The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care, by Rina Raphael | Spawned Ep 283
I will never think of yoga, supplements, activated charcoal or bath salts the same again. Today Show producer turned health/wellness journalist, Rina Raphael, joined me to talk about her absolutely fascinating, fairly funny, and very smart new book The Gospel of...
How to raise media-savvy kids and help them BS-proof their brains: Dr. Seema Yasmin | Spawned Ep 282
According to Dr. Seema Yasmin, we’re living through a misinformationdemic. I’ve always thought that media literacy should be a mandatory subject for kids, but it’s never been more evident than today — so I’m incredibly grateful for...
The world needs funny women! A chat with award-winning humorist Wendi Aarons | Spawned Ep 280
Let’s be honest, the world sucks a whole lot these days. So I thought this would be a good week for a light, fun episode of Spawned just to take your mind off the world — something my guest Wendi Aarons happens to be very good at. Which is why I invited...
Helping kids foster positive relationships and learn effective communication, with Catherine Newman | Spawned Episode 277
After two years in a pandemic, I’m sure I’m not the only one with kids who are struggling with various aspects of their social lives. From fostering positive relationships with friends and school peers, to learning effective communication in the many...
Get all shook up with Kristen’s debut novel, A Thousand Miles to Graceland
To say that I’m thrilled to share that my debut novel, A Thousand Miles to Graceland, is now available for pre-order and hitting stands in January 2023 is an understatement. I’ve been working on this story of fun, heartfelt mother-daughter road trip from...
Another free download we wish we didn’t need: A Kids Book About School Shootings
The fact that a book called A Kids Book About School Shootings even exists should tell you exactly how big a problem this has become in the years since the horrific Columbine school shooting over 20 years ago. As we shared in today’s post How to talk to your...
8 wonderful Mother’s Day gift book ideas to celebrate all she is, and all she loves.
This year, I’ve been on the hunt for Mother’s Day gift books, because even the mom who has everything can always use an inspiring, uplifting, sentimental, or just thoughtful new book. Consider that a Mother’s Day gift book can be for any mom who...
A Kids Book About War: A free download that we wish didn’t have to be written
We’ve been posting a lot of resources about how to talk to our kids about the war in Ukraine as well as a list of wonderful children’s books about anxiety and worry. We wish we didn’t have to, but that’s the world we are living in right now, and we...
Why our parenting stories matter, with author Zibby Owens | Spawned Episode 270
Liz and I have a special place in our hearts for storytelling, because that’s how we first met online almost 17 years ago. That can’t be right, can it? We connected through our personal blogs—Mom 101 and Motherhood Uncensored—and the rest is Cool Mom Picks...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.
Holiday Gift Guide!
The Ultimate Guide to Gifts for Kids!
Thanksgiving Recipes + Last-Minute Cooking Help
Thanksgiving Crafts + Ideas
Our Podcast. (It’s won awards and everything!)
Best Baby Gifts of the Year
Tech Tips for Parents
Support for Ukraine
