What parents need to know about YouTube’s new parental controls for tweens and teens
Parents of tweens and teens, we’ve got good news! YouTube is launching new parental controls specifically for kids in this age group. What a relief to those of us who see the value in letting them watch some of the content on YouTube…but who are exhausted...
6 smart ways to use tech to help your teen get better sleep at night. They need it!
Has anyone else’s teens struggled with interrupted sleep since the pandemic? My kids’ slower social lives and reduction in extracurricular activities certainly plays a part, but turning to tech to connect with friends is making an impact too. The American...
13 creative ways for teens to connect with friends virtually right now
Let’s take a minute to applaud our teens who’ve been willing to quarantine this year. It’s been brutal to lose so many activities they love, and they’ve handled it with flexibility and (mostly) good attitudes! While we’d hoped we’d...
10 of the smartest and most interesting math apps for upper elementary and middle school kids
Whether your upper elementary or middle school student will be attending school full-time in person or will be in 100% virtual classes at home (or a mix of the two), I know that many of us are dreading one specific moment: that first time they ask for help with their...
Online learning this fall? Check out these 5 cool blue light glasses brands for kids
With school going online this fall, we’re starting a whole new phase of parent-sanctioned screen time at my house, which is why I’ve been on the hunt for blue light glasses for kids. The jury’s still out concerning exactly how much these glasses...
How to stop fighting with the kids about screen time: Tips that work | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 6
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
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
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...
How do we teach our kids to make good commenting choices? | Episode 2 Out-Tech Your Kids
“Don’t read the comments” isn’t going to fly when your kids are old enough to watch YouTube videos without you around, let alone managing their own TikTok accounts. But learning how to be a responsible commenter is a skill that comes in handy...NEW: The podcast that helps you be a savvier digital parent in under 15 minutes a week
Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz
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.
The Spawned Podcast. (It’s won awards and everything!)
“Are you guys okay with Facebook Messenger for your kids to stay in touch with friends?”
Parents have questions, we have answers
Work with us!
