Report Boasts Plenty of Positives About U.S. Kids

What This Means to You

Childhood is filled with plenty of tears as well as triumphs, but both you and your kids will learn how to decrease disappointments and maximize successes as you go.

Whether you're bringing up a teething baby or a blossoming teen, here are just some of the big-picture things you can do to help your kids be happy and to keep their brains and bodies healthy as they grow:

• Get regular health care for your whole family. That means prenatal appointments throughout your pregnancy, plus routine immunizations and well-child checkups for your kids.
• Encourage a healthy lifestyle that includes plenty of regular exercise and a nutritious diet that's short on sugar and fat, and long on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and calcium-rich foods.
• Limit screen time (TV, computer, video games) to no more than 2 hours of quality programming a day for kids over age 2.
• Keep injuries at bay. Childproof your home. Always use age-appropriate car seats (or seatbelts, when they're old enough). Enforce safety rules like wearing helmets. Keep guns out of your home or locked up and out of reach.
• Practice positive discipline — don't hit or spank, and emphasize the good things your kids do more than the bad.
• Work quality family time into your schedule, whether it's eating dinner together every night or taking a bike ride around the neighborhood.
• Be a positive role model so that they'll do as you say and as you do. For example, show them the importance of being kind to others, loving yourself for who you are, and leading an active, healthy lifestyle.
• Talk about the tough stuff — from sex to smoking, drugs to alcohol — early on, keeping your kids' ages and maturity levels in mind.
• Tune in and really listen to your kids' needs and opinions so they'll realize that you recognize and value how they feel and what they think.
• Ask questions and follow your gut. If you think there's a problem or need help in any area, don't hesitate to call your doctor.
• Take care of yourself so that you can take the best possible care of your kids, from the time they're swaddled in a hospital blanket until they’re wearing that cap and gown.

Source: "America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007.”