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.

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You'll find ALL the links from the show on Cool Mom Picks. Find us on FB, Insta, Twitter and Pinterest and say hi. We're so grateful for all of you!

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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 whom we are so grateful! Please take a moment to check our Vrbo and Bombas. They help us keep doing what we're doing!

You'll find all the links from the show at Cool Mom Picks. Don't forget to reach out on social media. We love hearing from you!

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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 ofThe 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 parent-child communication, increase empathy, decrease anxiety, and help raise kids to be their own best problem solvers. Plus, they're just delightful! Speaking of which, wow, do we have some fun Cool Picks of the Week for you at the end of the show.

Many thanks to our sponsors: Google Kids Space, a kids mode available on select Android tablets (that start at $59!) and the Panasonic Long-Range Baby Monitor, which offers incredible security, interference-free coverage, customizable alerts for sound, motion, and temperature, and a whole lot more.

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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 of important things that we know lots of parents are thinking about right now. And, as always, we share our cool picks of the week.

Thanks to our sponsor Vrbo, who just released their 2022 trend report, and KidsBEETV.com, a fun, safe, and surprising app for kids.

Follow us on social media: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Links from this show, including Emily's book The Family Firm, can be found on our site.

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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 activities, and popular shows, all vetted by teachers and experts. It's a sweet way to bring families together.

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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 their new Vaccine Guide is offers plenty of information, and even lets you browse available Covid vaccine appointments near you.

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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 up to 7 years old, that stimulates learning, promotes diversity, and brings families together.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and visit our site for all the links in the show!

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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!

Our sponsor: Check out Google Kids Space, a kids mode on select Android tablets that's designed to inspire growth, discovery, and curiosity in kids.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and make sure to check out our site for all the links from our show.

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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 it. Whether you have teens, tweens, or kids too young for their own devices, it's never too early to learn these essential tips for the digital world our kids are growing up in.

Thanks to all of you for your generous reviews! Keep them coming, we're beyond grateful. You can find all our links and more at CoolMomPicks.com on our podcast posts, and be sure to say hi to us on social media: IG, FB, TW. We like to say hi back!

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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 help you get more sleep. Don't miss their awesome special offer just for Spawned listeners!

You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram! And don't forget to visit our site, CoolMomPicks.com.

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