Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: Talking about sex with your children, when, why and how? Jan Katz: After being raised in a sisters-only household with a 50s Mom who wouldn’t touch the subject with a 10-foot pole, I vowed to be different with my own children. Actually she did try to have that talk with us once when we were in college; we burst out laughing. When my son was born, I worried that I wouldn’t be able…

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: Now that my child is getting old enough to take care of himself, it seems like my own body is falling apart. Is this what they call middle age? Jan Katz-Kellogg: I distinctly remember one time when I was 40 and my son was two. I was being his "horse," plunking around on all fours throughout the house for about half an hour and when I had great difficulty standing upright, I …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: Ages and stages, what is your favorite age and why? Jan Katz-Kellogg: When I saw this question, I had an immediate reaction and it was: Well, it’s not this stage! At 15, (16 next month) my son is transitioning into maturity one dramatic step at a time. It seems to be a time of great highs and great lows both in events and moods. Five years from now, I bet I look at this stage …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: How do you teach your children financial responsibility?Kim Koch:  How do you teach your child to curb spending desires, cut their financial spending down to basic needs and save? They learn by example. If they see you making wiser choices, at some point it will resonate loudly to them.They hear words like recession and balanced budget in the news. They see their family spending …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: How can we make the transition into school mode smoother? Jan Katz-Kellogg: I have learned from experience that approaching the new school year  without a lot of thought is a big mistake. It seems as if I start the season by just reacting to the constant needs and demands of life. I then stay in that mode the entire season, always rushing and doing but never feeling like I’m on …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: Mom once was the coolest, what happened? It seems just like yesterday that my almost-16-year-old son was four and wearing a Batman costume, the kind with fake built-in muscles and proudly flexing for me, wanting to impress. Or before preschool he would always want me to write him a “love note” so he could have it handy during the day, in case he forgot how much I loved him. I was…

Question: Until recently, rules and the consequences for breaking them have been pretty easy. I could just take away a favorite toy, gadget or something pretty simple. Now that he's maturing, I would like for discipline to be more thought provoking and helpful than just "punishment." Any ideas?  Jan: As a single parent, discipline has always been a complicated issue, being both the good and bad guy. Right when I think I have a good system in place, my son grows out of a certain stage and it’s not effective any more. I remember when he was a toddler and I tried the time-out method. He could …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: School will be starting back in a few weeks. As a parent, what do you dread the most and what do you look forward to the most about the start of a new school year? Jan Katz-Kellogg: It’s always a joy killer to start seeing back to school ads everywhere you go, especially if you have just gotten really into summer mode: staying up later, getting up later, sleeping more, relaxing, …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: My 15 year old is having mood swings. Is this normal teen angst or something more? Jan Katz-Kellogg: Personally, my son at 15 reminds me very much of the “terrible twos” phase we survived some years ago—with one big addition: testosterone. Both phases share common traits like the words “Mine!” and “NO!” Both are driven by the need to be independent of adults. What I wasn’t …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: How do you keep your child focused on learning over the summer months? Jan Katz-Kellogg: With bribes. He is required by his high school to complete a required summer reading program and the list isn’t exactly exciting. In fact, he feels like it is a huge burden and dreads it immensely. The only way to inspire him to do it is with exciting or expensive rewards. Whatever it takes …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: How are you preparing your teen to drive? Kim Koch: Many years back, it really came to me after a moment of road rage: I lead by example, especially in my driving.  Some days are spent driving all over Atlanta, at times three expressways in one day, and all kinds of back roads, with my son, at times his friends, and his drum set in tow. My days of road rage are officially over. …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: What happens when a serious health issue of a parent changes the “family dynamics”? Jan Katz-Kellogg: Human beings have an innate capability to adapt to and show compassion for their fellow human beings in crisis. We’ve seen it with the devastating hurricanes, tornados and tsunamis on TV over the last several years. The initial shock, the reality of the situation and ultimately, …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: Are we adequately preparing our kids for life beyond childhood? Kim Koch: We wiped their tears and kissed their boo-boos. We hoped we have taught them not to bully and to be the bigger man by turning away from a senseless fight. They have seen us rejoice, watched as we suffer, and know that life can sometimes be a struggle as well as a joy. Not all people are kind, and most are …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: What do you do to bring out the best in your children? Jan Katz-Kellogg:  Unconditional love is the key to bringing out my son’s best. He knows I love him no matter what mistakes he makes or how badly he may act. From that core of love, I must: Encourage him to take risks. Whether it’s making new friends, trying out for a sports team position or even eating a new food, life’s …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this question: How do you interact with your child when he/she wants to conform or not conform to the styles of his/her peers? Kim Koch: In elementary school it was all about who had the coolest Power Ranger, and we didn’t even watch the show around here. It was easy to grab a pair of Toy Story jammies and bring them home and know that they would be worn until they were stained and threadbare. …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children. Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question:  How do I teach my child healthy …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children. Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question:  How do you cope with rising gas …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children. Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question:  With summer break coming up, how …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children. Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question: How do you instill the importance …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children. Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question: How do you deal with bullying with…