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A professional organizer’s top back-to-school organizational tips for the real world | Spawned Ep 119
While we're enjoying a little time off for summer, we're updating some of our greatest hits Spawned episodes you might have missed -- starting with "organizer for the real world" (as we call her), Laurie Palau of Simply B Organized. She taught us one of our very...
NBC’s Making It contestant Robert Mahar reveals one brilliant thing parents should do to bring out creativity in their kids
Imagine how thrilled we were to learn that our old friend and popular cool mom pick Robert Mahar was a contestant on the popular new NBC DIY craft show Making It. Yes, there might have been squealing involved. We've known him since we started our site 12 years ago, so...
How to deal with mean girls: Expert tips for building resilience + strength in our daughters
If you have a daughter, it's inevitable at some point that she will encounter the heartache of mean girls. It may be when she hits middle school (oh God, middle school) -- or it may be as early as kindergarten. And when it happens, it will hurt you as much as it hurts...
Angela Santomero’s tips for raising smart, inspired, and engaged kids in a screen-filled world | Spawned ep 116
Whatever age your kids may be, we know that managing screen time and finding the benefits (and boundaries) is a huge issue with parents. Like, a non-stop concern. So we're thrilled to chat with Angela Santomero, the successful creator of educational programs like...
Can couples work together without killing each other? Try these tips, tricks, and a lot of humor | Spawned ep 115
Have you ever looked at those always happy husband-wife work teams and think, how the bleep do they do it? Well, now we know! This week on Spawned, we have an absolutely hilarious, engaging, mildly explicit (sorry, little ones) and truly informative conversation with...
So much coolness. Where to start…
The coolest back to school supplies and fun accessories under $10 to make September more fun | Back to School 2018
Once you've bought those requisite black marble composition books and No. 2 pencils, it's time to fun things up! We find that just a few affordable but still cool back-to-school supplies can get kids so much more excited about getting back to the classroom. From fun...
11 incredibly creative ideas for first day of school photos | Back to School Guide 2018
I'll be honest, I don't have a whole lot of time for planning creative' first day of school photos for my kids. Between making sure everyone remembers to put on shoes after a no-shoe summer and packing up 47 pounds of school supplies, our first day of school photos...
Wha-aa? A pool float made just for pregnant women. And our bellies.
We'll be honest, we are completely flipping out over this new pregnancy pool float. HOW HAS NO ONE THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE? When you're pregnant, nothing is comfortable. It's like all the regular things in the world start actively conspiring against your growing girth,...
7 smart tips and hotel tricks that make travel with toddlers so much safer and easier
Family vacations are part of the magic of childhood, and staying in a hotel is a big part of the excitement. I mean, who remembers the thrill of going to find the ice machine as a kid? And a pool....inside? Whoa. That said, now that we're parents we know that staying...
Everything you need to know about a family vacation at Aulani: A Disney Resort and Spa
When a local yoga studio owned by a couple of friends of mine mentioned they were doing a yoga retreat with discounted rates at Aulani Disney Resort and Spa in Oahu, I jumped at the opportunity to join. Hawaii is one of my favorite places, and I was thrilled to be...
A professional organizer’s top back-to-school organizational tips for the real world | Spawned Ep 119
While we're enjoying a little time off for summer, we're updating some of our greatest hits Spawned episodes you might have missed -- starting with "organizer for the real world" (as we call her), Laurie Palau of Simply B Organized. She taught us one of our very...
NPR selects the 200 greatest 21st century songs by women, and we’re here for it!
We talk a lot about reading diverse women authors, supporting women artists, and shopping women-owned shops. But one thing we don't discuss nearly enough is women musicians -- at least outside of the kids' music category. Which is why we're thrilled to discover NPR's...
The hottest Frye boots, booties, and flats, all up to 60% off right now.
As we finish up back-to-school shopping for our kids, parents' thoughts naturally turn to other pressing concerns. Like, where to find the best deals on boots and other fall shoes for ourselves, because is anyone else sick of flip-flops yet? As it so happens, you can...
