Tips for protecting and nurturing children 

  1. Provide a nurturing environment in which children feel loved, safe and valued. 
  2. Help reduce tobacco use among children, adolescents and young adults. If you smoke, stop. If you can't stop, smoke outdoors to protect children against secondhand smoke.

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  3. Good nutrition makes for a healthy child. Be sure that your child eats regularly and has a variety of nourishing foods.

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  4. Everyone should buckle up in the car. Help avoid the leading cause of disabilities and death of children before you turn on the engine.

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  5. Lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in infants. When babies are put down to sleep, they should be placed on their back.

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  6. Make sure that every child is immunized on schedule. It's the best defense against many dangerous childhood diseases.

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  7. Give your home a safety check. Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, store poisonous substances out of the reach of children and know how to access emergency services.

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  8. Prevent violence by setting good examples for children. Remember that words can hurt, too. Also, hitting, slapping or spanking children may suggest it's okay to hit others to solve problems so use non-physical forms of discipline.

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  9. Read to your children on a daily basis beginning at 6 months of age to enhance their early brain development.

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  10. Be aware of what children see in the media, including television, movies and music, because children are affected by what they see and hear. Teach children the difference between fantasy and reality.