Outside the lines ...

Research suggests that driving in the car with your kids is a great time to have open, unhurried discussions. This was obviously before every mother received a colouring book and pack of pencils last Christmas. 

The act of colouring-in is meant to put you in a quiet, meditative state, but every time I open my book, my kids will sit down beside me and talk for hours about all sorts of things going on in their lives. Not very zen, but incredibly informative and entertaining.