What Can a Citizen Do? Why Dave Eggers’ new picture book is required reading for all kids.
We often think of being a citizen as having the ability to vote (something not nearly enough of us do -- I know, I know, that's another post), but there's so much more to it. And kids are surely hearing this word a lot more these days as we discuss the current issues...
Is Eighth Grade okay for middle schoolers despite the R rating? One parent’s view.
Last night, I finally saw Eighth Grade, hoping to screen the movie before seeing it a second time with my 11 and 13-year-old daughters. Tonight, thousands of you have the opportunity to see Eighth Grade totally free, at unrated screenings in every single state around...
Why Pharrell Williams would like it if you bought one of our favorite kids’ backpack brands
We're big fans of Parkland Bags, the label making the affordable, great-looking, eco-friendly backpacks that you might have noticed all over our back-to-school shopping guide this year. They're all made from recycled water bottles, which already puts them way up on...
An honest review of Tentrr, the Airbnb of camping.
Last year, our friend Anna Fader of Mommy Poppins fame posted about her positive experience with Tentrr on Facebook. The service functions like Airbnb, except for campsites, and if that sounds like a brilliant idea, you're right. Particularly for those of us who love...
7 new novels to add to your summer reading list, stat | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from Author Buzz Make room on your bookshelf! From powerful book club reads to thrilling mysteries to fascinating historical fiction, here are 7 highly-acclaimed new summer novels for you to discover all from authors you may already love --...
This Ruth Bader Ginsburg paint-by-numbers kit is the craft of the year
Ever since Ruth Bader Ginsburg pledged to remain on the Supreme Court until at least turning 90, she's solidified her role even further as a heroic icon to so many of us. As if such a thing were even possible! So of course I fell in love with this Notorious RBG...
NBC’s Making It contestant Robert Mahar reveals one brilliant thing parents should do to bring out creativity in their kids
Imagine how thrilled we were to learn that our old friend and popular cool mom pick Robert Mahar was a contestant on the popular new NBC DIY craft show Making It. Yes, there might have been squealing involved. We've known him since we started our site 12 years ago, so...
Vans has new shoes inspired by Vincent Van Gogh. And, yes, they are masterpieces.
Every shoe lover can tell you that certain pairs are basically works of art. In the case of these new Vans, though? They are literally works of art. That's because the limited edition Vans x Van Gogh Museum collection is inspired by the masterpieces created by the...
6 inspiring new memoirs that entertain, inspire, educate, and open eyes.
I love a good novel, but there's just something special about memoirs. Seeing how other people use the raw material of their lives -- whether chaotic or painful or just unusual -- to create a story fascinates me completely. And for those of you fellow memoir lovers,...
5 things parents need to know before buying your kids glasses
I've worn glasses my whole entire life, and up until now, have been the only one in my family who needed them. Then, in the middle of the school year, we learned my youngest daughter needed glasses -- reading glasses, specifically. It's an issue that often goes...
The best things to do in Nashville with kids, according to locals. (Hint: It ain’t the honkey-tonks.)
Nashville is of course the home of country music, but when you're traveling here and looking for the best things to do in Nashville with the kids, visiting the honkey-tonks downtown probably isn't your best bet. So as a native Nashvillian, I'm going to give you the...
The stores with the best discounts on back-to-school supplies right this second | Back to School Guide 2018
Whether your kids still have a month left before school starts or head go back to school in a hot second, buying those back-to-school supplies now is a pretty great idea when you see the big discounts on school supplies that we've tracked down from top retailers. So...
Personalized keychains and backpack charms to send kids back to school with a smile
It's an annual tradition for us that when it's back-to-school season, each kid gets to pick out one charm or backpack charm to hang on their backpacks. In a desperate attempt to steer my youngest from a poop emoji squishie (sigh), I may point her towards the lovely...