My daughter has a very part time job this year, therefore she has been able to save some money for Christmas shopping. After counting it up and seeing what she would like to buy her sisters and her friends, she realizes that she may not have enough. She then started looking for sales and has not - yet - asked for more money from me. The thing is, I'm not sure how much money I'm willing to give. I'm sure after talking to her I'll know better what she needs, but as a ballpark figure, I don't know. My feelings are that I was willing to give her more last year, but why should she be penalized for having a job and saving some money? I'm going to have to think about this. While I do, let's get a pulse from our parenting community with a poll - and don't forget to leave your opinion in the comments area!

Poll: How much money do you give your teen for Christmas shopping?

• None.
• $25 and under
• $25 - $50
• $50 - $100
• Over $100

See the poll results.

And does your teen still let you hug them? I went to hug my 13 year old today in the grocery store because she was sad about losing a basketball game and she looked like she needed it. She backed away and looked up and down the aisle, making sure no one was there before she let me hug her.

Do you think I should have told her about the cameras stores use to keep shoplifters at bay? lol

So, fess up! Do you have to sneak in a hug or two with your teen or do they let you hug them any old time? And how important do you think hugs are?

Share on the your stories, advice and opinions in the comments area.

You can easily get your teen involved in history by digging up facts that he/she would be interested in. Since the US Thanksgiving holiday is coming up, I'll use it as an example. Below I have listed some facts about some of the teenagers who crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower. Arm yourself with them and have a good old fashioned conversation at dinner tonight.

When your teen seems moody or sad, do you think its depression or it's just a phase? Believe it or not, depression is more common than we realize. According to a national study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, 61 percent of 8th to 10th graders reported feeling sad and hopeless, 36 percent reported nothing to look forward to, and 34 percent expressed serious thoughts of committing suicide. Scary to think about!

It's important that parents not only think about it, but talk to our teens about it too. Talking to teens can make them feel less hopeless and help them understand or work through whatever problems they face. It will put you on your teen's side - which is right where you want to stay.

Related Resources:

• 5 Things You Should Do if You Think Your Teen is Depressed
• Signs of Depression