Now that school is back in session, it is inevitable that kids are going to start sharing their germs and illnesses with their schoolmates. And, while sick days are not supposed to be fun, they can be down right boring some times!

While you don’t want to over do it, here are some tips for curing sick day boredom with your kids:

Read together! - Get cozy on the sofa and read some of your favorite stories together.  Let their imaginations run wild while they let their bodies rest.

Watch movies - Kaboose offers a great of the top 10 sick day movies.  Avoid daytime talk shows and drama-filled soap operas and let your kids indulge in a little extra TV watching with some animated greats.

Activity Books - Break out the mad libs and coloring books. These are great way to keep your child busy, but not roudy.

Get crafty - Look around the house to supplies to a spontaneous craft project.  Consider creating family albums together, or even try decorating the tissue box!

We hope these tips help cure your sick day boredom.  If you have any additional suggestions, please let us know!

Earlier this month, members of the Belmont Primary School in England got married. No, we are aren’t talking about the adult staff, but rather the children.

As part of a class project, these four-year-olds planned and acted out a mock wedding in their classroom. Real to life, the “bride” wore white wedding dress and veil and was escorted down the aisle by her “father” to meet her “groom” who was sporting a bow tie. After the ceremony, the class had a formal, sit-down wedding reception.

The class-run project was part of a curriculum that looked at various types of celebrations throughout the year, and now it seems that mock weddings have caught on as a new trend at various nursery schools throughout England.

This story has conjured up various emotions in our office, and we would love to hear your thoughts. So, you tell us: are nursery weddings a fun approach at education, or is it an a game of “dress up” taken too far?

When students go back to school, it’s a big change for kids and parents alike. Everyone has a whole new routine, complete with new rules to follow and new kinds of responsibilities. To help ease everyone in your family into the school year, I asked some local teachers for their top five tips and tricks for back-to-school bliss:

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1. Get their supplies together. Visit your local school’s website or call the school’s front office to find out what supplies your kids will need on their first day. The school staff will be on campus at least one week before school starts, so feel free to contact them and make sure your kids are prepared for their first day back.

2. Set a new sleep schedule early. One week before school starts, set your children’s bedtimes earlier and wake them up at the same time they would need to be awake to get to school on time. This will ease their transition into the school year’s sleep routine, leaving them bright-eyed and ready to learn when that first bell of the day rings.

3. Take an informal tour. Since the campus will be open for teachers early, you can take your kids to visit the school before the first day. This is particularly important if your child is starting at a new school, or even if they are just transitioning from one part of the school to another. Show them where important landmarks are, including their classroom, the closest bathroom, the library and the front office. They might even get a chance to meet their teachers! This will help reduce their first day jitters.

4. Flex your power. Many parents don’t fully understand how much power they have over their children’s education. By simply talking to your child’s teachers and school administrators, you can make dramatic changes in their learning environment. If you think your child would thrive in a certain program or under another teacher’s care, don’t be afraid to speak up!

5. Talk to your kids. Sometime before the start of the school year, take a moment to check in with your kids and see how they are feeling. Approach them individually, asking, “Madeline, you are starting the third grade! How do you feel about that? What are you looking forward to this year? Is there anything you are scared or worried about?” Taking a few minutes to take their emotional pulse will help you prepare for any potential back-to-school stress over hurdles like making new friends or handling tougher classwork.

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As you all get back into the swing of things, keep in mind that teachers are your allies in helping to shape a nurturing learning environment for your children. Stay in contact with them to make sure that your little ones are still on track all school year long!

Sending your kids off in style and in a way that’s good for the environment isn’t too hard these days. Here are a few ways that’ll help you help the environment and get them ready for school.

This may be hard to believe, but this fancy journal is made out of recycled elephant waste fibers. Target sells them for $12.99 each. The Green Office features a variety of eco-friendly supplies, some of which are their Back to School Kits for various grades. They include recycled notebooks and pencils made from recycled newspapers.

Leed’s Eco-friendly backpack is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material, and you know what? It’s cool too! And this SIGG water bottle from REI is designer and great for teens and kids.

Last week Brandi highlighted the hottest new clothes for your kids in her post “Back-2-School Fashion,” but an official back-to-school shopping spree wouldn’t be complete without a trip down the school supplies aisle! Get your kids excited about their return to the classroom with these fun finds for the ultimate in back-to-school cool!

Backpacks: Fun prints are here to stay! Kids keep going crazy for these unique designs. Find the perfect printed backpacks to make your kids go bonkers, and they’ll be clamoring to get on the school bus come Monday!

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Binders: As your kids get older, teachers may not send home specific instructions about the supplies they need in class. Make sure your kids are prepared with cute binders, plenty of notebook paper, colorful dividers and several sharpened pencils.

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Textbook covers: Protect your kids textbooks in a fun and funky new way. These bright textbook covers change color when you touch them! Finally, a way to make sure your kids won’t be able to keep their hands off their books.

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Lunchboxes: Brown bags are soooo last season–not to mention they aren’t great for the environment. This year, posh, personalized lunchboxes are all the rage!

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Accessories: Stock up on supplies like markers, colored pencils, glue, tape, scissors, calculators and more at stores with Back-to-School sales, like Wal-Mart or Staples. Target also has a great collection of fun and fashionable gear, including these bright pencil boxes.

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Gifts for Teachers: Personalized thank you notes and other stationery make great back-to-school gifts for deserving teachers.

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It’s hard to believe that school’s just around the corner. And that means getting ready to get in gear for fall fashion. Back-to-school styles are trendier, hipper and more affordable with big chains such as Wal-Mart creating cool clothes with even cooler price tags. Check out what’s hot for this fall season!

Wal-Mart previewed their new affordable clothing line for kids in San Francisco, July 19, 2008.

Jewel tones will continue to shine in fall.

Modern preppy takes its cue from shows like “Gossip Girl” for a cool, casual, sporty look.

Photos from top to bottom: Wal-Mart Fashion show from Reuters, Maria trench from Delias, Carla jumper from Resurrection, John Galliano outfit from Styletots.com, OldNavy preppy girls outfits, Best & Co. boys favorite looks.