London with teens: 12 things to see and do with your older kids
This summer, I spent 4 glorious days in London with my teens (and tweens). I was so excited to share one of my favorite cities with my kids. But traveling as an adult to London is way different than bringing kids, which is why I did a ton of research and a whole lot...
15 things to pack for your next trip to Disney World that make the difference between enjoyment and survival.
My family recently returned from our fourth trip to Disney World (thanks to a very generous grandmother), and I’ve finally figured out those BTDT pro-tips for a successful Disney vacation. For me, it starts with packing the right items. And, knowing what to...
What to do in San Diego with Teens: Tips for a cool getaway
Teens can be picky, and I don’t have the easiest teenagers myself. So on a recent long weekend getaway in San Diego, I planned out our days carefully with them in mind and hooray, it worked! Planning is the key to a good family vacation with teens. Especially when you...
These expert tips could help save you money on your next vacation | Spawned Ep 163
With summer travel season in full swing, it’s the perfect time to hit the road, or, if you’re working ahead, get your holiday travel all planned and booked. There are definitely tricks that can help you save money, from booking your flights on specific...
Paris with teens: 8 of our favorite off-the-beaten-path attractions and activities
Our family of four with two teenagers recently returned from a five-day trip to Paris. While we did hit most of the major attractions — the Louvre, Notre Dame, Versailles, and of course the Eiffel Tower — we also found some fun, less touristy places to...
The National Parks Junior Ranger Program is a brilliant and easy way to get kids excited about your next family vacation
If you’re planning a family trip to one of our amazing national parks this summer, I want to recommend that you schedule some time to let your kids take part in the National Parks Junior Ranger program. This is a wonderful educational program that helps kids...
Tips for travel with tweens and teens: More fun, fewer eyerolls | Spawned ep 152
We are big advocates of travel with tweens and teens as you know. And now that we have older kids of our own — and have a new travel contributor focusing on teen travel — we thought we’d cover some great tips for parents who travel with older kids,...
The 20 most affordable travel destinations for families right now. Pack your bags!
As you may know, one of our top tips for affordable family travel, especially on an extended trip, is to rent an apartment or home instead of forking out big bucks for a hotel — let alone renting two hotel rooms, if you’ve got a bigger family. Linda even...
The 2019 Tony Awards are announced: Here’s which new Broadway shows to see with your older kids and teens
I often feel the resident New York City local mom whose inbox and DMs are filled with requests for “what Broadway show should I take my kids to?” And I don’t mind a bit. With two kids obsessed with musical theater, all of us lucky enough to live a...
How does Disney’s Disability Access Service card (DAS) work? This mom lays it out for you.
I recently described my 10 tips for a Disney vacation with a special needs child, to help you ensure that the trip is as magical for all of you. But I wanted to give more details about the totally free Disability Access Service (DAS) card for those of you looking into...
10 tips for a Disney World vacation with kids with special needs. It can be magical!
Disney World is supposed to be the happiest place on earth, but as I was preparing for our family’s recent trip, I admit I was dreading parts of it. It would be the first trip for our youngest daughter, who has cognitive special needs, and I had no idea how we...Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!
We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, easier, more organized, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.
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We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).
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Atomic Habits by James Clear :Oct 1
No More Mean Girls, by Katie Hurley
The Yes Brain, by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
How to Break Up with Your Phone, by Christine Price
The New Childhood, by Jordan Shapiro
How to Be a Happier Parent by KJ Dell'Antonia
Raising Empowered Daughters by Mike Adamick
Radical Kindness by Angela Santomero
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