More coolness from recent weeks…
The one scene in Hidden Figures that every parent should be talking about | Thinking: Parent
Hi, nice to meet you. I'm one of the many parents who tries desperately to squeeze in a few last-minute Oscar nominated movie screenings just before the actual ceremony each year so I have at least a moderate shot at the family Oscar pool. You too? At the very top of...
The backpack that might convert even the most anti-backpack people
This hard core tote lover hasn't been so excited about a bag in a very long time, let alone a backpack, but just a few hours into carrying around the new Dakota laptop backpack that our friends at Dagne Dover sent me and I want to tell everyone how great it is. CMP is...
Here’s what happened with I tried Hubble, the company that sends daily wear contacts to your door.
I'm a long-time contact wearer here, especially in those glasses break now and then moments (or when a style moment hits hard). And as much as my optometrist has tried to get me to try daily wear contacts because they're waaaay better for my eyeballs, they dry out by...
4 fabulous DIY Mardi Gras masks for kids to save you a trip to New Orleans
Your kids may not be ready to attend the parades in NOLA just yet, but they can get into the spirit with fabulous, feathery, jeweled-up DIY Mardi Gras masks for kids. So for those of us who'll be eating our King Cake at home, it's a good time to start procuring beads...
Three cool LEGO add-on sets that make your builds even cooler
I'm not so sure my kids could ever get bored of the LEGO sets that are currently blanketing the floor of our playroom, but just in case, I found three cool LEGO add-on sets that will make their builds even more exciting. These sets are for kids who are able to follow...
How to get kids to eat better, even picky eaters. | Spawned Episode 68
If you have kids, then you know all the challenges that come with trying to feed them, especially those picky eaters. Well, on this week's episode of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we've got our amazing Cool Mom Eats editor and cookbook author Stacie Billis, who...
The courageous action figure that helps kids with cancer. Now that’s super!
This fierce, courageous action figure does something pretty amazing: She helps kids fight the toughest battle of their lives. For each Courage Core Power action figure purchased, one is donated to a child affected by cancer who could use a little courage. That's her...
Meet BoyStory, cool boy dolls that kids will love. Parents, too.
If you're excited about the new American Girl boy doll that was just announced, we've found a mom-run company at this year's Toy Fair that's already making boy dolls that are diverse, too. Created by two sisters who wanted their sons to have quality dolls that looked...
A trés cool graphic novel anthology of inspirational women. Let’s hear it for the girls!
My girls and I love graphic novels, especially when they feature strong female role models, which is why I’m so excited about the Femme Magnifique Kickstarter project, fundraising now. This hardcover anthology of comics will feature 30 strong, fierce,...
A complaint and compliment box: How this simple change could make your family life so much happier
I recently finished reading How to Win as a Step-Family (great book for blended families, by the way), and one of the suggestions they made to help family morale was a complaint and compliment box where everyone can air their grievances and share encouraging words in...
11 cool, modern ABC books for kids that parents will love too
I adore almost all children's books, and thank goodness for that since I am a mom of four kids. But there's one genre -- the ABC book -- that makes my eyes glaze over. Hey, you can only read "A is for apple" so many times. Over the years, however, I've found some...
The best Hamilton party ideas: Decor, invitations, treats, and more. WORK!
Hear ye, hear ye! How does a parent of a Hamilton-obsessed kid score major points without spending your child's college fund on Broadway tickets? By throwing a Hamilton-themed birthday party, that's how. While I would love to give my daughter tickets to see the show...
Here’s how you can follow Cool Mom Picks, Cool Mom Tech, Cool Mom Eats. We promise we’ll make it worth your while.
Whichever social media site is your guilty pleasure du jour, we’re there, making sure you don’t miss our favorite posts on parenting, fashion, apps, recipes, deals and discounts, and random awesomeness from around the web. Plus our favorite part: we love hearing from...
11 fun Oscar party ideas that razzle-dazzle in all the right ways
Whether you've seen every film nominated for an Academy Award this year or you're still trying to figure out what this La La Land is that everyone's so gaga about, having friends over for an Oscars party is always a winning idea. An excuse to obsess over all...
Sesame Street honors Black History Month with some of their favorite show clips. Ours, too.
If you've been looking for a good way to celebrate diversity with your very youngest kids during Black History Month (and well, every single month), a great place to start is Sesame Street. Because, of course! Our favorite kids' show has been celebrating diversity...
We can’t wait to read our way through this 100 essential novels scratch-off poster from Pop Chart Lab.
Looking for a good book to read this winter? This classic novels scratch-off poster chart at Pop Chart Lab has your next 100 book recommendations for you, with the most satisfying check-off list ever. This framed art poster has 100 classic novels -- books like Pride...
An easy way to help more kids learn from real news, not fake news.
We're big fans of supporting quality journalism, especially in this age of where fake news is running rampant. Because, facts matter. (Not that this is a big stake in the ground, mamas. I mean, is any normal person really like, "Whoo! Fake news! We need more of it!"...
A simple skincare regimen for busy moms, and 5 things I learned after sticking to it for 10 days
I'm pretty sure I can't be the only mom who barely has enough energy to wash her face at night and slap some moisturizer on, since I'm so darn tired I just want to brush my teeth and hit the sack. Yes, the 30 seconds it would take me always seems like 30 seconds too...
Dr. Harvey Karp answers parents’ biggest sleep questions. Yes! | Spawned ep 68
On this week's episode of the Spawned podcast, we are excited to welcome Dr. Harvey Karp, of Happiest Baby on the Block fame, though he virtually needs no introduction. We're so excited he joined us to answer some of parents most difficult questions about sleep,...
A clever RBG Dissent Pin that supports organizations doing good
I'm a super fan of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She's an incredible, inspiring female role model for my girls and a serious badass too. Plus she can throw shade like nobody's business. So when I found these RBG Dissent Pins honoring the Notorious RBG I...
Where to see all the 2016 Oscar best-picture nominees (especially for parents who have only seen Moana).
Do you know how many of the 2016 Oscars best picture nominees I've seen this year? Zero. Not a single one. Because, kids. But, I have one last chance to see them all before the big awards ceremony. And at a discount too. See, sometimes it pays to procrastinate. Top:...