Blog Posts by GALTime.com

by: Great Play

Twenty million kids will register for youth sports this year, many of them for the first time. Numerous studies show the benefits of participating in regular physical activity as a child, and organized sports can be a fun way to fit in the recommended 60 minutes a day.

In addition, sports participation can teach children about teamwork and allow them to form bonds that will last for years to come. With spring just around the corner, it may be time to consider signing your child up for a league.

Keith and Jyl Camhi, owners of Great Play, a franchised kids' gym that helps build confidence and competence in sports and motor skills, have some thoughts for parents to keep in mind as they navigate the world of youth sports for the first time:

Make sure they're ready: There is no single "right" age to start organized sports. Some children are physically and mentally ready to enjoy sports as young as age 4 while others won't be ready for several more years. You

Read More »from How to Navigate the World of Youth Sports

By: Barbara Greenberg, PhD, GalTime.com Parenting Expert

Punishment

As Lloyd Demause, editor and publisher of the Journal of Psychohistory, writes in his book "The History of Childhood,"...

"the further back in history one goes, the more likely children are to be abandoned and harmed."

The corollary would seem to be that in modern times and nations we should see more advanced and loving methods of child rearing. Sadly, this isn't always so.

Related: Kids and Discipline: What You Do and Say Matters

Take a look at recent headlines and you'll find one father in Miami, Florida who apparently still believes in the power of shame. This particular father was very disappointed by his 7th grade son's grades and found, what he thought, was a creative way to approach the problem.

He thought that he'd use "peer pressure" to rectify it. The father had his son stand at the corner of a busy Miami intersection wearing a poster that mocked his grades and invited drivers to

Read More »from Shame on You, Dad!

By Author and Parenting Expert Emily Liebert for GalTime

These treasures will make your traveling smoother wherever you go! Having recently returned from a week-long family vacation, I have to say I feel betrayed. Why is it that none of my mommy friends warned me that traveling internationally with two kids under 2-1/2 is a bad idea? That is, if you actually want to relax.

My husband and I not-so-fondly refer to this particular trip as "Hugo Took on Turks and Caicos." Hugo is our 19-month-old and, let's just say, he's not a particularly adaptable child. He does not appreciate being displaced from the comfortable cocoon that is his home. Nor does he delight in three-plus-hour plane rides.

In light of this predicament, which we survived (just barely), I got to thinking about some of the great products out there designed specifically for the purpose of making parents' lives easier while on the move. Whether you're road tripping or journeying overseas, here's a handful of travel treasures that caught my eye and, above all, appealed to my

Read More »from Type a Mommy: Travel Treasures

By DIY Diva Malia Martine Karlinsky, GalTime.com

'Magical' Vases What's magic about this St. Pat's Day project? With just 3 items (one of them free), you can transform jars destined for recycling into something lovely for your home.

Supplies: Glass Jars (make sure they have a "smooth" side-- no writing), Puffy Paint and Green Spray Paint. Some glass jar suggestions: ball/mason jars, jam, peanut butter and baby food jars.

Wash, clean and dry jars. If you are having a hard time removing the label from the jar, try squirting some baby oil on it. "Draw" a simple design or word with Puffy Paint. A shamrock is easy to make -- just draw 3 connecting hearts. Create a four leaf clover by drawing 4 connecting hearts.

Related: St. Patrick's Day Treat: Leprechaun Crunch

Other fun "St. Pat's" words to add to a vase... Luck or Lucky.

Let them dry. The Puffy Paint bottle recommends 4 hours, but that's meant for fabric. I let them dry overnight.

Spray paint the bottles in a

Read More »from St. Pat's Magic Vases

By Dating Diva Jennifer Oikle, Ph.D. for GalTime.com

These signs could lead to a great time in the sack...So you've got a new beau and you're trying to decide if you should take your budding bond to the next level... in the bedroom. Sure, he's hot and the scenes playing out in your head make you want to high tail it to your place. But is this guy really sex-mate material?

Great sex, at least the kind you want to have more than once with the same person, isn't just about having skills. That kind of hotness between the sheets grows cold fast. Really memorable partners are all about tuning into your needs and being willing to please in all the right places.

Thankfully, there are some signs that your new love interest is worthy of becoming your next lover. Let's see if your new hunk looks promising for the role.

Related: Is it OK to 'Fake It'?

5 Signs He'll be Good in Bed

Sign 1: He's a Gentleman

In love and sex, it's the small things that matter. Does he open doors for you, pull out your chair, call to

Read More »from 5 Signs He'll Be Good in Bed

By Kerri Winick, GalTime.com

Eternal Sunshine: My sister's fave shade!For me, L'Oreal Paris is a drugstore brand that just "gets it." From EverCreme hair creations, to Youth Code anti-aging potions, to Voluminous mascaras, you can find the brand's products scattered all over my bathroom. (My husband even uses my Youth Code Foaming Gel Cleanser…shhh!)

Recently, I was sent samples of L'Oreal's latest and greatest Spring launches. Here are a few that instantly entered my beauty product rotation:

INFALLIBLE 24 HOUR EYESHADOW ($7.95): "Long-lasting" seems to be a cosmetic catch phrase right now. 12 hour! 18 hour! Each new product promises to outlast the next.

Infallible 24 Hour Eyeshadow is a range of 12 highly pigmented colors that promises to last for a whopping…you guessed it…24 hours! Colors range from your basic browns and golds to bolder greens and purples.

I knew when I read its "crease resistant" and "fade resistant" claims that I had to pass it along to my 21 year old sister, Jamie. As a 30 year-old

Read More »from The Beauty Gal Review: L'Oreal's Spring Launches

By Tara Weng, GalTime.com

Spring Allergies

With experts predicting one of the worst allergy seasons in ten years, allergy sufferers better be on high alert.

Allergists say there are things you can do to avoid the sneezing, itchy, watery eyes and scratchy throats though before they hit.

"People with spring allergies often don't realize how many things can aggravate their allergy symptoms, so they just muddle along and hope for an early end to the season," said Dr. Myron Zitt, former American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) president. "But there's no reason to suffer. A few simple adjustments in habits and treatment can make springtime much more enjoyable."

Some of the tips experts suggest include keeping your car and house windows closed so that pollen can't drift inside from the outdoors. Pollen tends to be worst early in the morning. Your health care provider can also recommend a variety of medications to help keep your symptoms under control.

Doctors also

Read More »from Experts Predict "Worst Allergy Season" in 10 Years!

By Colleen Donnelly, GalTime.com

De-cluttering your kitchen isn't as painful as you may think..Tired of your pantries being a mess? Here are some great, expert tips to help de-clutter your cabinets.

Plan Ahead…

One of the most common organizational mistakes is not making a plan before buying products. Korinne Kubena Belock, owner of Urban Simplicity , a professional organizing company based in New York City, recommends tackling the problem of cabinet clutter by planning.

Before moving things around, Belock suggests writing out the different types of items, or categories of items in your cabinets on sticky notes. Start assigning a new home to items by moving the sticky notes around as needed. She recommends using the back of a door as a chalkboard, corkboard, or magnetic board to stay on track of grocery items or hang clippings.

Prioritize…

To make easy access for the items you use most often, Sarah Hayon and Stacey Platt, the ladies at DwellWell and the authors of What's a DisOrganized Person To Do?

Read More »from How to De-Clutter Your Kitchen Cabinets