Health & Safety
In this Section
Stress researchers believe that the greatest risk for many children is the stress of the way we live. Stress makes all humans, young and old, more vulnerable to dangers from anxiety to depression, and from obesity to substance abuse. Here are a dozen tips that together help provide a protective shield for your child against the stresses of our modern lives.
The internet world is like a city: jam-packed with information and resources worthy of the finest museums, but also holding menace for the unwary. You wouldn't let your child wander unsupervised and unprepared in a city. The risks are rare, but real -- internet predators do lure kids into meeting them, resulting in tragedies that include abduction and murder. So in the same way that you appropriately monitor your child's physical whereabouts, you'll want to supervise your child's internet usage and teach her web smarts, from net etiquette to web literacy to simple safety.
The average fifth grader, given a choice, prefers to stay inside, close to electrical sockets and all the entertainment sources they power. But your grandmother was right: Kids need fresh air and exercise. We all do. Kids who spend time outside in nature, research shows, are calmer, happier, less likely to be overweight, and do better in school. And families who find ways to be outdoors together nurture not only their bodies, but their connection to all of life -- and to each other.
The good news is that much bullying is preventable, and while you may not be able to completely bully-proof your child, you can empower him to keep bullies away -- and keep him from becoming a bully.
It's a big world out there. When your child was a baby or toddler, you were always there, or you left your child in the care of a trusted, nurturing adult. But as your child gets older, you'll be holding his or her hand less and less. You're bound to worry a bit about safety.
Parents are the most important influence on whether kids drink alcohol, and the earlier you start these conversations, the better. Kids whose parents teach them the risks of using drugs and alcohol are half as likely to use them. Don't wait until your kids are teens before you have these conversations.
Parents often wonder when to begin talking with children about this issue. The answer is that prevention begins with how we talk with our children about their bodies from infancy on.
Eating disorders--as you probably know--are a serious risk factor for your child. Parents have a lot more power than they realize to prevent eating disorders, but your intervention works best when it starts early.
Click here to watch Dr. Laura's video "When Girls Want To Dress Inappropriately at a Young Age."