Transitioning from summer fun, swimming pools and beach vacations to new teachers, structured lesson plans and harder-than-last-year homework can be a total shock to kids' systems.

Getting kids to talk about their day can be quite the challenge for parents as well as after-school nannies and babysitters. Add in the the same mundane question over and over, and you've got the perfect recipe for one-word answers.

For parents, back-to-school is a time to make sure the children are well prepared for the transition from summer fun to classroom structure. But many end up forgetting one crucial element of back-to-school planning…