Dear Laura,

I have been single for about five years. I am 43 and a single Mom. I recently started dating a”young man” who is 31. I usually date guys that are the same age or older than I am so you can imagine how shocked I was when I realized he was serious!

I am curious what your thoughts are on older women dating younger men. We have so much fun! We laugh together, have a great passion for each other, and he seems to admire me and my ambitions. I have never felt so good. Yet, there is an underlying feeling that I am doing something “wrong”, but my skin, my energy level, my moods, my stress level have all improved dramatically. I can’t help but think this must be good for my health!

Thoughts?

S.K., Atlanta, GA

Dear S.K.,

Times are “a changin” my dear. And thank goodness they are when it comes to the world of dating! Did you know, according to this article, that almost 1/3 of all women between the ages of forty and sixty-nine are dating younger men?

Women are finding that going against the “traditional” relationship of days gone by can really make a big difference in their lives. Are they doing it in order to have a soul mate for the rest of their life? Not necessarily! Kathryn Elliott, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette says many become… ” victims of inner - critic constrictedness ” .Women get caught up with the “shoulds” in life instead of letting go. Instead of living your “dating” life with hard and fast rules and you are still not happy, Elliott says to choose a person who has the same “voltage type”. As long as you are in sync in a variety of ways, dating someone significantly younger than you, can actually be a lot of fun.

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Healthy Habits

In addition to coaxing our kids to eat their vegetables, it seems my husband and I are forever correcting our kids at the dinner table. “Sit up straight.” “Don’t play with your food.” “Chew with your mouth closed.” The coaching never ends. We keep at it because we want our boys to be polished when eating in public or dining at friends’ houses. It’s a tough job, though, as it should be.

For us, table manners are automatic — as simple as chewing and swallowing, say the editors at Scholastic Parent & Child magazine. For a child, learning to behave at mealtime is big stuff. It takes a whole new set of skills to master manners. And it’s our job to teach those skills, no matter how hard the job. Here are a few tactics we all might employ during our respective mealtime madness moments.

* Role play table manners during a tea party or while playing “restaurant.” You’ll have fun, while practicing and teaching lessons all at the same time.

* Keep rules simple and positive so your kids can remember them. “We sit.” “We eat with our forks.”

* Reinforce rules during mealtime. Hand your child a fork and napkin, and remind him to use them.

* Set a good example. Role model the manners you want to see your child display. Eventually, he will follow in your footsteps.

* Get silly. Practice bad manners and ask your child to identify what you’re doing wrong.

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So many beauty products, which to buy? Each of us is different so our suggestions may not work for all but they are a good place to start. We’ve had 20 staff members test each product and then compiled their opinions to give you our 25 best beauty buys.

1. Sue Devitt Pencil Liner is nice and creamy with a velvety texture and is available in 10 shades

2. Mac Eye Shadow has a wide selection of colors. If the color is available from mother nature than Mac has it. Rich texture and blends easily

3. Revlon Eye Shadow is expensive and has a huge selection of shades. The colors are up todate and apply easily

4. Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara is dependable and affordable. Comes with a nice fine brush that grabs every eyelash and the formula is nice and rich and doesn’t flake

5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Filler has a great color selection and applies easily with a brush

6. Stila Convertible Color Blush creates natural looking rosy cheeks. Creamy formula blends well producing a very natural look.

7. Revlon Skinlights Bronzer is inexpensive. It’s rich and smooth texture is easy to apply and it is enriched with vitamins A, C, and E. Available in 6 shades and has a SPF15.

8. Tarte Cheek Stain is an oil free push up blush available in 5 natural tones.

9. Max Factor Erace Concealer is inexpensive with a sheer texture so it can be used around the eyes, but covers well enough to hide those more prominent imperfections.

10. Mac Pressed Powder is ultra translucent and you can be sure no shine will creep through.

11. Mac Lipstick is available in over 200 shades. They won’t bleed and have a good lasting power.

12. Mario Badescu Lip wax is soothing and not waxy. It is enriched with Vitamins C & E and has a SPF15.

13. Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss can be worn by itself or layered over your lipstick, resulting in luscious glistening lips

14. Cetaphil Facial Cleanser is highly recommended by dermatologists. No perfumes or irritants, powerful mild cleansing.

15. Kinara Lactic Acid facial Exfloiator is a light hydrating serum that easily absorbs into the skin. Non abrasive exfoliant that cleans deep

16. Olay Regnerist Anti Wrinkle Cream is enhanced with pentapeptides and amino acids that encourage production of collagen for firmer skin.

17. Lancome Heavy Duty Moisturizer is a nonsticky cream that contains glycerin, wild yam extract, sea algae, and soy restore moisture.

18. Dove Facial Cleanser is mild and easily rinses away makeup and oil leaving skin feeling fresh and clean

19. Aveeno Facial Moisturizer is an excellent emoillience but it is scented. Oil-free lotion enriched with skin softening soy extract

20. Murad Acne Kit consists of 4 steps – cleanser with triclosan and salicylic acid to fight bacteria, pore cleaning gel with glycolic and salicylic acids, exfoliating lotion with retinol, and spot treatment with sulphur

21. Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Pimple Healer Spot Treatement is a fast acting blemish fighting gel. Contains Salicylic acid, and glycolic acid as well as herbal incredients such as cinnamon bark and ginger root

22. Lancome Eye Makeup Remover will even remove waterproof mascara. Very gentle so perfect for sensitive skin

23. L’Oreal Home Microdermabrasion is a two part system. Smooth skin with aluminum oxide crystals and moisturize with vitamin E cream

24. Neutrogena T/Gel Dandruff Shampoo is soothing and calms the scalp eliminating flakes and relieving itchy scalp

25. Pantene Pro V Overall Conditioner is inexpensive and hairstylists say its great. Frizz fighting rich nourishing formula rich in vitamins is easily absorbed by the hair