Staying Healthy

• Eat together often as a family.
• Start every day with breakfast.
• Buy fat-free milk and low-fat dairy foods, and encourage 3 servings each day.
• Limit soft drinks, juice, candy, chips, and high-fat food.
• Include 5 servings of vegetables and fruits at meals and for snacks daily.
• Limit TV and computer time to 2 hours a day.
• Do not have a TV or computer in your child’s bedroom.
• Encourage your child to play actively for at least 1 hour daily.

Safety

• Your child should always ride in the back seat and use a booster seat until the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt fit.
• Teach your child to swim and watch her in the water.
• Use sunscreen when outside.
• Provide a good-fitting helmet and safety gear for biking, skating, in-line skating, skiing, snowboarding, and horseback riding.
• Keep your house and cars smoke free.
• Never have a gun in the home. If you must have a gun, store it unloaded and locked with the ammunition locked separately from the gun.
• Watch your child’s computer use.
  • Know who she talks to online.
  • Install a safety filter.
• Know your child’s friends and their families.
• Teach your child plans for emergencies such as a fire.
  • Teach your child how and when to dial 911.
• Teach your child how to be safe with other adults.
  • No one should ask for a secret to be kept from parents.
  • No one should ask to see private parts.
  • No adult should ask for help with his private parts.

Your Growing Child

• Give your child chores to do and expect them to be done.
• Hug, praise, and take pride in your child for good behavior and doing well in school.
• Be a good role model.
• Don’t hit or allow others to hit.
• Help your child to do things for himself.
• Teach your child to help others.
• Discuss rules and consequences with your child.
• Be aware of puberty and body changes in your child.
• Answer your child’s questions simply.
• Talk about what worries your child.

School

• Attend back-to-school night, parent-teacher events, and as many other school events as possible.
• Talk with your child and child’s teacher about bullies.
• Talk to your child’s teacher if you think your child might need extra help or tutoring.
• Your child’s teacher can help with evaluations for special help, if your child is not doing well.

Healthy Teeth

• Help your child brush teeth twice a day.
  • After breakfast
  • Before bed
• Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with fluoride.
• Help your child floss her teeth once a day.
• Your child should visit the dentist at least twice a year.
• Encourage your child to always wear a mouth guard to protect teeth while playing sports.