Liz Gumbinner, editor of Cool Mom Picks, lists the hot new gifts for moms-to-be.

From curfews to cliques, the teen years are fraught with power struggles. But for the millions of overweight and obese teens in America today, the battle for a better weight can follow them well into adulthood, often with disastrous consequences. In addition to medical risks like heart disease and diabetes, teens with weight problems are more likely to be depressed and to have low self-esteem and poor grades.

Mom and Dad’s encouragement can mean the difference between gaining an edge on obesity and losing the motivation to do so. How can you get your teen on track if he or she is in denial or unmotivated? Here are a few Dos and Donts:

DO:

• Talk to him like a friend, not a disciplinarian.
• Put your teen in charge of how, and when, he wants to lose.
• Get rid of the junk food and be sure to stock up on healthy options.
• Create a healthy environment for the whole family
• Model healthy eating and exercise. Buy a family gym membership or find a sport you can enjoy as a family.

DON’T:

• Tell him his weight is okay. That minimizes the problem.
• Criticize or try to coerce your teen into losing weight.
• Be a food cop: comments like “You’ve had enough,” will backfire.
• Single out the overweight teen in your household.

Annie makes a basic baker’s clay that kids can roll, pound, smack and squish for at-home fun.

Watching the Olympics the past two weeks, I was struck again and again by the dedication of the young athletes and of their parents, all of whom had sacrificed time and money to help their children realize their dreams.

The Games probably fueled many kids’ fantasies about joining the ranks of celebrity athletes, just as a new season of American Idol or any number of other “you, too, can be rich and famous” shows make them dream big. But the road from the varsity hockey team to the Olympic rink is long and iffier than most kids think. How do you keep them motivated – but realistic.

• First, never dash a child’s ambitions. Instead, talk about alternative career paths. For example, a young athlete who won’t make the pros can learn what it takes to work in sports management or to be a sports writer.
• Find out what’s driving your child’s dream. Ask her to complete the sentence, “If I were a famous _______, I would have______.” If your teen daughter dreams of being recognized and admired wherever she goes, ask her to imagine what it would be like to have paparazzi climbing her fence or fans posting unflattering photos all over the internet.
• And finally, be honest about the financial commitment. If their passion is costing a fortune, involve them in outlining a specific budget and also discuss a hypothetical exit strategy.

If you’re expecting baby number two (or three or four), it’s natural to be concerned about your first-born’s reactions to the new addition. You might be tempted to grease the wheels of sibling bonding by promoting the new baby as your big kid's "new best friend." Or you might think it wise to ask big brother or sister to help pick out names or to decorate the nursery. Not a good idea, says Beth Grosshans, Ph.D., author of Beyond Time-out: From Chaos to Calm, who recently appeared on my show to talk about welcoming a sibling.

“So much of the current parenting advice and the way current parenting experts are thinking blow a lot of these ordinary life events into big dramatic events,” Grosshans says. “And parents are getting so intimidated and scared that they’re prone to overreacting."

Watch the video below for Dr. Grosshans excellent advice about introducing a new sibling into your family — advice I wish I had followed when I was expecting my son Nick. To hear all about my guilt-fueled blunders, watch the second video.

(The picture above is my daughter Maddie meeting her brother Nick for the first time.)

Whether your child is 10 months old or 10 years old, it’s never too late to brush up on parenting basics. For this reason, I’ve listed five principles that I consider to be the foundation of great parenting.

With a good percentage of the nation blanketed in snow, I thought now would be the perfect time to share my recipe for delicious hot cocoa for four. My family topped off many a snow day with this treat.

In a saucepan, combine 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa with ½ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add about ¼ cup of water and stir over low heat until smooth. Add 4 cups of milk, 1 teaspoon of almond extract and a ¼ teaspoon of salt. Taste and add more sugar if you want it sweeter.

And, of course, don't forget to add mini marshmallows or whipped cream. 

Annie shares how she balanced her professional and family lives when her kids were young.

Annie,

My daughter and her husband divorced within the last year and a half, and we are currently having a real problem with my eight-year-old grandson. He's been whining a lot and also always has to  be first or always win a game. If he's not first or does not win, he whines. He also spends a lot of time whining when he returns from a weekend with his father. My daughter is at her wit's end, and we would appreciate any insight you may have. Thanks.

~Nan

Dear Nan,

What your question tells me is that your grandson is desperate for the adults in his life to establish some clear rules and boundaries. Right now, the three people he loves most in the world – his mom, his dad, and you – are having a hard time getting on the same page (never easy after a divorce), and this lack of clarity is extremely stressful. (I don’t’ think it’s a coincidence that he is having particular trouble with following the rules of games – including losing graciously.)

As difficult as it may be for your daughter to co-parent with her ex, she needs to try, because your grandson’s whining – and other negative behaviors – are only going to get worse if his parents can’t come together to set clear rules and consequences. I realize how hard that can be, as I’m sure they both feel guilty and want to be his “favorite,” but they have a responsibility to support him by providing structure – which is really what discipline is all about.

One place to start would be to make sure he knows the difference between a whiny voice and the kind of tone you want him to use. Sometimes kids don’t really hear themselves. When he’s not whining, point out how nice he sounds, and ask him if he can hear the difference between a whiny voice and a nice voice. Demonstrate what you mean and then ask him to talk in a whiny voice and a nice voice. Most kids his age enjoy this “game” and get it right away. Then tell him that when he uses a whiny voice, you will not respond – and try very hard to stick to your guns. Tell your daughter to talk to her ex (or to email him) about the new rules regarding whining. And, of course, if there are other behaviors you want to work on, try to strategize solutions for your grandson's sake. If your daughter and ex-son-in-law can agree on certain routines and rules they want him to respect and if they can avoid bad-mouthing or blaming one another for your son’s negative behavior (e.g., deciding that the whining is much worse after a weekend with dad because dad isn’t doing a good job), I’m pretty sure the behavior will lessen.

One last point: Your grandson’s need to win or to be first is totally age-appropriate. I remember playing games with my son, Nick, when he was eight, and he always found ways to “explain” the rules to me so that he came out ahead! I found it worked to simply say, “Hey, Nick. I love playing this card game with you, but let’s say what the rules are and stick to them, or I’m not going to play.” And if you want your grandson to play without whining, make it clear that the game will be over if he makes a fuss about losing. Then put the game away if he starts to whine.

If your elementary schooler or preteen’s calendar is littered with soccer practices, music lessons, or art classes (or option D, all of the above), consider now the time to start culling those appointments.

Trimming your child’s calendar can pay off down the road as he or she approaches the teen years, and chances are they’ll appreciate it immediately. Kidshealth.org polled almost 900 9- to 13-year-old boys and girls a few years ago. They found that 61 percent of those children wished they had more free time, and 39 percent were involved in three or more extracurricular activities.

Another telling stat? Four out of 10 of the children polled said they felt stressed most or all of the time because they had too much to do.