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…
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 surv…
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 critica…
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 …
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 m…
It's official: Kamala Harris is Joe Biden's pick for Democratic VP candidate and (speaking for all of us here, honestly), we couldn't be more excited about this historic choice. While many of our kids are already fans of hers, a lot of c…
As I look for ways to help Beirut after the horrific explosion this week, I'm grateful to Fadia Berberi, ( @karzel ), a mom in the suburbs of Beirut who I've known through Instagram for a while. She DM'd me to explain, What happened here…
Some of us have older teens who are really excited to vote this year. But because each state manages their own voting policies, it can be confusing as to how, when, and where to register to vote. We all know that if you're 18 on or befor…
I'm trying to do a better job of raising anti-racist kids , and I believe that starts with learning more about the history of the Black experience in America. An essential part of that education is the understanding of Juneteenth , a hol…
Let's talk about the Confederate Flag, y'all. It's time. As I write these thoughts, I'm sitting at the exact location where Confederate soldiers met the "Federal Front Line" of the Union Army during the Battle of Franklin in the Civil Wa…
We have spent more time listening than talking this difficult weekend. But I woke up this morning knowing I want to make it perfectly 100% clear where Kristen and I stand: Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter. This …
When my friend Dara sent me the link to the Electable kids' shirts , dresses and baby rompers at our friends from Free to Be Kids , I was like YES YES YES. Seconds later, I was holding back tears. The fact that we even need to remind peo…
When we first started this site in 2006, eco-friendly was one of our most popular tags. Parents were concerned about where their products were made , what ingredients were in them, and how they impacted the planet. Then the recession hit…
This go round, we're going to change things up a bit in the Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club , because I'm going to be talking about two selections that I know are relevant to so many parents these days. In light of the recent Climate St…
As an adoptive parent, the recent ICE raids have left me more than a little uneasy. Across almost all the adoption boards I'm on, in any social media channel , I'm seeing parents ask what documents they need to ensure their child's adopt…
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 hap…
On a personal level, this week has been really rough for me. The news is just filled with horrific racism, bigotry, and xenophobia directed towards elected American Congresswomen of color . And too many leaders, including those who shoul…
With July 4th coming, up, this is a time my family often discusses what it means to be American, how we can make the country better, safer, and more equitable for other Americans, and what we can do to help live up to our nation's promis…
If you're shopping for some flag-adorned July 4 wear for the kids, and the standard stars-and-stripes stuff in the big stores isn't jumping off the shelf at you, here's a totally different way to go, and I love it:: The América la Estupe…
Friends, I hardly know where to start. But I knew I couldn't write a single other thing today, until I addressed the crisis at the border and our government's abject cruelty toward babies and children. (Feel free to live with those words…
If you've been hearing about Sudan, or seeing friends turning social media avatars blue, but aren't sure what it's all about, allow us to help. No guilt, no shame, if this is new to you. There's so much going on in the world right now th…
This year, Pride Month is a particularly big deal. It's the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots , which is a sobering reminder how far the world has come in terms of LGBTQ acceptance and inclusion. But at the same time, rights of LGB…
Artist Dano Wall is blowing up the internet with his 3-D printed Harriet Tubman $20 bill stamp . It's designed to fit perfectly where her portrait was slated to replace Andrew Jackson's portrait in 2020 , as decided in part by popular vo…
In light of the inhumane, outrageous, regressive, and entirely cruel Alabama anti-abortion law signed yesterday, Kristen and I knew we couldn't be silent today. Let's be perfectly clear: Making abortion illegal does not eliminate abortio…