A few weeks ago on The Middle, Frankie and Mike were frustrated they were on the receiving end of their teenage son’s snotty attitude and temper while perfect strangers were treated with politeness and respect. 

I feel their pain. Except our teenage son is a two-year-old little girl. 

The first day of school is legendary for causing jitters for parents - and occassionally for kids too. It's a big day in the lives of both parents and kids, one that is photographed and remembered for years. Who hasn't known (or been) that parent who lingers outside the preschool door, hesitate to leave because, well, what if my toddler needs me?

It is one of the most important skills that predicts a child's success in the classroom, but teaching a child to focus is something that baffles many parents.

Most children begin developing the ability to concentrate on tasks and activities before they are even born. And with the help of parents and teachers, children can begin cultivating that skill at a very young age.

Three out of every 10 children in the St. Louis metro region live in areas where risks to their well-being are considered high or severe.

St. Louis Kids Magazine recently sent writer Michelle Cox on a mission to investigate unschooling. The little-known educational philosophy is popping up everywhere from mainstream magazines to morning TV shows, and it's arrived in St. Louis too. We wanted to find out more. This is the first of a three-part series.

By Michelle Cox, Contributing Writer to SmartParenting

Growing up is not exactly a pleasant experience for any of us. Except when it is. Mo Willems Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion, the last installment of his beloved Knuffle Bunny series, captures this double-sided reality perfectly. While comic in a way that is signature Willems, the story is also a touch sad and maybe best read sometime other than bedtime.

Knuffle Bunny Free opens on Trixie’s ever-expanding world. She, her parents and Knuffle Bunny are taking a trip to Holland to visit Trixie’s grandparents. As usual, Knuffle Bunny gets lost – only this time, he winds up much farther away than another neighborhood. He winds up in China.

I don’t know about you, but “quiet time” at our house is often a challenge to bring about. One last chase through the house fills the hallways with our daughter’s delighted screams, and everything with wheels seems to call to our toddler son, “Come play with me!” Bath time oscillates between relaxing and splashy, as the last bits of the day’s energy wiggle their way out of their bodies. The rituals of the evening help move things along, but bedtime stories are what finally get our wee ones to settle.

Enter the best bedtime story for young children I have come across in a long time.