5 of the best audiobook apps to listen to while you scrub the counters. Again.
Anyone else need the escape of audiobooks while we hunker down and wait out the Coronavirus quarantines, school closures, and social distancing? These audiobook apps have proved to be the perfect literary lifeline for me while I'm stuck at home with my young children....
8 reality shows you can mindlessly binge-watch because your brain needs a little break
Oh hi there, fellow anxious, friends. How are you holding up? It's been quite a stressful week, and I don't see it letting up anytime soon, so I'm doing my best to give my brain a little break, and one way that I do that is binge-watching completely mindless (and yes,...
8 fantastic educational resources for online learning, just in case you need them, parents.
Last week, our school district cancelled school on Friday due to possible COVID-19 exposure. And this week on Tuesday, my youngest daughter had off school. Whether or not we will see more cancellations in the future is unknown at this time (sorry, no crystal ball,...
Here’s how to clean and disinfect your AirPods, because ew, David.
We've already told you how dirty your phone probably is right now. So now, we're going to gross you out a little more by telling you that your AirPods are probably pretty dirty too. If you're on a bit of a disinfecting tear, we suggest adding your AirPods into your...
Calling all young scientists: There’s a $25,000 prize up for grabs and entering is super easy!
We're always amazed and impressed by the imaginative ideas kids can come up with when you give them a simple problem to solve. Just think of how many times your smartypants kids have gotten their siblings to do their chores. Or, figured out how to circumvent your...
The best ways to clean and disinfect your phone during cold and flu season: From gentle cleaning to killing bacteria and microbes
With the concern about the COVID-19 Coronavirus right now, it seems like a good time to bring back the talk about the best ways to clean your phone, or disinfect it entirely. Also, your kids' phones (ahem). Because while it's important to know the best way to wash...
JIF vs GIF: How the peanut butter is trying to end the pronunciation debate for once and for all.
There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who pronounce GIF with a hard "G" as in GRAPHIC...and those who are wrong. (And yes, I know that GIF creator Steve Wilhite pronounces it with a soft J, but unless the acronym now stands for Jurrasic Interchange Format,...
These Baby Yoda beanies from Love Your Melon are the cutest thing you’ll see today.
If you and your family are as obsessed with The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda as we are, then you're all going to flip your helmet over these new Baby Yoda beanies from Love Your Melon. And the best part is that 50% of the net profits go to charity. Related: Our first 24...
Dear Reader is the addictive wordplay game for fans of Jane Austen and Edgar Allen Poe. Yes, really.
When you think "voracious reader of the classics" you don't generally think at the same time "..and big game, toor!" And yet, that's how I feel every time I open up Dear Reader. Free with Apple Arcade, this fun, quippy, clever, and fairly challenging iOS game of...
Here’s my beef with Snapchat for kids. And it might surprise you.
Over the years, we've shared our concerns with kids on Snapchat, which aren't really that surprising. We all know that it's terribly difficult to monitor. And we've seen our kids deal with the difficult issues that arise with Snap Maps. But honestly, I'm also...
6 unexpected rom-coms on Netflix that you can watch with the family on Valentine’s Day
What you do after the kids are in bed on Valentine's Day -- that's your business. What you do while the kids are still up and wanting to hang out with you though? Well, we can help with that. As the resident cinephile, I've put together some surprising picks for...
A fun family Valentine’s Day playlist that’s all about celebrating love
As you might have heard on our recent Spawned podcast, Valentine's Day after kids (at least for us, anyway), has become quite a family affair. Whether it's lunchbox notes and a special school lunch, little gifts when they wake up, or a family movie (or game night),...
Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way!) Easier
NBD Google just shared some private videos in Google Photos to strangers.
In what feels like a game of "Which Site Will Violate Our Privacy More This Week?," Google remains consistent in their issues with user privacy and released an inconspicuous email to users to let them know that some Google Photos users might have had their private...
How to report spam texts and phishing. Because sorry, Amazon is not giving you $130 in freebies out of blue.
