What do you say to her?

Some parents might sympathize. “You poor thing, going to school on such a nice day.”

But that sends exactly the wrong message. Try saying, “Just think. You’re going to learn new and interesting things today. You’re going to spend time with your friends.”

The same approach works when kids are doing homework. Instead of telling your child she has to do homework before she has fun, try to help her see that homework can be fun. “I can’t wait to see what you’re going to write about the book you’re reading.”

If your child sees all work as drudgery, step in. Help her see the link between what she’s learning now and what she can do in the future. The goal is for your child to grow up with a positive feeling about working hard.

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