Blog Posts by Redbook

By Alicia Harper, REDBOOK

Spring is here, and I couldn't be happier to ditch my down coat, mittens, scarf, hat, and boats for lightweight outerwear! One reason I love spring so much is because of the "no muss, no fuss" fashion finds. I've rounded up a few trendy, inexpensive, and easy-to-care-for fashion and beauty finds for busy moms who are short on time but want to look good.

Related: 50 Under $50 Frugal Finds for Spring

1. The Print DressIf you're looking for a fun and trendy outfit, you can't go wrong with a print dress. Bonus points if you score one in cotton or linen-those fabrics are low-maintenance and super easy to clean. The main reason I love the print dress is because it takes me roughly 45 seconds to get dressed in the morning when I'm wearing one that day. As a busy single mom whose time is precious, an outfit like this is a must-have. 2. Colored Skinny JeansColored skinny jeans are basically the spring fashion jackpot. Not only are these jeans trendy and Read More »from Effortless Spring Fashion Picks for Busy Moms

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

Swimsuit season is upon us, and I am thrilled. No... it's not because I love standing under glaring fluorescent lights in a store dressing room and pondering whether everyone really does keep their underwear on while trying on swimwear, like the sign says. (I just pretend they do. Don't disillusion me.)

Five kids and stretch marks from knee to clavicle mean that I'm still wearing the same suit I bought on clearance at Target five years ago. The real reason I love swimsuit season is that I have a two-year-old daughter, and nothing is cuter than baby swimsuits. This year the trend seems to be tiny suits with big, fluffy attached tutus. I bought two!

Related: 17 5-Minute Marriage Makeovers

Yet at the sprinkler park the other day, as my daughter toddled around in her fairy princess bathing suit, she was joined by a little girl about the same age... in a triangle string bikini. Exactly the type you would see on busty teens posing in Sports Read More »from Toddlers in Barely-There String Bikinis?

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

ice cream truckNothing says summer (or creepy horror movie) like the tinkling bell of an ice cream truck. Yet a group of parents in New York are trying to ban the ice cream trucks for enticing their children with illicit treats and forcing them to tell their kids no. As any parent knows, kids do not like being told no - especially when it involves treats. "Nobody wants to be a crank," one of the opposed moms say, "but one in three kids are going to be obese or diabetic by high school. When my kids see other kids get ice cream, they just start begging me. I just don't think these are the fights we should be having."

Related: 20 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism

I remember watching the musical truck as a child as it circled our neighborhood park, and I also remember never getting to buy anything from it. My parents did such a good job indoctrinating me with their dislike of the ice cream truck (throwing around phrases like "waste of money", "you just ate Read More »from Ice Cream Trucks: Relics of an Unhealthy America?

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

mom gearChasing toddlers, squatting while carrying a preschooler on your shoulders, climbing up tiny Playland tubes (that smell like pee) to rescue a stuck child: Having kids should be considered its own sport. And therefore it shouldn't come as any surprise that over the years moms have figured out our own must-have equipment lists. While we may not look as sporty as, say, Maria Sharapova, we make up for it in our ingenuity.

Related: 50 Under $50 Frugal Finds for Spring

1. Yoga pants. For myself, stretchy pants are a must. Ever tried crouching for 10 minutes to pick up 700 melting beads off the library floor while wearing super-tight skinny jeans? Without showing butt crack? These days I live in my Zobha's since they're as cute as they are comfy and if they're good enough for mama January Jones, then they're good enough for me.

2. No dry-cleaner allowed. "With kids, everything gets dirty on a daily basis, so 99% of my clothes need to be machine Read More »from 10 Necessities for an Active Mom

By Amy Shearn, REDBOOK

We recently acquired three potted peonies and placed them in a window, and they immediately captured my daughter's imagination to the point of taking on personas-the tall yellow one was the daddy, the medium-sized pink one was the mommy, and the smaller pink one was their baby. "Oooh, I love my baby son!" the mother-flower was crooning. "My sweet baby boy! We love our son!"

Related: 50 Under $50 Frugal Finds for Spring

Apparently someone around here is a slightly overly effusive toward the boy child. And I'm not talking about the drooping houseplant in the windowbox.

It's true. I croon love songs in my son Alton's face. I call him ridiculous pet names. I feed him out of my mouth. (Just kidding!) He's pretty into me, too. As my daughter (and Lola) would say, "I'm his favorite and his best." But you know what? Kate Stone Lombardi thinks it's okay too, and she just wrote a book called The Mama's Boy Myth: Why Keeping Our Sons Close Makes Them

Read More »from 5 Reasons Why It’s Okay If My Son is a Mama’s Boy

By Carmen Staicer, REDBOOK

A dermatologist, a makeup artist, and a product developer all weigh in on how to get rid of crows feet.

Q: Even when I'm not smiling, I have crow's-feet. Can I get rid of them?

Related: 17 5-Minute Marriage Makeovers

THE DERMATOLOGIST SAYS:

"Women typically start seeing crow's-feet in their mid- to late 30s, and sometimes as early as their 20s. Luckily, the thin skin around your eyes responds faster to anti-aging treatments than any other area." A prescription retinoid such as Differin 0.3-percent gel (about $300 per 45-gram tube) or Tazorac (about $200 per 30-gram tube), will boost collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines by 50 to 75 percent after six weeks, Cheung says. "For deep creases, four light in-office peels spread over eight weeks can work wonders." Cost: a steep $100 to $200 per peel, but results last over a year. Still, Cheung adds, "nothing will have a lasting effect unless you protect the area every

Read More »from 3 Ways to Banish Crows Feet

By Carmen Staicer, REDBOOK

Reese Witherspoon and her new husband, Jim Toth, are expecting their first child together. This is great news for everyone involved, but her two children-Ava and Deacon-from her first marriage with Ryan Phillippe might feel differently. In a blended family, it is sometimes difficult to meet the needs of every person involved; but with effort and understanding, it can be an amazing source of encouragement and support for all involved.

I'm in the unusual position of both being a stepmother and having a stepmother-plus, I have children, step-grandchildren, and a half-sister who are all the same age. The point is, I've been on both sides of the equation, so I can offer Reese Witherspoon-and other parents in blended families-advice on their new situation.

Related: 50 Under $50 Frugal Finds for Spring

The best thing that a biological parent can do is support each party. Sometimes, this is not so easy-after all, many children are unhappy with

Read More »from Advice for Blended Families

By Tracey Black, REDBOOK

Thank goodness for the Internet. Without it, I would have no idea how to help my kids set up leprechaun traps for St. Patrick's Day or make bird feeders out of recycled plastic bottles for Earth Day.

My kids absolutely LOVE doing arts and crafts for holidays-even Earth Day and President's Day. I think they just love working with their hands and "making projects," as they like to say.

Related: 20 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism

It all started when I had the idea to introduce origami to my kids for Boys' Day (May 5th), which is celebrated in Japan. My then six-year-old son was hooked. He wanted to learn how to make all sorts of origami animals: birds, fish-you name it. At his kindergarten graduation, he told everyone that he wanted to be an origami teacher when he grew up. He now has six origami books and all kinds of origami paper from wild animal prints to faux peacock feathers, and he loves that he's able to teach other kids in his class how

Read More »from Teaching Kids Arts and Crafts