10 books to help kids and teens cope with anxiety during Covid 19. Because it may be getting harder, not easier.
Anxiety had already been a concern for many of our kids before the Covid pandemic hit, and as we all know, the current situation isn’t helping. All of us are having to navigate an entirely new way of life right now, and it can be particularly hard on kids. Their...
5 creative ways we’ve been using Houseparty to stay connected to our own friends and family during quarantine
With about six weeks into this COVID-19 quarantine, we’re all desperately longing for the connection of faraway friends and family. And while texting, phone calls, even writing letters (yes, remember those?) are a great salve to what we’re all feeling,...
Virgie Tovar talks about body positivity and self love, and why it’s so important right now | Spawned Ep 199
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...
10 ways to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with kids, safely at home.
Readers have asked us for ways to celebrate Earth Day with the kids while we’re all sheltering in place right now and I have to be honest — with all of the days starting to run together while we’re in quarantine, the holiday kind of snuck up on me...
7 special graduation ideas during Covid-19 for your 2020 grad. They deserve it!
Our Facebook groups have been asking for graduation ideas during Covid-19 and quarantine, and as a mom to a rising senior, and a high school grad last year, my heart goes out to all the 2020 grads. While school kids everywhere have had their lives and routines upended...
Here’s how your budding young scientist could win $25,000!
If your kids are like ours, they’ve always got some pretty creative solutions to everything from getting out of eating vegetables to extending their bedtime just a little bit longer. (Why do they need so much water at 8pm?). Well, thanks to our sponsor Discovery...
5 simple laundry tips for families. Because if they can work a smartphone, they can work a washing machine.
We know that it can be a lot easier to just do the laundry yourself. No whining, no complaining. Everyone’s happy! Except, tough love, parents: everyone in your family (especially if you’ve got young adults heading off to college) needs to be able to do their...
What to see and do (and eat!) with teens in Boston…in the winter. Yes, the winter.
Winter in Boston with the family may sound…well, cold. It ‘s true that the sun sets earlier, and you have to bundle up when you go out, because, New England! Even so, Boston an excellent city for a getaway with teens any time, and that includes winter....
Penguin Minis are the coolest, tiniest way to read your favorite YA books.
As a life-long bookworm, I am always looking for ways to get my three teens to put down their phones and read more books. Sound familiar? Then check out the coolest, new-to-me concept in book publishing: Penguin Minis. These novels for teens and tweens are turning the...Father’s Day is Coming!
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 did.
And we still love what we do every single day.
We're so glad you're here.
Our Podcast. (It’s won awards and everything!)
Follow us on Instagram
Covid Support + Quarantine Help for Families
* Our complete Covid-19 and quarantine archives
* Expert tips for talking to your kids. Very reassuring!
* Helping teens who are struggling
* Quarantine birthday party ideas
* Fun ways to celebrate your graduate
* Board games to play over Zoom or Facetime
* Pantry-stocking tips from someone who's trained her whole life for this
* Meal planning tips during quarantine to stretch your budget and your time
* The best ways to clean and disinfect your phones and gadgets
* 10 books to help our kids + teens cope with anxiety
* Safety tips for ordering take-out and delivery
* 15 awesome podcasts to keep kids engaged
* Simple ways to connect with our own moms and grandmas when we're apart
Doing Good: We’re Supporting…
“Who else is giving up on screen time limits right now?”
“I over-ordered sour cream! What can I do with it all?’
Work with us!
