I can't even walk into a sprawling, mega-selection toy store without breaking into a sweat. Oh sure, they may carry some of the brands I love, or even have an organic stuffed toy tucked into a corner, but I have to weed through so many t…
I'm not going to bore you with facts and figures about childhood obesity in America, because we've all heard it before. What I will tell you is that there is little my kids enjoy more than receiving their own mail, and in particular, mag…
Oh Lordie do I wish I could be one of those moms who whips up their kid's Halloween costume every year. But no, I end up going to some Party store and buying an overpriced polyester get-up. Whether or not you can sew I think this adorabl…
I have all sorts of tricks for when I worry too much, because I do worry -- too much and too often. Worrying happens to be a family trait. Unfortunately, that means I have a pint-sized worrier in my own house, and he can't self-medicate …
Every month, each of the CMP contributors pick our favorite pick of the month and write a quick blurb on it for our monthly newsletter . Out of dozens of amazing posts in September, four of us nearly had a cage match over who got to sque…
One of the frequent questions we get from readers is about finding girl shoes that are sturdy, well-built, stylish and not pink . Not that there's anything wrong with pink, of course. But there's more to life--and girls' footwear--than b…
I want to give a hand to WeeKnit on Etsy: they've brought together the coolest collection of finger puppets I've ever seen. Where else can you find a vampire, a mummy, Frankenstein, a pirate, and a ninja in one place? And would that not …
The list of things my 3-year-old daughter doesn't love is a lot shorter than the list of things she does. But if there's one thing she digs more than anything else right now, it's dolls. Specifically, dolls to whom she can assign the per…
Plastic. Polyester. Licensed characters. Slobbered-on ribbon. The sound of a toilet flushing with one press of a button, that becomes four million presses of a button--those soft baby books that pile up after the baby shower have always …
I love this time of year. Now that it's not grossly hot, I feel inspired to do fun activities with my kids outdoors . But in a few months when the temperature dips? Yup, it's a long winter and there are only so many times you can walk ar…
I realize that school is now in full swing, but if you have yet to find the perfect lunch box, or if your house is the mysterious Bermuda Triangle of lunch bags like mine, you can't have too many reusable lunch bags . Particularly if the…
Though I have a six-year-old son, I have somehow avoided those plastic transforming toys that are supposed to go from a car or a truck to a robot, though I can never get them to look like either one. But avoid a block of wood that transf…
I am crazy about multitasking, and that includes at kid bedtime; when we read a book together, my child and I reconnect, plus I get to lie down, plus I get to work a little Mom Psychology 101. All that is made a little more golden when w…
Here at CMP, we love the thrill of bringing you something new and exciting-- from gummi bear chandeliers to faux fur blackboards and the practical, super-cool stuff in between. And we really, really love it when one of our picks starts o…
I've found you spend the first few years of your baby's life building up a wardrobe you can love. You start to know which brands fit, which hold up in the wash , and just when you do...bam. Your kid is too big and you have to start over.…
I don't get to take a bath in my Jacuzzi tub very often, mainly because it's full of tiny little teacups and saucers and one random pink pig who, I'm told, likes hot chocolate and cake. My kids have pretty much taken over the tub that ma…
We know that "Jeggings" are pretty much the fashion word for fall, and while we will probably be making fun of ourselves in ten years for it, we're kind of in love with them right now. Especially on kids. My own girls have a couple of pa…
I still crack up when people find a blog post of mine about sleep and babies, and ask me for advice. Me? Me who still, five years later, can't get my kids into a normal bedtime routine? Me, who still has to sleep with a three year-old's …
Everybody goes gaga for a squishy new baby. Not only do they look like Winston Churchill and smell like heaven, but you can dress them up the cutest little thumb-sized shoes without the scuffing and "Oops, we left it at the playground" i…
Well after months of work, we can finally let you know the big news that's been keeping us all busy lately: The official launch of Cool Mom Tech ! Whoo! Don't worry, you don't have to be a so-called techie to feel at home over there. You…
I've had a rash of friends and family having babies lately (welcome to the world little Drew Micah!) so I've had baby gifts on the brain quite a bit. I tend to get something off the registry for the shower, plus a little something-someth…
My kids are all puzzle fans, as evidenced by the thousands of cardboard and wooden pieces strewn about my floor at any given time of the day. But we've yet to see anything like the new multiple solution shape puzzles from one of our fave…
As of today, I officially have two children in school. (Sniff!) So we did some serious back to school shopping a few days ago and learned there was much awesomeness to be had at Old Navy . It's a lucky coincidence that this week the shop…
In a house full of girls, my son is used to playing with pink ponies and pretty castles. Really, I'm all for it. But it is nice to find pretend play toys that are a little more gender neutral too. The eco-friendly castle tower from Imagi…