Blog Posts by Redbook

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

"I'm So Bored" spelled out the words, carefully crafted to look like the periodic table, on my son's new t-shirt he received for his birthday. As a former chemistry teacher, I hated it-excuse me, but a class where you have permission to light things on fire is not boring!-but, of course, my son loved it. He giggled, "Yeah, mom, I hate school!"

For the record, he does not hate school. His teachers do an excellent job of keeping things fun and educational…yet here he was, playing into every lame stereotype. As I discovered when I went to return the t-shirt (mom's veto privilege!), this shirt was hardly the worst example of boys t-shirts printed with obnoxious sayings. While a lot of attention has been paid to the slut-ification of little girls' clothing, not much has been said about the dumbing down of boys apparel.

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"My brain hurts" reads one t-shirt with a picture of Bart Simpson

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

My very precocious 1-year-old daughter finally unlocked the mystery of elastic and how to take all her clothes off! Unfortunately, it was when we were standing in the middle of the cardboard maze of school supplies at Target, vainly trying to get all the supplies on my three boys' school lists. If I had been paying more attention-not shocked by the audacity of the store to carry seventeen types of pencils and still not the one my boys' teachers wanted-I might have caught her sooner. As it happened, she got her diaper off and took off across the store in nothing but her sandals and a smile. Streaker on aisle 12?

Related: 3 Ways to Snap Out of An Afternoon Slump

Back to school shopping doesn't have to be all screaming and nudity, thankfully. Having done this for years, I have several tips to help you get your school supplies without relinquishing your sanity.

1. Go early. You might get a better sale if you wait, but the more time goes

By Barbara Corcoran, REDBOOK

Q:"Everyone at my office gets in around 9 a.m., but because I drop my kids off at school, I usually come in at 9:30. I stay late, but I recently overheard a coworker making a nasty comment. What should I do?"

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A: The only two people who count here are you and your boss, and if the hours you keep are all right with her, then it's nobody else's business. If your boss hasn't explicitly approved your schedule, however, make an appointment to address it with her immediately. A clear endorsement from her will make you feel more sure of your footing and less threatened by snide remarks from your coworkers.

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As for your nasty associate, you can confront her in one of two ways. Feeling courageous? Pull her aside, nicely let her know your hours are sanctioned by your boss, and politely ask her to refrain from putting her two cents in. If the

By REDBOOK

As much as we look forward to the weekend, it can fly by faster than there is time to read the Sunday paper. Try these tips to make the most of days off with your family.
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1. Don't ignore the warm body next to you.
"The best gift you can give your kids is a strong marriage," says relationship therapist Laura Berman, Ph.D., host of the OWN show In the Bedroom With Dr. Laura Berman. "So why not set the alarm clock for 20 minutes of alone time?" If you're thinking, Um, I'd rather be sleeping, at least "cuddle in bed for five minutes before starting your day," Berman says.

2. Put "hang out" on the calendar - in Sharpie.
"Research links family leisure time with emotional bonding," says Eli Karam, Ph.D., president-elect of the Kentucky Association for Marriage & Family Therapy. "Blocking out three hours together even one Saturday a month can keep you in sync."

3. Ditch the cruise-director act.
You've had

By REDBOOK

Here are four common, self-deprecating diet phrases that weight women down, as well as four smart word swaps that help build a healthier mind-set.

1. Replace "I cheated" with "I chose."

The word "cheating" implies that you're an untrustworthy person who's broken a potentially unrealistic diet rule (such as, "No dessert until I've lost 20 pounds"). Instead, take responsibility for your behavior -- say, "I chose to eat that piece of cake." Doing so puts you back in the driver's seat and empowers you to make decisions in the future based on what makes sense for you in the moment -- not on what some too-strict diet dictates.

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2. Replace "I can't lose weight" with "I can lose 3 pounds."

The first statement simply isn't true: Most people can lose weight. But saying you can't mentally closes the door on the possibility. Instead, set a realistic goal that you know you

By Marisa Cohen, REDBOOK

When you're negotiating with your 3-year-old over using the potty, it may not feel like you're earning a graduate degree. But early parenting is the perfect boot camp for learning how to manage employees, says Shari Storm, author of Motherhood Is the New MBA. A financial executive and mother of three, Storm offers these examples of how your mommy skills can segue into work skills worthy of the corner office.

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1.Reading the Situation
As a mother, you become accustomed to reading your toddler's body language and mood to interpret what she's trying to say. In toddler-speak, "tootie peas" means "cookie, please", as opposed to similarly sounding phrases such as "I hurt my knees".

At Work:

Interpret your boss's body language to figure out exactly what she needs. For example, if she crosses her arms and gets distracted when you ask if she's read your report, she's saying "I'm not happy with this

By Ellen Welty, REDBOOK

We hear apologies every day, whether they come from ourselves or others. How many of these apologies are actually sincere, and how can we tell?

Ever receive an apology from someone yet feel that they weren't sorry? You were probably right, says Jodi R.R. Smith, author of From Clueless to Class Act: Manners for the Modern Woman. "People will make obligatory apologies in which they don't take responsibility for their actions," she explains. "But if you say, 'It doesn't sound like you're sorry at all,' your relationship will be strained - it may even end," Smith says. "Is calling them on their lousy apology worth that?" Instead, if you receive one of the following apology impostors, reply, "Thank you for saying something" or "I forgive you."

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1. "I'm sorry if I upset you."
Translation: I'm not really sorry for what I did. In fact, I don't see any reason I shouldn't do it again. I'm just apologizing

By Devin Toth, REDBOOK

It's very important for a hairdresser and his or her client to have clear communication. In a consultation, it's easy for misunderstandings to develop during the dialogue. That's probably the number one reason people go home while unhappy with their hair! One way to ensure you and your stylist are on the same page is to use a celebrity picture as a reference. Here are the most in-demand cuts right now.

Jennifer Aniston's fresh, mid-length haircut. It's a lob, also known as a long bob, that's slightly longer in the front and has almost no layers. This would normally be a very heavy, blunt style, but her haircut has jagged edges that leave the style softened and balanced.

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Someone shows me a picture of Kim Kardashian's beautiful long locks during a consult at least once a day! She has long, well-defined layers that are always set in a clean wave made by using a large curling iron. Also, her