Around the House - Cool Mom Picks

How to raise addiction-resistant children: Jessica Lahey | Spawned Ep 233

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Adults, Podcast

For years, Jessica Lahey has been one of our favorite parenting columnists and authors. So we were honored she joined us to offer her wise advice on talking with our kids about drug use, abuse, and addiction, all of which you can find in her essential new book, The...

Can you really be a feminist dad? Jordan Shapiro on fatherhood, masculinity, and gender roles in parenting. | Spawned 232

by Cool Mom Staff | Books for Adults, Podcast

While we love all of our Spawned guests, there are some interviews that truly reshape our views on parenting. That’s just how we feel about this chat with global education expert Jordan Shapiro. He changed our views on kids and technology thanks to his...

8 stylish planters that totally zhuzh up your living space indoors

by Kate Etue | Art + Decor

If you had’n’t noticed, houseplants are having a real moment right now. I’m cracking up over friends who are naming their plants and calling themselves “plant parents.” It’s a serious obsession and considering the year we’ve...

“Just embrace the Janet Jackson rule” and other tips for supporting women in the workplace.| Spawned Episode 231

by Cool Mom Staff | Books for Adults, Podcast

What is the “Janet Jackson rule” exactly? Let’s just say it could really help you succeed in your career (and has nothing to do with wardrobe malfunctions that were entirely the fault of a guy but that’s another story). If you’re a...

Create to Stop Hate: The online auction 100% supporting the work of Stop AAPI Hate.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Living

We have all been just devastated by the increase in hate crimes against the AAPI community. Even if you’ve avoided the horrific videos, from Atlanta to San Francisco to NYC, surely by now you’ve seen the #StopAsianHate social media posts and hashtags. In...

“Back in the Burbs” is self-care in the form of laughter

by Cool Mom Staff | Books for Adults

The world is a little overwhelming these days (understatement of the year, right?) and sometimes we just need to kick back, chill out, and as a wise songwriter once sang, forget about life for a while. Oh, and laugh. More laughing please! PLEASE. One way to do all of...

How to decorate with tea lights: creating ambience, not a shrine

by Liz Gumbinner | Art + Decor, Kitchen + Dining, Tips + Tricks

We’ve hit spring. So yay! But, that also means we’ve all been inside for a long time now. A year of quarantine has taught me this, at least: it’s time to update my home decor. A new rug or dining set may not be in my budget, but do you know what is?...

9 smart, beautiful flower alternatives for Mother’s Day that will last a whole lot longer than a bouquet.

by Marsha Takeda-Morrison | Living, Mother's Day Gifts

Mother’s Day will be coming up before you know it, and while we love getting fresh cut bouquets of flowers, there are other options! Consider these flower bouquet alternatives for Mother’s Day that will last way past the big day. Yes, it may seem a little early,...

We’re supporting these amazing indie stationery shops right now that need us. Can you join us?

by Christina Refford | Cards + Stationery

This global pandemic has impacted so many small businesses we have loved for years, from indie bookstores to local restaurants. And, now, one of our favorite letterpress cards and gifts shop, Sapling Press has raised the alarm that they — along with about 250...

You can pry this heated, weighted blanket from my not-at-all-cold, dead hands

by Liz Gumbinner | Living

February is hard for me in a zillion ways. Low light, cold temperatures, the biological imperative to eat all the Oreos. (Didn’t Darwin mention Oreos somewhere in his writing? I could swear I remember that from 7th grade biology.) Oh, and then there’s this...

The Bernie Mittens meme, now coming to a coffee mug near you. (For charity.)

by Liz Gumbinner | Living

I think so many of us just needed to laugh this week. So it’s no surprise that the Bernie Sanders meme that’s taken the internet by storm this week is just good fun. Not cynical, not snarky, not political. Just… funny. I guess 2021 will be different...

If you’ve ever said “this is not America” in response to racism, you need to read Caste.

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Adults, Thinking : Parent

If you’ve been paying attention for the past four years — and in particular the past week — there’s been a lot of dissection of phrases uttered by horrified, primarily white people in response to bigotry and racist violence. Phrases like This...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

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.)

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).

We still love what we do every single day. And we're so glad you're here.