They might’ve been excited for the first day of school a couple of months ago, but your kids are probably changing their tune about dragging themselves out of bed and into school each morning right about now. But as a mom, how can you tell if the kids are simply whining about something they don’t want to do – or if there really is a problem at school? If the child’s initial adjustment to school went smoothly, and she starts being reluctant to go – or even gets extremely anxious – then it’s time to dig deeper. Examine external sources of potential stress – sometimes family dynamics, such as a move, divorce or new baby can cause kids to want to stay closer to home. Ask about how school’s going, who your child spends time with while there, how she’s interacting with her teacher, etc. Involve her teacher if need be, and if the teacher is the source of the child’s stress, then again, it’s time to dig deeper. Learn to decipher what your child tells you. “The teacher is mean” could indicate the teacher is making your child do her work instead of chitchatting with her neighbor. Write down your child’s concerns so as to let her know that you plan to talk to the teacher – without laying blame on either your child or the teacher. Be sure the problem isn’t physiological; make sure your child can hear and see well in class and doesn’t have any distractions, i.e., their best friend or even a bully, sitting nearby. The next thing to examine is how your child feels about the lessons being taught. Are they too challenging for your child’s skill level? Not challenging enough? Understanding what your child is learning and constantly communicating with her teacher about upcoming assignments is essential. Many teachers offer their e-mail addresses, which makes for a great way to communicate without scheduling a formal conference. Many school systems also provide their teachers Web space to keep blogs, which are a great way for parents to keep tabs on homework assignments, classroom and school events, and other announcements.