5 Tips to Keep Kids Healthy This Winter

1. Talk to your doctor about flu shots.

2009's H1N1 outbreak is no joke. The best thing you can do for your kids this winter might be to get them vaccinated. Flu shots can be hard to come by, so you might need to visit your doctor in person to talk about vaccinations; in the meantime, you can find out more at the ParentsASK Guide to Flu Vaccines.

2. Help your kids eat right.

Kids with better nutrition have stronger immune systems, according to kidshealth.org. Make sure they're getting a full five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and a balanced diet overall. Having trouble getting them to eat right? Try the ideas at Inspire Kids to Eat Better With Creativity, which includes games and activities to make nutrition more fun.

3. Encourage outdoor playing.

Physical activity keeps the body in shape-and that includes the immune system. But when it's cold out, kids are about half as likely to get exercise as when the sun is shining. Instead of letting them bounce around the house or zone out at the TV, send your kids outside to play. They may not be able to stay out long, but even a small amount of physical activity will get their hearts pumping. Too cold to go out at all? This MSNBC article offers ideas (and reasons) for indoor exercise during the dead of winter.

4. Enforce bedtimes.

Kids need a lot more sleep than adults do, but these days the constant availability of entertainment is apt to keep them mesmerized half the night. However, every hour of sleep deprivation takes a big toll on the body's function (not to mention the brain). Not convinced? Read what kidshealth.org has to say about how TV affects your child (and how to enforce good habits).

It may make you feel like an evil witch, but if your kids have bad TV-watching or Internet habits, step in to make sure they're getting the sleep their bodies need. They'll thank you when they're 30.

5. Wash your hands.

This is an obvious one, but it bears repeating: the single easiest way to stop germ transmission is to make sure every family member washes their hands regularly. Have your kids scrub when they get home from school; after they use the bathroom; before and after eating; and any time they come into contact with other people. According to WebMD, handwashing should last 20 seconds, or about the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.

Keep your own hands clean, too, and wipe down doorknobs and other high-contact zones-especially if anyone in your family starts sniffling.

Sources:
Cara Natterson MD, "Your guide to flu vaccines this winter." ParentsASK.
"Inspire Kids to Eat Better with Creativity." Good Health for Kids.
"Nutrition & Fitness." KidsHealth.
"Keep kids moving when the weather is frightful." MSNBC.
"How TV Affects Your Child." KidsHealth.
R. Morgan Griffin, "Every Mom's Germ Fighting Guide: How to Nurture Cleanliness in Your Family." WebMD.