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Wah! Wah! Wah! Temper Tantrums Deconstructed

Natasha Dantzig — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:07:00 PST

Head banging. Feet stomping. Screams at maximum volume and intensity. Any parent knows these are some of the telltale signs of a dreaded temper tantrum. While many parents have resigned themselves to dealing with this unpleasant, but perfectly normal part of toddlerhood, scientists studying the meltdowns may have found ways to empower parents to help their children through the episodes, rather than just praying for them to be over.

Published in the journal Emotion, the study found that tantrums aren't simply out of control, emotional meltdowns, but rather have specific rhythms and sounds that represent distinguishable feelings. Take the following quiz to see how your tantrum knowledge stacks up against the new research, and if there are better ways to cope with the dramatic fits.

Take the Quiz

Men Love Love, Too

BuzzSugar — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:18:36 PST

As Valentine's Day approaches, I've got romantic movies on the brain. Apparently, so do many men! According to a recent U.S. study, men are more fond of romantic movies than originally suspected. Kansas State University psychology professor Richard Harris surveyed 250 men and women, having them watch a romantic film together and rate it from 0 to 7, 7 being the highest. The average score from women was about 6, while men rated the films around 4.8 - much higher than expected. The Reuters article continues:

"Everyone thinks that women like romantic movies and that they drag guys along to them," Harris told Reuters.

He said movie studio executives should put aside stereotypes about "chick flicks" and recognize the fact that there is a moderate interest among men in romantic movies.

"There are a lot of men who go to these romantic movies and enjoy them. I wouldn't write off the male audience just because it is a romantic film. I would suggest marketing to the men in the audience," he said.

I for one am all for getting rid of the term "chick flick," and I'll tell you why if you

read more A label like "chick flick" is an automatic deterrent when couples are trying to choose a movie they'll both enjoy. Also, nowadays "chick flick" implies something insubstantial and silly, which seems to become a comment on women and the kinds of things we find interesting and relevant. Ultimately, movies don't have to have a gender assigned to them. Sometimes a romantic film is just a romantic film.

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "All You Need Is Love"

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:27:29 PST

It's Valentine's Day in Seattle, which means the doctors are scrambling to get their romantic plans together on this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy. Callie plans a special surprise for skeptical Arizona, while Mark tries to get out of babysitting duty so he can take Julia out on a date. Derek and Meredith, on the other hand, just need to find somewhere to go for a little, uh, "alone time."

On the other end of the spectrum, Lexie is having a "woe is me" moment as she pines for Mark, and Jackson and Karev are also left dateless. No one's in hotter water than Owen is, though: he and Cristina contemplate some big questions about the future of their relationship, and Teddy has some choice words for him when Owen tries to rekindle their friendship. Ready to break it all down? Just

Lil Links: Does Spanking Cause Aggression in Tots?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:32:00 PST

New study links spanking to future aggressive behavior - Parenting
Five reasons not to regret your embarrassing tattoo - The Stir
Guess which celeb mom is the first to push the Origami? - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Nickelodeon to launch new Franklin and Friends program - Celebrity Baby Blog
Is a cake the right way to find out if it is a boy or a girl? - FitPregnancy
The best baby-making sex? - The Bump
The hidden costs of breastfeeding - Momformation
A guide to tech-savvy parenting – Tecca
Today's teens are better behaved than their parents - Yahoo! Shine
How to sell, swap, or donate clothes - Real Simple

From the Fit Community: Leave Your Phone at Home When You Work Out

Fit Community — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:25:08 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wants you to know: you're hurting your workout when you bring your cell phone into the equation. She shared her three reasons you should stay cell phone-free at the gym in our 10 Pounds Down! community group.

1. It’s hurting your workout (and could cause you to get hurt)

If you can text or talk on the phone during any part of your workout, you aren’t working hard enough. Exercise requires a mind/body connection (yes, even the time you spend on the treadmill) and your cell phone seriously disrupts the communication signals between your mind and your body.

Even if you think you are the most talented texter, or multitasker to ever walk the earth, don’t kid yourself - many studies have shown cell phone distraction as even worse than being drunk – so if you wouldn’t run that mile, take that spin class or do Pilates totally wasted, then your phone shouldn’t be out during your workout. Not paying attention during exercise is dangerous and can cause you to hurt yourself - in a big way. Not to mention, it slows you down! Even if you stop to text in between exercises, you are slowing down your flow - and your heart rate. Not a good way to get results.

Read more reasons for keeping your cell phone at home after the break.

Kate Middleton Makes a Solo Stop to Check Out Lucian Freud's London Exhibit

Allie Merriam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:50:59 PST

Kate Middleton, wearing a dress from the UK store Jesire, undertook a solo appearance this evening in London. With her husband, Prince William, away in the Falklands, she's now focusing on the institutions near to her heart. At the end of 2011, Kate announced her plans to become a royal patron of London's National Portrait Gallery. She has a long-standing interest in painting, having studied art history when an undergraduate at St. Andrew's in Scotland.

Today, she stepped out to check out the museum's new exhibit from recently deceased London painter Lucian Freud. It was Kate's first solo public appearance since marrying William back in April of 2011. There may soon be a more permanent royal feature at the National Portrait Gallery. It was announced today that Kate will pose for a portrait bound for the museum.

