Daily Question: Which Breakfast Club Character Were You in High School

by Cool Mom Team | Daily Question

Welcome to our next daily reader question, where cool moms get to share their opinions and ideas with other cool moms. (Dads welcome too.) After our first daily question about the best 80s teen movies ever (click over for the results!) it turns out you all have a...

Social media, sexuality and school shootings: Tips for 10 hard talks every parent will have with their kids

by Kate Etue | Tips + Tricks, Doing Good

I’ve entered the parenting stage that involves a lot more talking about the important issues in my kids’ lives — and in the world around them. Which is why we’re sharing these tips for hard talks to have with your kids. There’s something...

17 Gen Z gifts that give back to the incredible causes they care about | Holiday Gift Guide

by Christina Refford | Doing Good, Holiday Gift Guide

For this year’s holiday gift guide, we really wanted to share some creative, irreverent, sassy and smart Gen Z gifts that give back to causes that our teens and young adults care about. We have Gen Z kids ourselves, and we know first hand how passionate they can...

7 outstanding high school or college graduation gift books: On stepping into the arena, dreaming with eyes wide open, and professional troublemaking (in the best possible way)

by Jeannine Harvey | Books for Kids, Books for Adults, Gift Guides, Gifts for Grads

I’ve always been a fan of graduation gift books. When my daughter graduated from high school five years ago, the headmaster gifted each graduating senior a book with a personal message inside —  Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan...

10 super cute summer backpacks that help you say buh-bye to a long winter

by Liz Gumbinner | Fashion

Oh hi, it’s me, your handbag-obsessed friend in NYC, now looking for cute backpacks for summer. As I virtually window shop my way across the internet I’m seeing lots of cute, colorful backpacks that are on trend for 2021 and my “add to cart”...

What we can do to support our teens through a school year like no other. | Spawned ep 216

by Cool Mom Team | Spawned Podcast

After reading author and psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour’s NY Times article, The 2020 Back to School List for Teens’ Emotional Well-Being we just knew we had to talk to her about it. Her premise: kids need some emotional “supplies” that have...

20 fun, educational board games that totally count as homeschool time: Math, science, geography and more

by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings

If you don’t think of family board games as an educational opportunity to supplement your kids’ learning, well put away the Cards Against Humanity (ha) and check out these suggestions! To be clear, as a homeschooling mom, I’m a big fan of actual...

This brilliant mask self-portrait art project is one every teacher needs to assign before school starts.

by Kate Etue | DIY

This back to school season will be different from any we’ve seen, because no one knows what the heck fall will look like regarding COVID. Let alone next week. What we do know however, is that kids will be (and should be!) wearing masks in public, whether...

Should you think about homeschooling this fall due to COVID-19? Spawned Episode 209

by Cool Mom Team | Spawned Podcast

Over the last couple of weeks, many schools have been releasing their plans for fall, and not surprisingly, it’s all the parents in our social media feed are talking about. We recently featured a post about things to consider if you’re thinking about...

8 things to think about if you’re considering homeschool because of COVID-19 this fall, from a homeschool mom

by Kate Etue | Tips + Tricks

With school districts all over the country releasing their preliminary plans for school this fall, I’m hearing so many parents trying to determine whether or not their kids are going back full-time. The requirement between states and districts varies greatly,...