Is it any wonder we have so many lawyers? Just consider how skilled and relentless children are at advocating for whatever they want--whether it's another book before bedtime or a play date. My eight-year-old son delivered my favorite nakedly self-serving line during the trip we took to Niagara Falls last week...[More Here]    

--Eric Messinger emessinger@manhattanmedia.com   

*Now that school is back in session, kids craft classes around NYC--from pottery to weaving--are starting to fill up as popular extracurricular activities for boys and girls. Here are 10 local venues that offer crafting for creative children.  

*Want to keep kids learning beyond the school day? Our 15 recommended educational apps for kids two to tween will give you some guidance (and peace of mind) when handing over gadgets to children.  

*Does your preschooler love The Fresh Beat Band? The popular TV show is brought to life at the Beacon Theater this month. And to get our littlest readers ready to rock, we have one family four-pack for the September 18 (6:30pm) concert to give away! For info on how to enter to win, click here.    

*Meet Rebecca Minkoff! Win a chance to attend the exclusive premiere of Minkoff's Bravado Designs limited edition tank collection. One lucky reader will be selected to attend (with a guest) the breakfast launch on September 24, and receive a nursing wardrobe including Rebecca Minkoff for Bravado Designs Indy and Luca. For info on how to enter to win, click here.

*Skip the lunch lines this back-to-school season and let little learners tote their midday meal to the cafeteria in one of these snazzy and stylish lunch boxes.

For more shopping finds from our Treats blog, click here.    

*Take advantage of two delicious tastes still in season with this heirloom tomato & watermelon salad recipe from Yummy Delicious blogger Liza Huber.  

*Have you heard of RIE? Julie Averill of Kids at Work considers how RIE (a parenting philosophy that's popular on the West Coast) will help save her--and her child--from a culture of instant gratification. 

*Back-to-school commercials promise so much more than is actually given to our children. (The Atlantic)    

*The ingredients needed for a batch of new friendships this school year. (Psychology Today)  

newyorkfamily.com

*Do your kids' eyes glaze over when you try to talk to them about current events? The New York Times may have come up with a cure-all for mini news-phobics: Kids Draw the News, an online feature in which kids 12 and under submit their drawings of stories from the local news. Check it out!