help...
Apr 04, 2022•25 min
So many parents are wondering how to have conversations with kids -- of all ages -- about the increasingly frightening attack on Ukraine. We want our kids to be informed, but we don't want to overwhelm them with anxiety and fear. So Liz is chatting once again with the wonderful journalist/author Melinda Wenner Moyer for some helpful advice. We're elaborating on the 5 expert tips in her recent NY Times article, How to Talk to Kids About Ukraine, and she's just so encouraging and specific, we hope...
Mar 21, 2022•30 min
It was the power of storytelling that connected Liz and me back almost 17 years ago, and it's still the lifeline for many parents, looking for community and commiseration in their parenting journey. This week, we're chatting with author and podcaster Zibby Owens about her newest anthology, Moms Don't Have Time to Have Kids , and why our stories matter. Catch us on social media: Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram . We love hearing from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Mar 11, 2022•29 min
Right now, the world is a pretty terrifying place, but we think you'll find a lot of reason for hope in this interview with John Della Volpe. Especially if you're raising a tween or teen right now -- or a kid who will be one soon. John is a notable expert on data around Gen Z and youth movements, the Director of Polling at Harvard's Kennedy School, and most recently, the author of FIGHT: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America . He's funny, he's smart, and he's got a fasci...
Feb 26, 2022•28 min
This week, Liz chats with Amy L. Koppelman, writer, director and producer of the new film A Mouthful of Air , starring Amanda Seyfried and Finn Witrock. It's based on on Amy's critically acclaimed novel inspired by her own struggles with postpartum depression 20 years ago. Join us for a thoughtful discussion about issues around women and mental health. Like the shame women still experience, how partners and friends can help identify PPD (and organizations here to help), and the important reminde...
Feb 08, 2022•28 min
In this episode, we're chatting with New York Times bestselling author Julie Lythcott-Haims about her new book Your Turn: How to Be an Adult . You might know Julie from her first book, "How to Raise an Adult," which was a New York Times bestseller and was the antidote to overparenting culture. Thankfully, she's back with a sort of follow-up to that one, aimed at older Gen-Z and millennials (and hey, Gen-Xers too), with a super helpful guidebook to what it means to be an adult. It's supportive, t...
Jan 25, 2022•39 min
We've been so grateful to our recent expert Spawned guests who have offered their help in navigating these last two years with our kids. And this week's expert, Mara Koffmann, is no exception. She shares her expertise from years working with kids and families as co-founder of Brain Trust Tutors, especially in the area of executive function skills. These are the extremely important skills that help us plan, focus attention, and manage multiple tasks successfully (just to name a few). As always, w...
Jan 18, 2022•32 min
As we round out the year (yes we made it, phew) we're keeping things light with an entire COOL PICKS EPISODE. We're sharing 10 of our favorite holiday gifts that we recommended across our sites this year, but if you know us, we've always got a few more we sneak in! Take a listen, don't stress the gifts (seriously), shop local when you can, find time with people you love, and stay healthy. That's our greatest wish for you. Please support our sponsors, for whom we are so grateful: Save 40% on Elix...
Dec 21, 2021•27 min
As Liz and I try to keep our heads afloat this holiday season, we decided to take a week off and instead, re-share a timely episode with a message we all need right now. A couple of years ago, I interviewed our friend, author Nancy Davis Kho, about her book The Thank You Project. This gratitude project changed her life, and well, with all that's happening around us these days, and the holidays only a couple of weeks away, it seemed like the perfect conversation to share again. Our sponsors, for ...
Dec 15, 2021•39 min
This interview with William Stixrud Ph.D. and Ned Johnson may be one of the most helpful episodes we've ever run, and if you've ever struggled to help your child manage any kind of problem at all, we think you'll agree. They're the best-selling co-authors of The Self-Driven Child, and we're talking about advice from their brand new book, What Do You Say? Talking with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home . You'll get tons of practical, actionable tips to help you improve p...
Dec 08, 2021•45 min
We originally had researcher and author Emily Oster on the show to chat about her book, The Family Firm , which is a helpful guidebook for parents that offers a smart method for making decisions (because as parents, we make a lot of them). However, we couldn't have her on and not chat about some of the research she has done about opening the schools in the pandemic, and most recently, the effectiveness of masks, which has made her reviled and revered. What you'll hear is a lively chat about lots...
Nov 30, 2021•31 min
This time of year, when we're aware of those who have so much and those who don't, we wanted to have a candid, frank conversation about kids and gratitude during the holiday season. This is a great talk about what we can do to raise kids who value gratitude, practice empathy, and see the joy in giving back. We hope you love it too. Much thanks to our sponsor KidsBeeTV , a fun, and safe app that stimulates learning in kids up to 7 with their favorite songs, engaging educational videos, fun activi...
Nov 24, 2021•29 min
We're so happy to be joined by a top NYC pediatrician, Dr. Preeti Parikh, to answer parents' biggest questions about the Covid-19 vaccine and kids 5-11 so you can make the best health decisions for your family. We think you'll get a lot from her thoughtful, thorough answers -- we even learned a few things too! This episode is graciously brought to you by GoodRx Health , a brand new online health resource, filled with solid, trusted, vetted answers to so many medical questions of all kind. Plus t...
Nov 18, 2021•22 min
If your kids are like ours, they're obsessed with Minecraft, which is why were so excited to chat with author Delilah Dawson, whose new book Minecraft Mobsquad is all about... Minecraft! She's the perfect person to share why Minecraft can be a really positive experience with kids. And as always, we share our Cool Picks of the Week. Thanks to our sponsors: Google Kids Space , a kids mode available on select Android tablets (that start at $59!) and KidsBeeTV , a fun, and safe app designed for kids...
Nov 16, 2021•29 min
We know that over the last few years in particular, many of us have felt extra activated to help make change in the world. But if we're honest, being an activist can be exhausting and soul sucking. Well, our good friend and author Karen Walrond has a whole lot to share about this exact issue, and what we can do about it. She's chatting about her new book The Lightmaker's Manifesto , and we hope you find this chat as inspiring as we did. Make sure to stick around for our Cool Picks of the Week! O...
Nov 09, 2021•40 min
Ever wondered about the 5 principles of being a good digital citizen? Well this week we're talking to Diana Graber , founder of CyberWise and author of Raising Humans in a Digital World: Helping Kids Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology . As you might have guessed.... we talk through how we can raise our kids to use digital tools safely, responsibly, and even to put more positivity out in the world. She even gives us a whole new way to think about cyberbullying -- and how to talk about i...
Nov 02, 2021•30 min
Considering our kids are well beyond picture book age, it might seem odd that we're so excited about a picture book. (Okay, okay, so Kristen does have one of her own coming out in late 2023, but still). Hello, Star, by author Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and illustrator Vashti Harrison is a wonder to behold, and how lucky are we that they came by Spawned to chat with Kristen about their new collaboration. Don't miss our cool picks of the week! Thanks to our sponsor Beam Dream Powder that might just...
Oct 27, 2021•30 min
