As the editor of the biggest men’s magazine in the world, I am privy to something many women rarely hear – straightforward, uninhibited guy talk.

Don’t be so shocked – guys do actually talk, and not just about Tom Brady’s quarterback rating. Most women think their man is the strong, silent type (or maybe the oblivious, silent type), and they wonder why he doesn’t share his feelings.

But here’s the truth: Men do want to open up, about their hopes, their fears, and their passions. Yet put him alone in a room with you, and he often turns into a Sphinx. Read the rest of this entry »

Ah, the holidays. ‘Tis the season to move into the relationship danger zone. We get so stressed out about buying the right presents, staying within our holiday budget, or trying to please impossible in-laws that the tension inevitably spills over into our love lives.

“It’s naturally a time of high stress and high expectations,” says Carol J. Bruess, PhD, the director of family studies at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minn., and coauthor of What Happy Couples Do: Belly Button Fuzz & Bare-Chested Hugs—The Loving Little Rituals of Romance. Read the rest of this entry »

Not every relationship hides a secret, but plenty of people face similar decisions about how much they should tell a new companion. Some confidential information can’t stay that way forever—if you take daily medication or if you have a condition withvisible symptoms , for example. Other events in your medical history, such as addictions, mental illness, past surgeries, and health scares, can easily remain a secret—but should they?

If you’re considering telling your partner about a health secret, here are eight tips to help you spill the beans. Read the rest of this entry »

Usually, this time of year, people are broadcasting their resolutions like they have their own cable TV audience.

They tell everyone and anyone they’re givin’ up soda, hittin’ the gym, keepin’ the garage clean. Hear me, hear me, I’m going to change! Usually, though, these resolutions stick about as well as wet masking tape.

Instead, this year, try changing up a few resolutions so you can focus on your partner, and do so (here’s the catch) without telling them what’s coming. Why? Because your moves will be a whole lot more effective if your partner never sees them coming. The benefits: You’ll improve your relationships, score major points, and make someone other than yourself feel good, too. Read the rest of this entry »

Spanking is a huge hot-button issue for parents. Many psychologists say that spanking or any other physical discipline harms children and their relationship with their parents. But quite a few parents disagree, and some experts do, too. Lawrence Diller, a behavioral pediatrician in Walnut Creek, Calif., and author of The Last Normal Child, even argues that more parents should consider spanking to speed behavior improvements in young children.

I’m in the no-spanking camp myself, figuring I can’t teach children that hitting is bad if I’m doing it myself. But that doesn’t mean I’ve never given a balky toddler a swat on the fanny. Now that my daughter is in first grade, I wouldn’t dream of smacking her. My challenges come more in trying to figure out how to reward appropriate behavior. Read the rest of this entry »