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Big family tips for families of any size | Spawned Episode 176
With eight kids between us, Liz and I have come to learn tips, systems, and organizational advice over the years that's help make life a little easier for us. So on this episode of our Spawned Parenting Podcast, we're sharing them with the hopes that they'll simplify...
How to be a tech-positive parent (and why you want to be one) | Spawned Episode 175
When we started Cool Mom Tech almost 10 years ago, there wasn’t a lot of language around digital parenting. But considering we tend to be the non-alarmist type of parents, we approached parenting our own digital-native kids like other difficult parenting topics: with...
Holiday craziness and stress: Let’s sloooooow things down a little, please? | Spawned ep 174
If you feel like the holiday season came sooner this year -- along with the holiday ads, the holiday sales, the Mariah Carey videos, and the holiday pressure, it's not in your head. There are lots of reasons we're feeling it more this year, and social media isn't...
11 new cookbooks parents should pick up now, from Suzy Chase of Cookery by the book
Cookbooks aren't just about recipes -- they open us up to new perspectives, new cultures, new ways of thinking about food. They can be funny, quirky or heartfelt., and they can even make our lives richer -- both at mealtime and beyond. Whether you're nodding along...
How can we prioritize what we love when we’re so damn busy? | Spawned Ep 172
Back in January, we spoke with Jake Knapp about making time for the things we love. In other words, prioritizing.(Way better word than "balance," don't you think?) Jake offered outstanding tips for making sure your days and weeks and years are spent on more of the...
So much coolness. Where to start…
5 fun Frozen 2 crafts for kids, because we get it. They’re obsessed. Again.
Who's got Frozen fever? We've only been hearing about Frozen 2, oh, since last year sometime. And I know that's not just my own kids. With a November 22 launch date -- and who knows whether you can even get tickets for opening weekend at this point -- I get that you...
5 smart laundry tips for families that actually work. Because we use them ourselves.
No matter how many kids you have in your house, it somehow always means lots of laundry, and over the years, we've figured tried lots of laundry tips to help make the process a whole lot easier. Of course, it doesn't matter what size your family is, you still need...
How to be a tech-positive parent (and why you want to be one) | Spawned Episode 175
When we started Cool Mom Tech almost 10 years ago, there wasn’t a lot of language around digital parenting. But considering we tend to be the non-alarmist type of parents, we approached parenting our own digital-native kids like other difficult parenting topics: with...
Illustoria is the perfect gift for your favorite thinking kid.
As the holidays get closer and our annual search for off-the-beaten path gifs for kids gets more intense, I'm so delighted to recommend a subscription to Illustoria. A magazine "for creative kids and their grownups," it makes an amazing gift for kids and tweens who...
11 top-rated veterans organizations offering everything from adaptive housing to service dogs to support exclusively for women
I actually moaned when I saw an ad on TV this weekend that said something like, our veterans fought hard for our country, and now we're fighting hard to bring you these great deals at our annual Veteran's Day sale... I mean, are you kidding me? I love sales as much as...
5 incredible deals on hot toys at Zulily right now. The holidays are coming!
If you're looking to get a head start on holiday shopping -- especially toys for all those kids on your list -- you can score some truly fantastic deals right now thanks to our partner Zulily. And I can help! This parent-fave online retailer launches 100+ sales daily,...
Holiday craziness and stress: Let’s sloooooow things down a little, please? | Spawned ep 174
If you feel like the holiday season came sooner this year -- along with the holiday ads, the holiday sales, the Mariah Carey videos, and the holiday pressure, it's not in your head. There are lots of reasons we're feeling it more this year, and social media isn't...
4 smart, simple tips to help kids make good media choices with their screen time.
We write a lot about the importance of raising good digital citizens. The way we see it, the internet isn't going away, and the older your kids get, the harder it is to start teaching them good behavior. So we start young, so that as kids get older, they'll know how...
How the new HomeHawk by Panasonic makes home monitoring simpler, easier, and way less expensive | Sponsored message
This is a sponsored message from Panasonic HomeHawk If you don't yet have a smart home monitoring system, it can seem overwhelming to get started. Systems can be expensive, and complicated, with professional home-wiring to schedule, and installation to figure out....
These 8 single-use products are going away in our lifetimes. Here are alternatives that make switching easy.
I love that increasingly, so many of us are trying to be more mindful with our product purchases, opting for eco-friendly reusable products instead of wasteful single-use alternatives. It doesn't just make good earth sense, it makes good budget sense. Besides, some of...
Finding Kindness: A beautiful new children’s book with a message the world needs | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message on behalf of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group Kindness comes in all shapes and sizes, which is exactly the lesson kids will learn reading the newest book from New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Underwood. Finding Kindness...
The most creative handmade kids’ Halloween costumes on Instagram this year
I've seen so many clever Halloween costumes this year, it's hard to keep up! There are always the year's super popular costumes -- the astronauts, the princesses, the superheroes and a lot of VSCO girls. (Including me, ha. Hey, it was what I could throw together 5...
Last-minute Halloween crafts, printables, pumpkin decorating, and party activities to keep the whole week fun.
If it's not clear by now, we loooove Halloween around here! And if you need some ideas for party activities on Halloween night, or fun printables and craft ideas to keep the kids out of the candy stash for a few more days, take a look at these terrific ideas we've...
Summer Discovery: A summer enrichment program for middle schoolers that’s tween approved
This post was written in partnership with Summer Discovery This past summer, my 12-year old son mentioned to me that he was finally ready for sleepaway camp, but knowing him, I wasn't sure the traditional sleep-in-a-cabin type experience was right for him. He's an...
This magical Harry Potter Advent calendar is so cool! Grab one now or good luck finding one.
We love finding cool, creative advent calendars each year, and this year we're geeking out over the new Infinity Harry Potter Advent Calendar Liz found over at Merchoid. Potterheads, don't let this one disappear (through the forces of muggles, not magic) before you...
Long belted shirtdresses: 5 favorites you’ll want to live in this fall and winter.
This past week, I made a rare impulse clothing purchase: a gorgeous, long belted shirt dress from Uli Herzner that I spotted at a Chelsea Market pop-up. I've admired her work ever since she made it to the S3 fashion show on Project Runway, and I'm so excited to get to...
The affordable, life-saving, NO FREAKING SNAPS baby pajamas our readers swear by
Last week, we shared the hilarious, if painfully relatable new mom complaint about snap-up baby pajamas, thanks to comedy writer (Jimmy Kimmel!), humorist (the New Yorker) and author of Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, Bess Kalb. Seriously, she's one of my favorite...
Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Book Club Selection #11
After speaking with Dr. Ken Ginbsburg on our Spawned Parenting Podcast, I went out and bought all his books, one of which I'm thrilled to share is the next pick for our Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club. I found his approach to parenting teens (and well, kids in...
Reader Q+A: What is a thoughtful gift for a friend who’s had a miscarriage?
Recently, we received a question on Facebook that hit me in the gut: Q: What is a really thoughtful gift to give someone who's suffered a miscarriage? This is so tough. And since October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month, it's a topic I thought was...
These hand-knit animal scarves require no food, no water, but lots of love.
While a real pet requires food, water, and responsibility, the phenomenal hand-knitted animals scarves from Dutch Etsy artist Nina Fuehrer require...well, just enough responsibility that they come home with your kids at the end of the day. At a recent Etsy holiday...
8 cute pumpkin decorating ideas for kids that are not scary at all
It's time to decorate those pumpkins, parents! And it's always fun to look around for some of the cute, creative pumpkin decorating ideas. Especially for those of us with little kids who aren't quite into the super creepy pumpkin vomiting guts thing just...