politics + activism Archives

Parenting lessons from the first debate: Teaching kids how to have a productive discussion, without bullying or name-calling.

My kids’ eyes flew wide open when they stepped into the living room last night and caught some of the fiasco (or you know, Dana Bash’s more colorful term) that passed for a presidential debate. This morning, our team discussed that while we’re...

What you can and CAN’T wear to the polls: Don’t get turned away on Election Day!

by Kate Etue | Tips + Tricks

I’m in several politically-minded Facebook groups, and lately, the women there have been asking what everyone is planning to wear to the polls this year so we can identify each other. Some said they’ll be in all blue, others will be wearing their RBG...

Get (temporarily) inked to vote.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good

Political activism is something we talk about all the time here because, as Kristen so aptly said in a fantastic thread on our Instagram, “Parenting is politics is values is life.” We have been and will be doing everything we can this year to make sure...

How to help fulfill Justice Ginsburg’s last wish: 3 simple action steps to help voters

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good

“My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in a statement to her granddaughter before she died, this past Friday. I have been so saddened and yeah, troubled and angry since...

Our favorite Patagonia fall jackets for the family let you shop your values. At least if your values include standing up for the planet.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Fashion, Kid Fashion

You may have seen the news this week about the new labels in Patagonia shorts. Just four words appear on the underside of the labels: Vote the a**holes out. This isn’t just cheeky resistance; Patagonia is a company that’s always stood up for the...

A study about the ignorance of teens + young adults around the Holocaust + anti-Semitism is disturbing. Here’s what we can do as parents.

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

This morning I woke up to the study that’s making the rounds on Twitter: Nearly 2/3 of US young adults are unaware that 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust — some get the numbers wrong, some didn’t know at all. Dig deeper into the survey results...

7 favorite pieces of political jewelry that support voting rights organizations

by Christina Refford | Doing Good, Fashion

If the continued interest over Michelle Obama’s lovely “Vote” necklace from last month’s speech at the Democratic National Convention was any indication, many of us are also eager to promote our voting rights loud and proud, this critically...

Election Fact Check: Absentee ballots and voting by mail | Spawned ep 215

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good, Podcast

Whether you’re pinned to election coverage right now, or avoiding it as much as possible, we think every American should listen to this interview with Amber McReynolds, former Director of Elections for Denver, and now the CEO of the bipartisan National Vote at...

Michelle Obama’s VOTE necklace: Found it, want it.

by Liz Gumbinner | Fashion

Like everyone I know, I was absolutely captivated and moved by Michelle Obama’s DNC speech last night. (Please, watch if you haven’t already.) It’s what I woke up thinking about this morning and I know I will keep thinking about it. And while it was...

The best presidential election resources for kids: Reader Q&A

by Liz Gumbinner | Entertainment + Media, Kids

Q: I’m looking for good resources for talking to my 11- and 12-year-olds about the presidential election, like candidate platforms that are kid-friendly reads. – Monica, via our Spawned Podcast Community. A: Well, this certainly sent me down an enjoyable rabbit...

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.

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