tips and tricks Archives

Our favorite self-care apps to help you develop a self-care plan. Because winter is coming.

by Caroline Siegrist | Fitness + Health, Lifestyle Apps

Let’s talk about self-care apps! While I took a no-holds-bar approach at the very beginning of quarantine (It’s the end of the world! Why not scroll all day?), I’m realizing that might not be the most sustainable solution for a pandemic that shows no...

The best tutorials to help you customize your iOS 14 home screen

by Caroline Siegrist | Fun Apps, Tips and Tricks

If you haven’t heard by now, the customization features on the new iOS home screen are alllll kinds of extra (i.e. you can turn your home screen into a Harry Potter tribute, Microsoft Paint throw-back, or neon color study). It’s pretty insane. And intense....

Here’s what you need to know about Twitch Watch Parties (Think Netflix Party, but… on Twitch)

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

Just last week, Twitch launched Watch Parties, a feature that allows Twitch creators to watch Prime Video TV shows and movies with their communities. Whether you’ve got a kid on Twitch, or maybe you’re looking for a way to watch your Amazon faves with...

Smart tech tips to help with online learning | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 11

by Cool Mom Staff | Out-Tech Your Kids podcast

For most of us, our kids will be engaging in some form of online learning this fall. So, we decided to poll our Out-Tech Your Kids Facebook Group members and get their favorite tech tips to help make the whole process a little easier. We hope they help you as much as...

What’s the best laptop for my kids? | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 9

by Cool Mom Staff | Back to School Tech, Out-Tech Your Kids podcast

On this week’s episode of Out Tech Your Kids, we’re answering the question we’re getting from SO many parents right now: How do I pick the right laptop for my child this year? Chromebook? MacBook? Something else? What kind of functionality do the...

Scam Shield gets rid of scams and unwanted robocalls, finally | Sponsored Message

by Cool Mom Staff | Helpful Services

This is a sponsored message for T-Mobile If you’re feeling like you’ve been inundated with more scams and unwanted robocalls these days, you’re not alone. Coronavirus scams actually increased 70% from just May to June, and Americans have lost over...

How can I take better smartphone photos? 5 tips you might not know! Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 7

by Cool Mom Staff | Out-Tech Your Kids podcast

If you’re taking lots of smartphone photos like we are these days, we’ve got some clever tips and tricks that will totally up your game (and your Insta-cred with your kids). Whether you’ve got an iPhone or an Android, we think you’ll appreciate...

How to stop fighting with the kids about screen time: Tips that work | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 6

by Cool Mom Staff | Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, Tips and Tricks

Okay, so plenty of us gave up on the same screen time limits we had pre-Covid. But that’s not to say we don’t still have screen time fights with the kids. Or uh…arguments? Debates? Gentle disagreements? If you’re looking to cut back on the...

5 ways smart kids circumvent parental controls | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 5

by Cool Mom Staff | Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, Tips and Tricks

Kids are pretty darn smart, but we can be smarter, parents! On this week’s Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, we’re talking about the ways kids can circumvent parental controls so you can be prepared, thanks to the members of our Out-Tech Your Kids Facebook group...

5 benefits of kids and social media. Yes, benefits! | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 4

by Liz Gumbinner | Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, Social Media, Tips and Tricks

We’ve always said that all screen time is not created equal! And on this week’s Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, we’re talking about the benefits of social media for kids. Social media tends to get a bad rap — let alone specific channels like TikTok...

NEW: The podcast that helps you be a savvier digital parent in under 15 minutes a week

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Tech in 2010 to help make our increasingly digital lives easier, more organized, more meaningful, and more fun, however old your kids may be.

We love that it's grown to become the go-to source for millions of parents who want commonsense info about tech delivered with a smile.

We even have the privilege of sharing our tips + tricks with The TODAY Show, CNN, HLN, GMA, Nightline, newspapers and magazines around the country, and our favorite -- regular parents who stop us at PTA meetings and ask us how old kids need to be to get a smartphone, and whether they really need to panic about Snapchat.

(Answer: It's complicated.)

We're so glad you're here! And we hope we can help you too.