On acting, activism, and taking action: A conversation with Alysia Reiner
Considering we’re pretty passionate about activism and binge watching, it’s probably no surprise that we’re a big fan of Alysia Reiner, known best for her role as Natalie “Fig” Figueroa in Orange is the New Black, a show that might have...
Adopt a letter to Santa and make a child’s holiday wish come true
Every year, the USPS gets tons of letters to Santa from children from all over the country, many of whom come from low-income families where the holidays present quite a hardship. Well, this year, the USPS is helping to make these kids’ wishes come true with...
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...
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,...
What is Indigenous People’s Day? Great resources for talking to your kids, because Native American history is American history.
Today is the day that’s been traditionally celebrated as “Columbus Day” in the U.S., but knowing now what we know about Christopher Columbus, the holiday is fast transforming into Indigenous People’s Day for many. If you’re wondering what...
New LEGO Replay lets you donate your used bricks to kids in need. And it’s so easy!
I think you’re going to be as excited about LEGO Replay as I am. Because if your kids are like mine, they’ve accumulated a whoooole lot of LEGO bricks over the years. And there comes a point where maybe they don’t need them. Or at least all of them....
The new UNO Braille deck lets sighted and visually impaired families play together
Seems like Mattel is having a heck of a month in terms of innovation in inclusivity. Because they’ve just announced the release of UNO Braille, an UNO deck developed in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind that’s going to allow more...
This inspirational heroine poster supports classrooms in more way than one.
We all fell in love with artist Karen Hallion’s “She Series” empowered heroines poster last year, which featured some of our favorite fictional badass ladies (plus Eliza Hamilton). This week, she announced a brand new limited-edition poster in the...
What to say to a grieving parent, and what to never say: Tips from moms who have been there.
Did you know July is National Bereaved Parents Month? Truly, it’s an awful kind of a thing to have to recognize, but I’m so glad for it. For parents who have gone through this horrible tragedy, a dedicated time that more people can recognize their pain and...
Set up a lemonade stand this weekend, help support kids in crisis at the border
Kids are born with big hearts. They are full of kindness and compassion. They want to do something when they see awful things in the world, especially impacting other children. I know my own kids have been distraught following what’s happening to children...
So we don’t normally get excited about toothbrushes, but…
Is some new toothbrush a thing to get all pumped about? Generally…no. I mean I am a recent devotee of Quip and Quip Kids after reading Kristen’s raving reviews, but now I’ve found a low-tech toothbrush that gets me just as excited about dental...Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!
We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.
Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)
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