As the overwhelmingly huge rescue and recovery efforts are underway in southern Türkiye and northern Syria after the devastating 7.8 earthquake , so many of us want to find ways to help the 15 million people in need of humanitarian assis…
This article was originally written in 2020 about the increase in tension between the US, Iran and Iraq. It was updated in 2021, with the riots in DC and violent insurrection at the US Capitol -- and now, February 2022 as we watch the in…
I realized recently that I've been inspired by a lot of fabulous over-40 influencers who are helping me feel more confident about aging . While I'm still in my 30s, I'm realizing that forty is just over the horizon -- and approaching fas…
It means nothing. Absolutely nothing in 2021. &$#*# April Fool's Day! I mean, can't we just have one day when we are not terrified about something -- real or otherwise? So my April Fool's Day proposal is we just get rid of it. And that's…
This morning, as we wake up on our first Monday with President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris heading to the White House, I'm passing the mic. Although yes, of course, we had some things to say as well . I'm shari…
By now, we should not need to be "arguing" the need for mask-wearing in public . The science out there is abundant! But when it comes to my own kids (who get a little more leeway than obstinate adults), I have found that providing a soli…
Even those of us who are seasoned homeschoolers are feeling a little frazzled about how to fill our kids' long, uninterrupted days at home right now. But I've loved the way our artist community has come out to support our kids and famili…
My son turned 10 this month, and I have to admit, it was a bit of a bummer birthday. He had a great attitude and enjoyed some chocolate cake, but with the current quarantine and social distancing guidelines, his party was cancelled and h…
I know a lot of parents have jumped right into homeschooling their kids (or, schooling-from-home might be more accurate) so that they won't get too far behind in their studies. But with news that Virginia has canceled school for the rest…
We've honored Black History Month in various ways here over the years, and in particular, we've shared lots of children's and YA books -- even the tough ones -- that help us teach our kids, and inspire important conversations at home. Bu…
I'm excited to bring back our old school (or skool?) web coolness, and share some of the articles I've been reading this past week. Consider this all stuff I'd share on my own personal Facebook and Twitter feeds . And if you're already f…
We write a lot about the importance of raising good digital citizens . The way we see it, the internet isn't going away, and the older your kids get, the harder it is to start teaching them good behavior. So we start young, so that as ki…
I've seen so many clever Halloween costumes this year, it's hard to keep up! There are always the year's super popular costumes -- the astronauts, the princesses, the superheroes and a lot of VSCO girls. (Including me, ha. Hey, it was wh…
I'm particularly thrilled to reveal the next selection in the Cool Mom Picks Virtual Book Club , because it's been a book that's been on my own must-read list too. For selection 8, I've chosen No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising St…
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 enoug…
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, …
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 …
With the announcement of the inspired casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel in the upcoming Little Mermaid live action reboot , certain people in certain corners of the internet lost their GD minds. I alternated between bemusement and more uh…
We are so excited about the fourth selection in in our Cool Mom Picks Book Club because it's a topic every parent can use help with, no matter how old our kids. We're talking about how to be a happier parent! And the book that's going to…
It's become a cliché that everyone today wants a trophy. Not true at all. Some of us are perfectly happy with a first-place ribbon. And so you have to check out the very funny award ribbons at Frankie and Claude, honoring all kinds of ev…
We are thrilled to announce the second selection in our Low-Commitment Cool Mom Picks Book Club with a topic that's near and dear to me: Radical Kindness: The Life-Changing Power of Giving and Receiving , from best-selling author, childr…
We're so excited to be kicking off our Cool Mom Picks Book Club with our very first title: Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls , the newest book from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Damour. (Ava…
For years, we have wanted to host some kind of parenting book club for our readers -- an opportunity for us to chat about some of the hot topics and best titles out there that interest parents today, without too much pressure or time. (W…
It's hard out there for an independent publisher. But here we are, like we have been for the past 13 (whoa!) years, putting out out stories, offering tips, and uncovering cool finds that we really hope our readers enjoy -- all while maki…