4 funny novels for summer giving us the comic relief we desperately need right now
I don’t know about you, but I’m either needing to project my primal scream into Iceland or get a really good, belly-aching laugh in with a funny new summer novel. We’re in the final stretch of summer at my house before school starts (whatever that...
The GenX midlife crisis: It’s real, you’re not alone, and it’s not your fault. | Spawned Ep 207
This week on Spawned, I have a fantastic, encouraging conversation with Ada Calhoun, prolific author and writer, who’s always got her finger on the pulse of culture. Her latest book, Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis (from Amazon,...
7 awesome Father’s Day gifts that support indie bookstores | Father’s Day Gifts 2020
Next up in our Father’s Day Gift Guide Pandemic Edition ™ , we’re sharing Father’s Day gifts that support indie bookstores. Because investing in our local brick-and-mortar bookshops now, means they’ll still be around when it’s safe to...
Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Book Club Selection #11
After speaking with Dr. Ken Ginbsburg on our Spawned Parenting Podcast, I went out and bought all his books, one of which I’m thrilled to share is the next pick for our Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club. I found his approach to parenting teens (and well, kids in...
2 great books about raising activist kids: Cool Mom Picks Book Club selection 10
This go round, we’re going to change things up a bit in the Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club, because I’m going to be talking about two selections that I know are relevant to so many parents these days. In light of the recent Climate Strike marches around...
Atomic Habits: Cool Mom Picks Book Club Selection #9
I’m super excited to share the next Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club selection that many awesome people in my life have raved about. And sure, it’s not technically a parenting book, but who cares? If we’re making positive changes in our lives (and...
No More Mean Girls: Cool Mom Picks Book Club Selection #8
I’m particularly thrilled to reveal the next selection in the Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club, because it’s been a book that’s been on my own must-read list too. For selection 8, I’ve chosen No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong,...
Remembering Toni Morrison: Here’s her complete list of novels. Pick one up today.
The passing of Toni Morrison today at the age of 88 is a serious gut punch to me. I think a lot of writers — and readers — are feeling it in a very personal way. I was first introduced to the Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize-winning author by my English Lit...
Cool Mom Picks Book Club Selection 7: The Yes Brain, by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
We are thrilled to announce the seventh selection in our Cool Mom Picks Book Club, The Yes Brain, by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. (From our affiliate Amazon or find it at your local book store.) If the title doesn’t say enough about the book, their...
7 fantastic new summer books by women authors to add to your beach tote, stat
Summer is one of the rare times each year that I have time to read for pleasure, and this year I am taking full advantage with these new books, all by women authors. It’s such a diverse group of writers, offering diverse perspectives and themes, and wow, I...
How to Break Up with Your Phone: Cool Mom Picks Book Club Selection 6
We’ve been having so much fun with the Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club so far, and it’s been amazing getting so much feedback from all of you, what you’re learning, and how some of the ideas we’re sharing are impacting the way you look at...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.)
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 did.
And we still love what we do every single day.
We're so glad you're here.
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Covid Support + Quarantine Help for Families
* Our complete Covid-19 and quarantine archives
* Expert tips for talking to your kids. Very reassuring!
* Helping teens who are struggling
* Quarantine birthday party ideas in the age of social distancing
* Board games to play over Zoom or Facetime
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* The best ways to clean and disinfect your phones and gadgets. Keep doing it!
* 10 books to help our kids + teens cope with anxiety
* Safety tips for ordering take-out and delivery
* Simple ways to connect with our own moms and grandmas when we're apart
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