All the ways kids are using tech to make their holiday gift wishlists: 11 ideas

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks, Best Apps, Kids, Websites We Love

I’m absolutely fascinated by the way my own kids and step kids use tech to make ongoing gift wish lists — the iOS Notes app has become the method of choice for them and so far, that’s working pretty well for us. Then I saw Jessica Bradley...

The best Black Friday tips to save you money online: Read this before you buy a thing!

by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Picks, Tips and Tricks

For over a decade now (whoa) we’ve been sharing the best Black Friday tips to help you find the best deals with the least hassle. Now that Black Friday has turned into “Black Friday through Cyber Monday,” which turned into an entire month of Black...

The best apps for road trips with kids: Map apps, entertainment apps, even restroom finder apps!

by Caroline Siegrist | Best Apps

I’m grateful for this list of the best apps for road trips with kids, because it turns out, I’m not allowed to put my kids in a hilarious sidecar by themselves during long drives. So I’ve been prepping my phone and the kids’ iPad for the long...

Is my kid ready for a cell phone? 7 essential questions to ask yourself first

by Liz Gumbinner | Social Media, Tips and Tricks

We love when parents ask us “how do I know if my kid is ready for a cell phone?” It means you’re conscientious, caring, and involved — and of course, want to make sure that you’re raising a kid to make good choices, and not who...

A very smart AirPods trick I learned from a very smart tween.

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

We’ve said this many times here that some of our best iPhone tricks come from the digital natives in our lives, which is exactly where I got this simple, but very smart AirPods trick. You may be thinking “Are there really AirPods tricks?” and well, I...

If your kids are gamers, here are 8 tips for raising kids to have good gaming etiquette

by Kate Etue | Games + Gaming, Tips and Tricks

My teenage son and his friends are avid online gamers, so I recently broached the topic of good gaming etiquette for kids and teens with them. “What?” they asked, “You mean like when people tell you to go kill yourself when you mess up?” Ouch. I knew this kind of...

How to get rid of that unread email count badge on iPhone. Because we have enough stress these days!

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks

I know I’m not the only one who wants to get rid of the unread email count badge on my phone that taunts me loudly in BRIGHT. RED. NUMBERS. Every so often, a friend on social media gleefully (like a Mr. Burns kind of gleeful if you ask me) will prompt friends...

Is the new iOS 15 Focus Mode feature helpful for parents? I tried it to find out.

by Caroline Siegrist | Tips and Tricks, Best Apps

Lately I’ve heard some mixed opinions about the Focus feature on the latest iOS 15. If you haven’t updated your iPhone yet, Focus mode is similar to the Sleep mode introduced with iOS 14 with even more detail and  more ways to customize your notifications...

44 cool things you can do with the Amazon Echo: From productive time-savers to just plain fun.

by Cool Mom Team | Tips and Tricks, Life and Home

There are so many things you can do with an Amazon Echo, something I quickly learned after getting an Amazon Echo Dot for Christmas a few years ago .(It’s no Echo Studio, but still…) I admit I was a little skeptical at first. What’s all the buzz...

What my teen daughter had to say about THAT article about Instagram and body image

by Liz Gumbinner | Social Media, Internet Safety, Kids

We’re all talking about “that” Wall Street Journal article about Instagram: Facebook Knows It’s Toxic for Teen Girls. You’re probably talking about it. Or your kids are. I know it’s all we’ve been seeing in our social feeds...