What to Expect When You're Expecting Set Visit: Elizabeth Banks on Her Fake Bump and Personal Baby Joy

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:05:11 PST

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood will share the big screen in the upcoming comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting, which follows different mothers-to-be as they prepare for the arrivals of their bundles of joy. Cameron Diaz, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, and Elizabeth Banks are among the famous ladies who strapped on fake baby bumps to portray different kinds of pregnant women, and Banks's character, Wendy, doesn't exactly have an easy time of it.

I visited the Atlanta set of the film last year, where Banks was shooting a climactic scene in which her character addresses all the woes of pregnancy - in an auditorium with a rather large audience. The hilarious meltdown, which you can see in the opening of the trailer for What to Expect When You're Expecting, includes harsh truths like "I'm calling it: pregnancy sucks." It was great fun to see Banks film the passionate speech again and again, especially since the funny lady mixed up her one-liners from one take to another. What was even more interesting was seeing all of the extras who played the audience members, since the group of women was a mix of actual pregnant women and women rocking fake baby bumps.

I chatted with Banks about her own experience filming the movie, and she revealed that she actually felt like she was in her own little movie, since she doesn't have much screen time with her costars. Banks was refreshingly honest about not having any parenting tips and also admitted that though welcoming her son, Felix, has brought her a great deal of joy, it hasn't changed her stance on how she feels about kids in general. Here's more of what Banks had to say about pregnancy and motherhood:

What inspired you to take this role?
Elizabeth Banks: I cried when I read the script. It has a really great ending: at the end of the movie, everybody has a baby! It really is just a very relatable story for everyone: anybody who is a parent, has considered being a parent, has a baby, whatever. It's just very universal, what happens in the film. We really explore so many great storylines and different paths to getting a child. I had a unique path to getting my son, so I understand how everybody's path to their child is different.

How does it feel to wear the bump?
EB: It's sweaty! [Laughs] I think it's probably a decent approximation; it weighs a good 10 lbs. The boobs weigh about 6 lbs. They are really unbelievable. It's fun. It definitely makes you sit and walk in a totally different way. As an actor, it's a great prop.

How did you change when you became a mom?
EB: I get drunk much faster and easier, and it's a big problem, so I can't go out very much. I find that I underestimated the amount of joy. I'm really learning about my capacity for joy through my son.

To see what Banks had to say about baby fever and her parenting tips, just keep reading.

Link Time - Valentine's Day For One

TresSugar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:14:00 PST

How to have a romantic Valentine's Day date alone - The Frisky
Looking for love? There's a new app for that! - YourTango
Reasons why Maria Menounos should NOT date Tim Tebow - CollegeCandy
Who said it: Dominique Strauss-Kahn or Gérard Depardieu? - The Daily Beast
Study finds online dating no better than meeting at a bar - Huffington Post
Why the backlash against Pinterest is gender specific - GOOD
Hot men hang out at the Oscar nominee luncheon - theBERRY
11 simple steps to the perfect kiss - Glamour
"I dreamed my boyfriend made me watch him marry his ex" - Em & Lo
Watch: This Means War's Reese, Chris, & Tom talk romantic risks - BuzzSugar

5 Healthy Reasons to Eat Valentine's Day Chocolate

Leta Shy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:07:13 PST

It's almost Valentine's Day, and that may mean you've got chocolate on your mind. Though you may be fearing the amount of calories in those heart-shaped boxes, there are many reasons to love Valentine's Day sweet treats. In fact, here are five healthy reasons to eat dark chocolate.

It helps you exercise longer: A recent study found that eating a tiny amount of dark chocolate before a workout helps fight fatigue, which means you can go that much further during your workout. The amount that worked in the study was tiny - just half a square, but if it's good quality chocolate, a small square will go a long way.
It's stress-relieving: And not just when you're PMSing. A study found that when highly stressed participants ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate (the equivalent of a Hershey's bar) a day for two weeks, the level of stress hormones in their bodies, dropped significantly. While eating a candy bar a day can contribute to a whole new set of stresses if you're watching your weight, it's nice to know that dark chocolate has a measurable effect on stress levels.

Read on for three more reasons to eat dark chocolate.

Want to Age Better? Swap Your Morning Cup of Coffee For Green Tea

Leta Shy — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:05:42 PST

We all know that green tea has many benefits - eye health, sunburn protection, and disease prevention, to name a few. Now, a new study can add another possible benefit to that list: green tea may help you remain functional as you age.

The Japanese study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, tracked 14,000 adults 65 years old or older for three years and found that those people who drank at least five cups a day of green tea were about a third less likely to have functional disabilities than those who drank little or no green tea. Even those who only drank two to four cups of green tea a day also experienced a benefit as they aged. "Functional disabilities" were defined as the inability to do basic daily activities or necessities, like bathing or dressing, so the more green tea you drink the more likely you are to be able to stay independent when you're older. The study did find that those who drank green tea tended to have healthier lifestyles overall, but the researchers said a positive effect still existed when diet, exercise, and other lifestyle habits were accounted for.

Five cups may sound like a lot, but it's actually a lot less than you think. So, how much tea should you actually be drinking to reap this benefit and possibly remain independent as you age? Read on after the break.