Spawned With Kristen And Liz Of Coolmompicks

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

It's here! Our annual holiday gift guide, and we're sharing some of our favorites from the hundreds of gifts we scoured the web to find. It's like an entire episode of Cool Picks of the Week. Whether you're finishing off your holiday shopping, or just getting started, we've got lots of suggestions. And opinions, of course. We love hearing from you! Drop us an email spawned@coolmompicks.com, follow us on Facebook, or tweet us (use #spawnedshow). And find all our holiday picks in our holiday gift guide, and on our podcast page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who likes paying retail over the holiday? Not us! Presumably, not you. So...join us for a fun, fast-paced episode with our very best money-saving holiday shopping tips culled from YEARS of giving this same advice in national magazines, newspapers, and shows like TODAY. You can use these tips, apps, and other helpful services on Black Friday or any day of the year, and don't worry about writing it all down -- you'll find all the links on our our podcast page at bit.ly/spawnedCMP. | Thanks for listening! And if you've got any questions, comments or show ideas...hit us up!  spawned@coolmompicks.com or find us on social at @coolmompicks using hashtag #SpawnedShow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wondering how to tell the men to do the dishes for a change? Struggling to feed 12 people with 14 different food allergies? Freaking over a 10-hour road trip with perpetually bored tweens? And how do we handle those political conversations everyone is dreading? You gave us questions...we've got answers! Join us for a fun, honest, carb-free Thanksgiving romp. And thanks so much for listening and supporting Spawned with Kristen and Liz! Questions? Hit us up: spawned@coolmompicks.com or @coolmompicks on social media with hashtag #SpawnedShow.   *NOTE: Got kids around: This is a clean show with one lone f-bomb. What can we say; it's a favorite word. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristen just got back from an Imagine Dragons show with all four of her kids, because she's not like a regular mom...she's a COOL MOM. (Also, whoa.) Join us for a lively discussion about kids and concerts, tips and concerns. And earplugs. Definitely earplugs. Plus, we confess our own first concerts in which Liz gains a little indie cred and Kristen makes a confession you may never have guessed.  || Thanks for listening! Questions? Comments? Episode ideas? Hit us up: spawned@coolmompicks.com or @coolmompicks on social with #SpawnedShow. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the "eating holidays" around the corner, we're looking at ways to keep our jeans from killing us with tightness. On this episode of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we're having a conversation about 5 of the most popular current diet trends, and we decide which ones might work for us (and maybe you too). Intermittent fasting? Ketogenics? If you've ever wondered about the buzz words you might have heard or seen on social media, now's your chance to get the scoop! (And of course, a reminder that we are not doctors -- duh -- so do not take our recommendations as medical advice). If you've got show suggestions, comments, or questions, drop us an email at spawned@coolmompicks.com. You can also tweet us with #SpawnedShow or visit us on Facebook or Instagram. And be sure to head over to Cool Mom Picks to see all our show notes and links we mentioned.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ready to laugh? Join us for our own version of Wait Wait WAIT Don't Tell Me (don't sue us, NPR!) As we try to discern the craziest beauty trends from a few fake ones. Which are also crazy. (Seriously, nose hair extensions? MAKE IT STOP!) | How many did you get right? Share with us at spawned@coolmompicks.com, or find us on social media @coolmompicks with hashtag #spawnedshow | And we're sorry we snorted into our mics more than a few times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to our kids' education, we all want them develop good habits, self-direction, and autonomy, So what can we do as parents to best support them at home? (Spoiler: Nagging is not a good idea.) This week we've got BRILLIANT tips from Katherine Firestone of the Fireborn Institute -- which has nothing to do with Game of Thrones, we asked. Her ideas are so innovative and smart, many of them even brand new to us. We hope they help you too, whatever kind of learner you have at home. | Questions? Comments? spawned@coolmompicks.com or find us on social @coolmompicks #SpawnedShow and thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're having a hard time with the ongoing story about Harvey Weinstein, sexual harassment and predatory behavior, abuse of power, and a complicit culture, well...so are we. A really hard time. So we put together this raw, honest, unscripted conversation (no ads, no interruptions) with the hope that we can help more women to process your feelings, find the right words for your kids, and get the help you need if you're struggling with memories and experiences of your own. You're not alone.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not every parent has the time (or patience or uh, interest) to play racecars for hours on end. GUILTY! So we're chatting with Meredith Sinclair, TODAY Show play expert and author of Well Played to get some much-needed tips. We discuss how to make play more fun (for parents too), why we all need more play right now, the great tech toy debate, and score lots of toy and game recos that parents should add to our arsenals. | Questions? Comments? Compliments? Find Kristen + Liz  @coolmompicks #SpawnedShow on social media, or hit us up at spawned@coolmompicks.com. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we comfortable saying vagina? YES! Having frank conversations with our daughters -- and sons -- about menstruation? YES! Telling our most embarrassing period stories? Well...at least Liz did. (And there's more than one, oh no!) Join us for a funny, frank talk about "the talk" you know you'll be having with your daughters one day if you haven't already. Plus, get lots of helpful advice from Naama Bloom, founder of Hello Flo and author of the upcoming Period Book. | By the way we shouldn't have to mark a podcast as EXPLICIT for the word "vagina" but we did because anatomy freaks some people out. | Comments? Questions? Got your own embarrassing story to share? Email spawned@coolmompicks.com, or follow us @coolmompicks #SpawnedShow on social. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parents, if you listen to any episode it should be this one. Because we've got civilization=saving strategies here from James Breakwell (aka @xplodingunicorn), comedy writer and author of the new book, Only Dead on the Inside: A Parent's Guide to Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse.  Wait, are you laughing? This is DEADLY SERIOUS STUFF, PARENTS. Discover tips for how to break the news to your kids in age-appropriate ways, how to turning toys and umbrella strollers into deadly weapons, and why parents have some surprising. advantages for post-apocalyptic survival over "smug, outdoorsy millennials" with no kids.  | Thanks for listening, subscribing and leaving us a sweet rating! | Questions? Find Kristen + Liz  on social @coolmompicks with the hashtag #spawnedshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When can your kids start watching more "adult" movies and shows? Do you care more about f-bombs or violence and gore? What about sex? What about themes like suicide or sexuality or war? And how come the ratings system seems so totally ridiculous sometimes?  A fun, candid, and (ahem) somewhat NSFW discussion to help you decide when to let which kids watch what. | Questions, comments, show ideas or copious praise: email us any time at spawned@coolmompicks.com or find Liz and Kristen on social at @coolmompicks with hashtag #spawned show. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it okay to ignore your kids when they're being pains in the you-know-what? Family coach and LCSW, Catherine Pearlman, the author of the new book "Ignore It" says yup!  But...with a few caveats. If your kids have ever acted up (mayyyybe once, right?) tune in and learn about her smart technique, and how ignoring is not the same as neglecting. We think you'll get some great tips out of it! We sure did. | Questions or comments? Hit us up at spawned@coolmompicks.com or find us on social @coolmompicks using hashtag #spawnedshow. Thanks for listening!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professional organizer and mom Laurie Palau of Simply B Organized saves us all with down-to-earth tips, tricks, and common sense advice to get us on track for the school year, manage the kids (mostly), and keep us organized and productive. So smart! We've also got some truly amazing cool picks of the week. Questions? Comments? Knock-knock jokes? Email Kristen and Liz at spawned@coolmompicks.com, or find us on Twitter or FB at @coolmompicks using #spawnedshow. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices