Always follow the car seat use laws of your state AND the states in which you plan to travel.

When driving to your destination, be DEFENSIVE!

Play family games outside - touch football, soccer, Frisbee or basketball are great ways to have family fun.

With many family members being together for celebrations, toddlers often are left to explore a possibly unsafe, non-poison-proofed home of a relative. Ensure that the home you are visiting poses no safety hazards for your child (long stairways, decks or ledges of porches, kerosene heaters, poisonous plants, etc). Review our Poison Safety Recommendations page.

Take your bottles of Ipecac and Activated Charcoal with you when visiting. They do no good unless you have quick access to them! 

Have the local POISON CONTROL CENTER phone number for the state which you plan to travel available for quick reference (get the number for ALL 50 states from YourPediatrician.com's interactive Poison Control Center Map).

Limit salt intake (avoid adding salt to your child's foods).

Completely avoid foods and snacks that pose a choking hazard to children under age 4 (pieces of Turkey with bones, peanuts, popcorn, chewing gum, hard candies).

Keep toddlers and young children OUT OF THE KITCHEN during cooking and baking times. Be especially careful to make sure handles of pots and pans are turned inward toward the back of the stove so they won't be grabbed by your child. Also, be cautious of hot cups of coffee or tea that are setting around the home - they are very tempting to explore from your child's perspective and cause thousands of significant burns each year.

Be especially thankful of the joys your child brings to you and your family. BE SURE TO TELL AND SHOW YOUR CHILD HOW YOU FEEL!