More coolness from recent weeks…
Cool Mom Picks Book Club Selection 7: The Yes Brain, by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
We are thrilled to announce the seventh selection in our Cool Mom Picks Book Club, The Yes Brain, by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. (From our affiliate Amazon or find it at your local book store.) If the title doesn't say enough about the book, their subtitle...
We tried making Amazon returns at Kohl’s (yes, Kohl’s) and here’s how it works.
Returning items purchased from Amazon has never been all that hard, so when I heard you can now make Amazon returns at Kohl's I was kind of thinking, Why? But then I realized, getting to the post office or repackaging a return if you don't have supplies on hand can be...
How to keep a subtle summer glow, without the rays.
I'm less of a lie-out-in-the-sun gal, and more of a how-can-I-look-like-I-like-out-in-the-sun? gal. I haven't really used a bronzer for years, but I found a blush-bronzer combo from NARS (man I love NARS) that's been making me happy for quite a few seasons now. The...
What to say to a grieving parent, and what to never say: Tips from moms who have been there.
Did you know July is National Bereaved Parents Month? Truly, it's an awful kind of a thing to have to recognize, but I'm so glad for it. For parents who have gone through this horrible tragedy, a dedicated time that more people can recognize their pain and loss -- and...
Birthdays with older kids: Isn’t it great when they don’t want a party? | Spawned ep. 165
With the launch of our brand new Ultimate Birthday Gift Guide (you've already browsed around, right? Right? Right?) we've got birthdays on the brain! And we realized that wow, lots of things change with birthday celebrations once your kids get a little older. Pro:...
Set up a lemonade stand this weekend, help support kids in crisis at the border
Kids are born with big hearts. They are full of kindness and compassion. They want to do something when they see awful things in the world, especially impacting other children. I know my own kids have been distraught following what's happening to children separated...
Take a look at the brand new It’s a Small World baby collection. (And sorry for the earworm.)
Even if the song can drive me a little nuts, I've always loved It's a Small World. Disney artist Mary Blair created such iconic concept artwork for the attraction, it still makes my retro-modern heart go all a-flutter. And if I were having babies again today, I'd be...
So we don’t normally get excited about toothbrushes, but…
Is some new toothbrush a thing to get all pumped about? Generally...no. I mean I am a recent devotee of Quip and Quip Kids after reading Kristen's raving reviews, but now I've found a low-tech toothbrush that gets me just as excited about dental hygiene. MamaP...
The best 2019-20 school year planners for every type of parent | Back to School Guide 2019
If you're going to plan for back to school, it makes sense to look for the best 2019-20 school year planner to help you...plan. So next up in our 2019 Back to School Shopping Guide, we've put together our favorites, no matter what kind of planning you need to do and...
How to stop fighting with your kids and create more peace at home | Spawned ep. 164
Could you use a little more calm around the house? Fewer fights? Lower blood pressure? (Mostly yours?) On this week's episode of the Spawned Parenting Podcast, we're going to help you reduce conflict in your family -- also known as screaming and yelling -- thanks to...
27 very cool backpacks for grade school this year | Back to School Guide 2019
We've already shared our favorite backpacks for preschool and kindergarten, so next up in our 2019 Back to School Shopping Guide, we're moving onto cool backpack for grade school! There are so many...honestly we had to stop ourselves from picking even more. We're so...
#SpeaktoStrangers Challenge: 30 days to a kinder world.
When I woke up this morning, I caught this thread on Twitter from Asha Rangappa and was instantly taken. Her premise: Spending just a moment engaging with a stranger in a kind way can create ripples that make the world, quite literally, a better, more enjoyable place....
10 hot wardrobe staples to grab now from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
I feel like the annual Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has come around at just the right time. While it may be still be sweltering out, there's something about browsing fall's hot trends that gets us pumped for sweater weather. (And uh, lower A/C bills.) Here are 10 of my...
This amazing DIY rocket craft is perfect for kids now obsessed with the moon landing.
If your kids got as excited as ours did following all of the cool space-themed events this weekend, you can check out our roundup of our favorite space themed toys and kids’ gifts to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. But if you're trying to...
25 beautifully illustrated free printable summer coloring pages for kids. We found them!
It's been a while since we put together some of our favorite free printable summer coloring pages for our kids. With the weather fairly unbearable around the country right now, seemed like a good time to find some new printable coloring pages with summer themes -- but...
11 favorite school supply organization hacks and tips | Back to School Guide 2019
While we're talking fun school supplies, we have to discuss a few smart school supply organization hacks, tips and tricks Because while we love sharing the coolest backpacks of 2019 and other gear throughout our Back to School Shopping Guide, what do we do with all...
Presenting our NEW Ultimate Birthday Gift Guide: The coolest gifts of the year for kids of all ages
We are so excited to announce our brand new Ultimate Birthday Gift Guide! Whoo! For years we've been combing the web, talking to kids and parents, and carefully curating the very coolest birthday gifts for kids each year by age. Well now it's back, with a major...
7 fantastic new summer books by women authors to add to your beach tote, stat
Summer is one of the rare times each year that I have time to read for pleasure, and this year I am taking full advantage with these new books, all by women authors. It's such a diverse group of writers, offering diverse perspectives and themes, and wow, I really...
How to get teens into therapy? This online platform puts it right on their phones.
As someone who was trained as a creative arts therapist, and has been in therapy myself for many years, I fully understand the value of counseling. Particularly during those extremely difficult teen years. I also know how challenging it can be to get a teen into...
3 different ways to make DIY balloon arches for your next party. Make your entrance!
Lately I've been seeing a lot of gorgeous DIY balloon arches in my Instagram feed that have me inspired to figure out how to try my own. And after sleuthing around for tips from my favorite craft bloggers, I've discovered that it's actually totally doable. Even for...
How to Break Up with Your Phone: Cool Mom Picks Book Club Selection 6
We've been having so much fun with the Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club so far, and it's been amazing getting so much feedback from all of you, what you're learning, and how some of the ideas we're sharing are impacting the way you look at parenting, too. So we're...