Thinking : Parent Archives

I’m a lifelong Tennessee white woman. And we have to talk about the Confederate flag and other symbols of hate.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Thinking : Parent

Let’s talk about the Confederate Flag, y’all. It’s time. As I write these thoughts, I’m sitting at the exact location where Confederate soldiers met the “Federal Front Line” of the Union Army during the Battle of Franklin in the...

A homeschool mom’s tips on homeschooling your kids during school closures. You can do this!

by Kate Etue | Thinking : Parent, Tips + Tricks

So, school’s been cancelled for the indefinite future and you’re about to become a homeschooling parent, maybe for the first time. Now that you’re stuck at home with the kids for the next two, four…ten weeks, what in the world are you going to...

The shirt you need for every girl you know

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good, Kid Fashion, Thinking : Parent

When my friend Dara sent me the link to the Electable kids’ shirts, dresses and baby rompers at our friends from Free to Be Kids, I was like YES YES YES. Seconds later, I was holding back tears. The fact that we even need to remind people that yes, women are...

Outstanding videos and resources to teach our kids about the Holocaust on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

by Liz Gumbinner | Thinking : Parent, Tips + Tricks

Today marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Memorial Day. It’s particularly poignant this year, with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp. The sad truth is, the older we all get, the more the survivors and...

Our kids are sharing memes about WWIII. Here’s how to talk to kids about the fear of war.

by Liz Gumbinner | Thinking : Parent, Tips + Tricks

In light of this week’s rapid increase in tension between the US, Iran, and Iraq, my social feeds are packed with parents sharing similar sentiments as Asha Dornfest did on Twitter: My children and their friends are sharing WW3 memes to cope with their fear and...

Happy whatever you celebrate. Because we need more happiness in the world.

by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Picks, Thinking : Parent

There have been years that I received kind Christmas cards from family and friends that blessed me and my Atheist-slash-Secular Jewish family, wishing Our Heavenly Father’s blessings upon us. They expressed hope that we have found peace with The Lord Jesus Christ....

8 thoughtful tips if you’re hosting kids with special needs for the holidays

by Kate Etue | Thinking : Parent, Tips + Tricks

Nothing gets me emotional quite like the Folger’s coffee holiday commercial, with the sentimental mother-son reunion at 5:30 AM over a cup of coffee. (I’m not joking, I cry every time.) But that’s not quite most people’s reality when we travel...

Yes, real Christmas trees are better for the environment than artificial trees. Here are the facts.

by Liz Gumbinner | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Thinking : Parent, Tips + Tricks

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of well-meaning posts from people around my social networks, with comments like, “well I want to protect the environment….that’s why we’re getting a fake Christmas tree this year.” Suddenly I was like crap,...

What is Indigenous People’s Day? Great resources for talking to your kids, because Native American history is American history.

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Kids, Doing Good, Thinking : Parent

Today is the day that’s been traditionally celebrated as “Columbus Day” in the U.S., but knowing now what we know about Christopher Columbus, the holiday is fast transforming into Indigenous People’s Day for many. If you’re wondering what...

Mattel launches the first gender-neutral dolls for kids and everything about this is beautiful.

by Liz Gumbinner | Thinking : Parent, Toys + Playthings

When I read the news last night that Mattel is launching Creatable World, the first gender neutral doll and accessories to put kids in charge of their own play experience I teared up. In part because of the tag line, “All Welcome.” In part because I know...

There are so many great reading lists for kids: This one from the Florida DOE is not one of them.

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Kids, Thinking : Parent

Yesterday, one of my favorite contemporary authors, Angie Thomas, sent out a tweet that’s stuck with me all night and into this morning. It was a response to the Florida DOE Commissioner, Edward Corcoran, who launched a recommended reading list of...

Remembering Toni Morrison: Here’s her complete list of novels. Pick one up today.

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Adults, Thinking : Parent

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...

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).