Blog Posts by Redbook

by Daniel A. Miller, REDBOOK

Being a control freak has its perks. But it also has some negative consequences-fear takes over, you worry incessantly and miss out on important opportunities. Ceding control, although scary, can allow you to become more aware of the wonders around you and offer chances to improve your spirit. Here are three effective decontrol tools you can try today.

Related: 4 Fast and Free Ways to Get in a Better Mood

1. Address Your Fears: Fear is the primary catalyst for harmful controlling actions and needs to be quickly addressed. If, for example, your son wasn't invited to a schoolmate's birthday party, don't fret that he will become a social outcast and pressure him to be more sociable. Over managing his life will deprive him of the wisdom that is gained from making mistakes, as well as impede his independence. Instead, address your fears by separating the real facts from the "nightmares" your emotions script. Ask yourself how important is it that he was not

Read More »from 3 Ways to Lose Control and Be Happier

by Gina Way, REDBOOK

1. Make Your Skin Shine: There's nothing more sensual than a little after-hours gleam on your décolletage and legs. A natural oil is the best way to get it, but you don't want to look or feel greasy. Sally Blenkey-Tchassova, owner of Brazil Bronze Glow Bar in New York City, suggests dabbing a bit of oil onto extra-dry spots like elbows and knees, then using a dry washcloth to rub it in and buff it across other areas, like your shoulders and calves. Try Lierac Paris Sensorielle Oil, $34.

Related: 5 Dresses Every Woman Should Own

2. Stain Your Kisser with Kool-Aid: To give bright lipstick extra staying power, Schlip first makes a paste with a little water and Kool-Aid mix (we think the Tropical Punch and Cherry flavors are the most flattering) and paints it on with a Q-tip. It works as a base, but you can also skip lipstick entirely and just wear this carefree, candylike tint alone. But prepare to commit (at least until it wears off): This tasty

Read More »from 8 Sexy Summer Beauty Ideas to Try Now

By Mariel Rittenhouse Goodson, REDBOOK

YOU HEAR: Having sex three days before ovulation boosts your chances of conceiving a girl.

AND THE TRUTH IS: A handful of small studies suggest a link between timed intercourse and gender, but the jury is still out, says Eric Surrey, M.D., medical director of the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine. The theory is that X-chromosome (a.k.a. girl) sperm are larger and more robust, so they can survive longer and wait for the egg to drop. "There is some logic to it, but the evidence is soft," Surrey says. Feel free to give it a shot - but don't paint the nursery pink just yet.

Related: Readers' Best Breast-Feeding Advice

YOU HEAR: Eating a diet high in calcium and magnesium can increase your odds of having a girl.

AND THE TRUTH IS: In a new study by researchers at Gender Consult in the Netherlands, women who ate a diet that was low in potassium and sodium and high in calcium and magnesium and had sex three to four days before ovulation were 81

Read More »from Myth or Fact: Can You Determine Your Baby's Sex with These 3 Methods?

By Jessica Girdwain, REDBOOK

Why does it feel like every insect within 30 miles has you in its crosshairs, while your husband is blissfully unbitten? Some of us attract more pests, says Kansas State University entomologist Raymond Cloyd, Ph.D. "It depends on your unique odors," he says - and how much you breathe and sweat: "Mosquitoes use carbon dioxide and lactic acid in sweat to find us." DEET sprays are your best defense, but when you can't or don't want to use chemicals, these oddball tricks work too.

Related: The Best Tactics to Bedbug-Proof Your House

Put a dryer sheet in each pocket.
Gardeners told Cloyd for years that Bounce kept bugs away, so he tested the theory and found that a dryer sheet repelled up to 36 percent of insects. "Bounce contains linalool, a plant compound that's toxic to bugs," he says. Having a picnic? Light a Yankee Candle Conceal Outdoor Mosquito Candle, which contains linalool.

Blend in.
Bright colors, especially yellow and blue, attract insects. Lucky

Read More »from 4 Secrets to Stopping Bug Bites

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

It used to be that public disciplining of children by anyone and everyone was expected. School teachers, policemen, shop owners, random passersby-I've watched enough Jimmy Stewart movies to know that pretty much anyone was allowed to give a child what-for and the parents would spank first and ask questions later. These days it is exactly the opposite. Today parents are expected to provide 100 percent of the discipline with other adults playing a supporting role by reporting behavior to the parents who then take appropriate action. Whether or not this has been a good shift for society in general and for children specifically is a topic of hot debate with everyone from the moms on the playground to parenting experts.

Related: Stress-Free Summer Getaway Guide

Dr. Ron Zodkevitch, M.D., a child psychiatrist in private practice in Beverly Hills, California, said in an interview with the Today show, "Discipline no longer seems to be a

Read More »from The Great Mom Debate: Do You Discipline Other People's Kids?

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

"Mommy? Remember the time you forgot to come to my preschool concert? I cried and cried. I was so sad you didn't come." Missing my son's preschool concert might be one of the biggest parenting mistakes I've ever made and not just because I missed him squeakily singing "This Little Light of Mine" with hand actions. No, it's because the gaffe convinced him-and all my other kids-that I can't be trusted to remember important things, so now they remind me of this every five minutes. Oh, and did I mention that the missed concert was four years ago? While it's too late for me, you can save yourself from a bad mom-memory (momery?) with a handy new app. In addition to managing your schedule, our favorite parenting apps do everything short of babysitting your kid. Oh wait-there's an app for that, too. Now if only they'd invent one to erase Mom Guilt...

Related: The Best Rainy-Day Activities for Kids

1. Red Rover "Red rover, red rover, can

Read More »from 8 Must-Have Apps for Moms

By Aaron Traister, REDBOOK

DEAR WHYS GUY:

Can a guy truly be "just friends" with a girl? I get along quite well with a guy as friends, but every now and again, I get the feeling that he is testing the waters, so to speak (which would rock my socks). He brings up topics like marriage and asks my opinion, then in the next sentence makes a definite "just not into you that way" statement. Then the next day, he'll compliment me on how I look, smell, etc. Is he checking out my reaction and then back-peddling when he thinks he's gone too far? Or is this just the male mind trying to establish the fact that he is attractive and wanted by a woman that he respects (that would be me), regardless of whether or not he wants to actually date her?

Related: 5 Things Super-Happy Couples Do Every Day

DEAR REDBOOK READER:

Okay firstly, guys and girls can be friends... after a guy stops going through puberty. But here's the deal, I'm not sure that people are right to assume that guys

Read More »from Dear Whys Guy: "Can a Man and a Woman Really Be Just Friends?"

If you feel too busy even to breathe, follow organizing guru Julie Morgenstern's four d's to free you up for what's really important: time for you and your family.

1. Delete. People constantly burden themselves with unnecessary tasks - like organizing the kitchen cabinets or everyday dusting - that take up too much time. For every task on your to-do list, ask if it really affects the quality of your life. If it doesn't, delete it.

Related: The 18 Most Annoying Male Habits Explained

2. Delay. Does laundry honestly need to be done tonight, or will the family get by if you wait until Monday morning? Delaying a task - and setting a specific time to do it - can keep you from feeling overwhelmed in the moment.

Related: 5 Dresses Every Woman Should Own

3. Delegate. Who says you have to do it all? Asking a neighbor to carpool or hiring a teen to mow your lawn is a simple way to clear your schedule for what really matters to you.

4. Diminish. Plenty of tasks can be minimized to fit your Read More »from How to Streamline a Jam-Packed Schedule