Fall 2024 shoe trends: 12 hot steals under $75 that update your wardrobe for less

by Cool Mom Picks Deals Team | Fashion

If you’re wondering what the fall 2024 shoe trends are, IMHO we’re in luck! Chelsea boots are back, chunky heels that won’t make you wobble, kitten heels that are feminine but not too tall, edgy moto boots, classic loafers, variations on mary janes....

Lunch bags and totes for teens who have outgrown lunch boxes | Back to School Shopping

by Cool Mom Team | Back to School Shopping, Kids

The first trick in finding a cool lunch bag for teens that they’ll actually use is to make sure they have a say. So sit down with them and peruse our picks, created with the help of our own teens. As our own kids have gotten older, we know they prefer lunch bags...

Fresh Olympic-inspired neon sneakers (with lots on sale) | Back to School Shopping

by Cool Mom Team | Back to School Shopping, Fashion, Kid Style

Neon sneakers are huge this year, and wow are there a lot of great ones! If you’re looking for cool neon sneakers for back to school, and you’ve followed the excitement of the Team USA world-record-setting wins at the Paris Olympics, you know you’re...

Can a high GPA make up for a low SAT score? And do “test-optional” schools really mean it? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions

by Cool Mom Team | Kids

Next up in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions series, we’re answering questions about the SATs and ACTs, like their relative importance, whether they matter more or less than your GPA, and whether “test-optional” schools really are. ...

Kids, social media, and mental health: Devorah Heitner on what we’re getting wrong and how to fix it

by Liz Gumbinner | Spawned Podcast

This episode is a must-listen for all parents of kids who have smartphones, especially if you’re worried about the impact of social media on mental health. And isn’t that all of us, these days? Dr. Devorah Heitner a renowned author and expert on kids and...

Should you apply Early Decision to a college? Pros and cons? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions

by Cool Mom Team | Kids

Next up in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions series, we’re answering that tough question about Early Decision (ED) applications. What are the pros and cons? Does it really give you an edge? Is there anyone who shouldn’t apply ED? Here to...

We found 10 stylish, athletic two-piece swimsuits for teens who aren’t feeling the teeny bikinis

by Kate Etue | Fashion

While some of our daughters are rocking the teeny bikini that are back this summer, others are more interested in athletic two-piece swimsuits that let them be as active in the pool or on the beach as they’d like. As it turns out, it’s a little harder to...

The Original Makeup Erasers: Okay fine, I love them. Here’s why.

by Liz Gumbinner | Beauty + Cosmetics

Truly, I always imagined The Original Makeup Erasers were just washcloths with a gimmick and now I realize that 1) I was wrong and 2) I am hooked! Since I figure I can’t be the last person to try them after being bombarded by ads and reviews, so I wanted to...

Answering teens’ (brutally honest!) questions about college admissions | An Insider Guide to College Admissions

by Liz Gumbinner | Spawned Podcast

For our final podcast in our Insider Guide to the College Application Process, I thought we’d do things a little differently.  This week, we gathered questions that teens themselves gave us about college admissions and applications — and I’m joined...

The best summer camp care package ideas for tweens and teens: A comprehensive list from a mom who’s been sending them for 10 years

by Liz Gumbinner | Kids, Tips + Tricks

There is a certain joy in putting together summer camp care packages for my tweens and teens each year. It’s not just loading them up with stuff so I can make sure they remember me (ha), it’s that a summer camp care package can provide them with some...