"You'll get $130 freebies to do a survey ELIZA," the totally American English-sounding text reads. Every day, sometimes twice a day. They don't even bothering masking the phishing link that doesn't start with an Amazon URL. (Let alone getting my name right.) As it...
The 20-20-20 rule, and why you (and your eyes) need to know about it
Every now and then I'll spot a fantastic article shared by one of my Facebook friends, only to discover it was written a few years ago. Womp, womp. But in a few cases, like this Vice article about what screens are doing to our eyes (and our kids' eyes), there's still...
How to hide your Instagram Story from users. Psst: If you can do it, your kids can do it too.
A few months ago, we shared how to set up the Close Friends feature on Instagram, just in case you’ve got your kids (and their friends) following you and wanted to share something that they couldn’t see. Of course, whenever you do that, then you can pretty much assume...
NBD Google just shared some private videos in Google Photos to strangers.
In what feels like a game of "Which Site Will Violate Our Privacy More This Week?," Google remains consistent in their issues with user privacy and released an inconspicuous email to users to let them know that some Google Photos users might have had their private...
Here’s how Facebook is stalking you. And what you can do about it.
If you're like me, you've had a few instances where you know you didn't search for a particular product or service on your phone or your computer, but suddenly you're getting ads for it in your Facebook feed. Is Facebook listening into your conversations? Well, sort...
How to report spam texts and phishing. Because sorry, Amazon is not giving you $130 in freebies out of blue.
"You'll get $130 freebies to do a survey ELIZA," the totally American English-sounding text reads. Every day, sometimes twice a day. They don't even bothering masking the phishing link that doesn't start with an Amazon URL. (Let alone getting my name right.) As it...
The 20-20-20 rule, and why you (and your eyes) need to know about it
Every now and then I'll spot a fantastic article shared by one of my Facebook friends, only to discover it was written a few years ago. Womp, womp. But in a few cases, like this Vice article about what screens are doing to our eyes (and our kids' eyes), there's still...
Bandolier goes pro. AirPods Pro, that is.
If you were lucky enough to snag a pair of AirPods Pro this holiday season (or you played Santa for yourself), then you've got the perfect excuse to get one of the new Bandolier AirPods Pro pouches. Even though we were initially a little skeptical about the Bandolier...
Instagram trick: How to find all those cool Instagram Story filters everyone else seems to have.
We used to say "photos or it didn't happen," but it feels like 2020 is all about  "filters or it isn't Instagram." You may have noticed folks you follow using wacky filters -- or oddly flattering filters that bathe them in a beautifully hazy rose gold glow. If you you...
Digital parenting tip: How to teach your kids (and yourself) to spot fake photos
We live in an age of photoshop and photo altering, and quite frankly, our teens and tweens are pretty savvy when it comes to pointing out (and complaining about) a model's face that's been de-wrinkled. But photos of women -- made to look skinnier and younger -- aren't...
Use this browser extension to show you what Amazon books are available at your local library
If your goal is to read more in 2020, here's a smart browser extension that could help you save a little money this year, because it shows you what Amazon books are available at your local library. Related: 3 free audiobook apps you should know about I know lots of...
4 ways to try a tech detox with your family that actually work
With resolutions and goals for 2020 in mind, we know that a lot parents are thinking about technology and screen time. Wrangling screen time is a huge concern for many of you (and us), as well as the members of our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook Group. Let's just it's a...
The top 10 Cool Mom Tech posts of 2019
We're going into our 10th year of Cool Mom Tech and our 2nd year of our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook group that's almost at 4500 members! We know, we can't believe it either. Every year, we share our 10 most visited posts on Cool Mom Tech. From tech tips and tricks to...
The top 10 Spawned Parenting Podcast episodes of 2019
Every year, we round up our top 10 most downloaded Spawned Parenting Podcasts. As we enter our 5th season (yes 5!), it's fun to look back on what resonated with you, our awesome listeners. And if you're looking to catch up on episodes, or you're new to us (hi!), this...