books for parents Archives

What we get wrong about kids and tech: The interview that blew our minds | Spawned ep 214

by Cool Mom Staff | Books for Adults, Podcast

While we love all of our Spawned guests, there are some interviews that truly reshape our views on parenting. That’s just how we feel about this chat with global education expert Jordan Shapiro, author of the acclaimed international best-seller, The New...

4 funny novels for summer giving us the comic relief we desperately need right now

by Kate Etue | Books for Adults

I don’t know about you, but I’m either needing to project my primal scream into Iceland or get a really good, belly-aching laugh in with a funny new summer novel. We’re in the final stretch of summer at my house before school starts (whatever that...

The GenX midlife crisis: It’s real, you’re not alone, and it’s not your fault. | Spawned Ep 207

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Adults, Podcast

This week on Spawned, I have a fantastic, encouraging conversation with Ada Calhoun, prolific author and writer, who’s always got her finger on the pulse of culture. Her latest book, Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis (from Amazon,...

7 awesome Father’s Day gifts that support indie bookstores | Father’s Day Gifts 2020

by Caroline Siegrist | Books for Adults, Father's Day Gifts, For the Menfolk

Next up in our Father’s Day Gift Guide Pandemic Edition ™ , we’re sharing Father’s Day gifts that support indie bookstores. Because investing in our local brick-and-mortar bookshops now, means they’ll still be around when it’s safe to...

Parenting middle schoolers during a pandemic with author Judith Warner | Spawned Ep 200

by Cool Mom Staff | Podcast

Parenting through a pandemic is no easy feat, as we’re all learning for the first time. But parenting middle schoolers seems extra challenging. But thanks to the insights of our guest Judith Warner, author of several best selling books and the new And Then They...

Virgie Tovar talks about body positivity and self love, and why it’s so important right now | Spawned Ep 199

by Cool Mom Staff | Podcast

If you’re like us, then you’ve probably seen a whole lot of weight-related pandemic memes and posts on social media. Whether it’s the kind of worn out “Gaining the COVID-19” joke to talking about “letting ourselves go,” ours...

Humor, struggles, and clown sex with Tova Leigh | Spawned Ep 198

by Cool Mom Staff | Podcast

Tova Leigh is the exact person we needed to talk to this week. At least if these days, your dream social life would include time with a few friends for some real talk, real laughs, some needed venting, and a random reference to clown sex. No wonder this episode was...

How do you know when it’s time to move? And how do you make it easier when you’re ready? | Spawned 189

by Cool Mom Staff | Podcast

We never thought that a book about moving would be so enjoyable. Just thought thought of moving gives lots of us cold sweats! And yet, Ali Wenzke, who’s been called the Marie Kondo of Moving has authored the extremely helpful, calming, and yes, enjoyable book,...

Peggy Orenstein on Boys and Sex… and hookups and love and masculinity and consent and yes, porn | Spawned 187

by Cool Mom Staff | Podcast

When our sound engineer writes to us and says that this podcast interview with Peggy Orenstein is “easily top 5…maybe top 3” of all our interviews, well that’s saying something. And we agree. Whether you are raising sons or raising daughters,...

How to save your children’s lives from real threats. Like werewolves. And woolly mammoths. | Spawned ep 184

by Cool Mom Staff | Podcast

On this week’s Spawned parenting podcast, we are tackling a VERY SERIOUS SUBJECT. So profoundly serious, it could literally save lives. And it will. Because sure, you’ve covered your light sockets and put the Tide Pods on a high shelf, but do you know...

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).

We did.

And we still love what we do every single day.

We're so glad you're here.