Our own best tips, secrets, and tricks to save you money on your holiday shopping | Spawned 179
We love sharing tips for saving money when it comes to holiday shopping. Maybe because we love saving money ourselves? So this week on the Spawned Parenting Podcast with Kristen and Liz we are hooking you up, big time. We’re rerunning a favorite show that...
How writing thank you letters could totally change your life
You can probably hear your mom’s voice right now. “Did you write a thank-you note, dear?” I can’t be the only one whose mom was a stickler about thank-you notes. Well, as I learned from our recent Spawned podcast guest, author Nancy Davis Kho,...
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...
Big family tips for families of any size | Spawned Episode 176
With eight kids between us, Liz and I have come to learn tips, systems, and organizational advice over the years that’s help make life a little easier for us. So on this episode of our Spawned Parenting Podcast, we’re sharing them with the hopes that...
How to be a tech-positive parent (and why you want to be one) | Spawned Episode 175
When we started Cool Mom Tech almost 10 years ago, there wasn’t a lot of language around digital parenting. But considering we tend to be the non-alarmist type of parents, we approached parenting our own digital-native kids like other difficult parenting topics: with...
Holiday craziness and stress: Let’s sloooooow things down a little, please? | Spawned ep 174
If you feel like the holiday season came sooner this year — along with the holiday ads, the holiday sales, the Mariah Carey videos, and the holiday pressure, it’s not in your head. There are lots of reasons we’re feeling it more this year, and social...
11 new cookbooks parents should pick up now, from Suzy Chase of Cookery by the book
Cookbooks aren’t just about recipes — they open us up to new perspectives, new cultures, new ways of thinking about food. They can be funny, quirky or heartfelt., and they can even make our lives richer — both at mealtime and beyond. Whether...
How can we prioritize what we love when we’re so damn busy? | Spawned Ep 172
Back in January, we spoke with Jake Knapp about making time for the things we love. In other words, prioritizing.(Way better word than “balance,” don’t you think?) Jake offered outstanding tips for making sure your days and weeks and years are spent...
Should we be banning kids from restaurants? Spawned Episode 171
Just last week we read an article that said Japan Airlines would soon to be letting their customers know where children would be sitting on the plane. So what’s next? Kid sections in restaurants? With Kristen’s husband and Liz’s ex in the restaurant...
Can we please stop freaking out about kids and social media? : How to raise responsible digital kids | Spawned Ep 170
After seeing so many discussions in our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook community filled with parents who seem panicked — or at least very concerned — about kids and texting and social media, we thought it would be helpful to devote this week’s episode...
You are a f*cking awesome mom with author Leslie Bruce
Here’s an obvious statement: motherhood is hard. It’s so hard, in fact, that it can often feel like you’re not doing a great job. It’s actually why I started my blog Motherhood Uncensored, and why author Leslie Bruce wrote her newest book, You...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 still love what we do every single day. And we're so glad you're here.
Our Podcast. (It’s won awards and everything!)
Back to School Shopping Guide
Managing the Stress of the World: A Therapist’s Tips for Parents
5 New Dinner Ideas Each Week
Halloween Ideas! (For kids and kids at heart)
Tech Tips for Parents
The Best Birthday Gifts By Age
Best Baby Gifts of 2021
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