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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...
Sleepaway camp: The pros, the cons, and the tears (mostly ours)| Spawned Episode 114
With summer pretty much here, that means Liz and I are about to say good-bye to a few of our kids as they head off to summer camp, some close by, and one well, to Japan! We get asked all the time about sleepaway camp, from wanting to know how to decide when a kid is...
Mothers of Reinvention: Talking work and career after motherhood with Mallory Kasdan | Spawned Episode 113
As two women who reinvented ourselves to start Cool Mom Picks, we love hearing stories of other women doing the same, particularly the challenges and obstacles they had to overcome to achieve success. So much can be learned from sharing those experiences. That's why...
So much coolness. Where to start…
12 summer essentials you’ll always find in our handbags, for travel or every day
Whether we moms are hitting the road for vacation, or just shuttling the kids back and forth to camp every day, we've always got a list of essentials in our handbags that we can't live without. It's part of our summer ritual: switch the black leather bag to a bright...
What you should know about the thousands of missing, abused and exploited immigrant children in the USA, and what you can do about it.
Last night, I attended the Friday night sabbath services before my niece's Bat Mitzvah. As the Rabbi asked us to quietly send a prayer or good wishes to anyone hurting or in pain right now, all I could think of was the incredibly difficult ACLU report about the...
The best of the Amazon Prime Day deals: We’ll be updating all day
It's here! It's Amazon Prime Day, a shopping extravaganza for Prime members that starts today, July 16 at 3 p.m. EST/12 p.m. PST and runs a full 36 hours this year. And, lest you think it's all just a lot of hoopla over crap you don't want, we hope our list of the...
8 extraordinarily cool hotels to visit with kids before they grow up. Wow…mind blown.
It's time for my family to start thinking outside the box when it comes to my family vacations. We've been taking the same-old trips for years, and I think I've officially ridden Splash Mountain for the last time. Now I'm ready for some adventure and experiences my...
Our favorite indie kids’ designer has a new line that’s just…wow.
Both Kristen and I have girls who literally grew up in Courtney Courtney dresses. Courtney Chu's hugely popular designs (as in, people avidly refreshing her web shop to pounce on new releases the second they're announced) are all spectacularly crafted, comfy, and 100%...
7 cool kids’ rash guards with UPF so you don’t have to worry about missing a spot
Let's talk about rash guards with UPF -- that's Ultraviolet Protection Factor, or the clothing version of SPF. As a new mom, I'd assumed that every rash guard came with sun protection built-in, but it turns out some fabrics deliver more than others. And some don't...
Barack Obama’s summer reading list: 6 choices in advance of Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday
This week, we're coming up on the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's birth. As he prepares to head to Kenya and South Africa, in part to honor the occasion, Barack Obama shared a recommended reading list on his Facebook page, and it's just wonderful. Hey, if you're...
ClassBundl saves you time and money on all your back-to-school-shopping. Whoo! | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from ClassBundl If you've ever spent too much time, energy and money trying to gather up every item on that detailed list of your kids' annual school supplies, meet ClassBundl. This service offers completely personalized, pre-built school...
What is Malala Day? A primer for families, and some ideas for honoring her work.
We are all fans of Malala Yousafzai (isn't everyone?), so I was so thrilled to learn about Malala Day, which is today, July 12th. The day celebrates and honors Malala's tireless work in ensuring education for girls all over the world, especially in areas where it's...
Forget Waldo, try finding your own kid in these cool custom seek-and-find books!
I can get lost (er, I mean , my kids can) in a good seek-and-find book. One that's not so hard it's frustrating, but not too easy that you have the whole thing solved in ten minutes. So, when I saw that Wonderbly, one of our favorite indie publishers, just released...
Thanks, Mr. Rogers: A brilliant parenting trick I learned from “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
Last weekend, my husband and I enjoyed a respite from the heat at our local movie theater and took a little trip down memory lane with Won't You Be My Neighbor? This wonderful film highlighting the work and legacy of Fred Rogers is a must-see, whether you grew up...
Stitch Fix Kids is finally here, and parents rejoice!
Okay, Stitch Fix fans -- if you're a parent of a kid 2-14, the answer to your bargain clothing prayers is here with today's launch of Stitch Fix Kids. CMP is an rstyle affiliate As with the original Stitch Fix service, you can now get a monthly box of 8-12 handpicked...
A new middle-grade book to keep your kids reading all summer | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from KidsBuzz. Want to know how to keep your kids excited about reading all summer long? Give them a book they just can't put down, like the brand new, sure-to-be bestseller, Willa of the Wood, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author...
7 new beach reads from women of color that you won’t be able to put down.
This year, I've rounded up 7 amazing beach reads from women of color that I think make the perfect escape. Because as parents, we know that our lying-by-the-pool time is sorely limited, and it's important to choose something we'll love. We also think it's important to...
The best designer summer handbags on sale at Nordstrom right now. Hurry! We’re talking 60% off.
My grandmother always told me, Get a cheap dress but splurge on your bag and shoes.That's what people notice. Good advice, Mimi. But I've been scanning the sales lately, and you might not even need to splurge on that nice designer handbag. Some of these designer...
8 stylish beach and pool coverups for moms who aren’t just strutting around in teeny bikinis this summer.
So, let's talk beach and pool coverups. Specifically cool ones. I don't necessarily want to look like I'm wearing my grandma's hand-me-down muumuu, but I do want to be comfortable while I chase after my kids and, well, covered up. I mean, come on -- we're moms. We're...
Throw pillows that unfold to become awesome play sets for kids: So great!
Plastic behemoths have pretty much overtaken my home since having a toddler, which means I'm always on the hunt for compact toys. Bonus: They're soft. And attractive. My latest find? These awesome new Pillow Playsets from Sago, which you can preorder on Kickstarter...
The most stylish summer totes under $50 right now, for the beach and beyond
Along with cool sunnies, a good beach read and sunscreen with a high SPF, the perfect summer tote is an important summer essential. It needs to be big enough to hold everything you (and your kids) will need for a day out, be durable enough to handle some sand and sea,...
The best of the J Crew kids summer sale: Hurry for 30-50% off!
We love a good sale -- especially at a store with clothing as amazing as J Crew, where I know their kids clothes last me through multiple kids. Shop the non-sale items right now, use code ALLSTAR, and BOOM -- 30% off. But what's best is you can save up to 50% on some...
These 9 summer DIY projects for teens could keep them from saying “I’m bored” all summer. Miracles can happen!
I’m sure there’s a drinking game parents play during the summer, where they take a shot every time they hear their teen say, “I’m bored.” (Don’t play this game, though, you’ll end up in the ER.) To help remedy your desperate plight, we’ve rounded up a few DIY projects...
10 alternative ways to celebrate the 4th of July, if you’re not feeling like waving a flag this year.
This year, a lot of readers and Facebook fans and even some of our own team have mentioned that they feel different about July 4th this year. They're not alone. Just yesterday, Gallup released a poll stating that fewer people feel proud to be an American this year....
The best way to lengthen lashes, without false eyelashes or extensions.
It's so weird -- you get on the other side of 40 (or so) and BAM. Where did my lashes go? So while I haven't yet taken the plunge into eyelash extensions like Kristen has, I have found something with nearly the same lengthening effect: Magnifibres. Its been called...
Let’s hear it for the girls with these new Marvel Vans
One of my favorite stops when I'm out of town is the Vans store, which seems kind of silly since I have one in my own town, but well, we all have our quirks, right! And while I'd seen the Marvel Vans online and thought they were cool (of course), I didn't realize that...