Worried about the impending teenage years? Wondering how to get more than a one-word response from your kids? We can all benefit by brushing up on our active listening skills. For a few tips, please read my Positively Speaking column at 5 Minutes for Mom.

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Will your child soon be experiencing a “rite of passage”? This month’s Positively Speaking column will give you some ideas for writing a contract with him or her, to guide expectations and behavior. Please read my column at 5 Minutes for Mom.

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Feeling the spirit of giving? My 10-year-old served as a Salvation Army bell-ringer for the first time this year, and next week our Bookworm Wednesday crew will help to sort toys for the Secret Santa love baskets as well.

Opportunities abound during the holiday season, so if you’re looking for ways to give, please visit 5 Minutes for Mom. This month’s Positively Speaking column is chock-full of ideas to get your whole family in the mood for charity.

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Have you ever had a conversation with your child and seen him “light up” with enthusiasm? Maybe you were talking “rocks” or “math problems” or “starting a book club.” I wrote about one of my daughter’s sparks last week, as we prepared for the HCHY conference in Cincinnati.

Every child has “spark” — that thing that energizes him or her. Visit 5 Minutes for Mom to read this month’s Positively Speaking column, based on Peter Benson’s book, Sparks: How Parents Can Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers. I’m giving away a copy of this book, so be sure to enter the contest by commenting over there.

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We know we want to help our kids learn to say “No” to drugs, but how much do we consider the other important factors that often result in drug and alcohol resistance?

Check out this month’s Positively Speaking column at 5 Minutes for Mom. I address two assets that a lot of asset-rich, drug-free kids have in their arsenals.

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