The Disney Channel’s first gay character makes me shout yay for Andi Mack! | Thinking Parent
Last season, my family discovered the Disney Channel show Andi Mack and we were instantly hooked. This series for tweens and young teens pulled us in with its smart writing, well-developed characters, and diverse cast. But after the recent Season 2 premiere, I love...
Trump’s proposed tax bill will keep parents from adopting. That sucks for everyone.
As an adoptive mom, I’m committed to fighting against Trump’s new tax bill that, among other things, eliminates the essential adoption tax credit for families. Here’s why. Adoption is expensive. Like, crazy expensive. While it’s 100% worth it...
In defense of parents: A response to the child-free haters of the world.
If you ask me, anonymous avatars on the internet don’t need more license to shame parents and our children. But alas, a recent Lifehacker article by Patrick Allan explicitly asked non-parents to name their grievances against those people who deigned to bear...
A dedicated Boy Scout troop leader on why allowing girls into the organization won’t ruin life as we know it. | Thinking: Parent
Boy Scouts of America made a huge announcement yesterday: starting next year, girls will be able to enroll in their Cub Scouting program, and by 2019 be qualified to earn the coveted Eagle Scout rank. And of course, there is much debate, outrage, celebration, and...
The Roots create a Schoolhouse Rock-ish video about slavery. Here’s why every parent should watch. | Thinking Parent
Last week’s episode of Blackish focused on Columbus Day and why some Americans still celebrate or honor a man who really was no hero. The entire episode was powerful — and brilliantly funny, as the show always is — but it was I Am A Slave from The...
School librarian politely declines some Dr Seuss books from Melania Trump, Internet goes insane. | Thinking: Parent
Earlier this week, I was introduced to the story of Cambridge, MA librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro, who graciously and thoughtfully declined to accept a box of Dr. Seuss books sent to her by Melania Trump as they were to a number of other high-achieving schools. I admit my...
Should your kids be playing tackle football? 6 things that happened when this mom said no. | Thinking Parent
Crisp mornings and fall weekends mean one thing here in the South: football. After school we see the kids out on the field practicing, and neighbors are making plans to tailgate. And while my husband played football through middle and high school (and even declined...
On having a 9/11 birthday
I still meet expectant moms from time to time who share, with trepidation, that their due date is somewhere around today and they’d prefer any other delivery date at all. So I tell them I understand. I tell them it’s my birthday. And then I tell them what my dad said...
In defense of class moms: Would it be so hard to, you know, just say thanks once in awhile?
We are always so grateful to those class moms (and dads, of course — let’s get more of you!) who volunteer their valuable free time to do what’s often a thankless job. So with school in full swing for most of us, or just getting ready to kick off...
4 times (so far) journalists have been the lifesaving heroes of the Hurricane Harvey flooding.
When tragedy strikes, we always try to follow Mr. Roger’s timeless advice to look for the helpers. And as Hurricane Harvey continues to batter Houston, we’ve all been so moved by the efforts of the National Guard, volunteers, emergency services crews, and...
6 times celebrity moms clapped back at mommy shamers, and we all said hell yeah! | Thinking: Parent
I’ve only been a mom for five months, but it’s long enough to know that mommy shaming is a very real thing. Whether it’s the sidelong stare from a stranger while you breastfeed in public or the loaded question, Oh, your baby doesn’t eat 1000%...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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