Ten New Year’s Resolutions to Make for Your Child

1. Good nutrition makes for a healthy child. Be sure your child eats regularly and has a variety of nourishing foods.
2. Everyone should buckle up in the car. If your child needs a car seat, make sure it is a proper size for his or her height and weight and that it is properly installed into the vehicle.
3. Help reduce tobacco use among children and adolescents. If you smoke, quit. If you cannot quit, smoke outdoors to protect your child against second-hand smoke.
4. Lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). When infants are put down to sleep, place them on their backs (unless otherwise instructed by a physician).
5. Make sure your children visit the doctor regularly. Children should be immunized on time. It is the best defense against dangerous childhood diseases.
6. Give your home a safety check. Install smoke detectors, store poisonous substances out of your child's reach and know how to reach emergency services.
7. Prevent violence by setting good examples for your child. Remember words can hurt, too.
8. Read to your child on a daily basis beginning at 6 months of age to enhance his or her early brain development.
9. Monitor what your child sees in the media. Children are affected by what they see and hear. Teach the difference between fantasy and reality.
10. Provide a nurturing environment in which your child feels safe and valued. Tell your child "I love you" every day.

Reprinted with the permission of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.