Moms Talk: Back to School

The sleepless night before school is something every adult remembers. For some, sleeplessness stems from excitement about showing off new kicks and bragging about summer trips, while for others, it results from dread.

Put simply, some kids just don't like school. After spending their summer days playing with friends, enjoying homework-free evenings and going cool, new places, it can be hard to digest the return of school and the ever-increasing workload that accompanies it.

Here are some tips to help make the start of the school year easier for kids who aren't naturally thrilled by it:

• Treat kids to a special dinner after their first day back. Let them pick the spot. Making it a special day can turn it into fun for kids. Plus, you can enjoy relaxing with them while getting them to share their feelings about the coming school year. Check out or for amazing milk shakes and kid-friendly food selections.
• Let them be involved in their back-to-school shopping selections. As long as they aren't making choices that are unreasonable, it's good for kids to have some choices. Letting them pick what they will wear and what kind of school supplies suit them gives them an opportunity to express their style.
• Let them make a play date with one of their school friends. Play dates, for some reason, have the power to heal everything. The promise of Saturday at the movies or Friday night at the bowling alley goes a long way in making their first week back  more palatable.

Attitudes, good or bad, are something we all have. Finding ways to turn bad attitudes around is the never-ending work of parenting—at least at our house.