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The first years are magical, filled with promise and potential. There will be first steps, first teeth and first tears. Amid the excitement will be twinges of anxiety. But that's okay.

Your little one give you lots to think about. Take safety for example. Everything from car seats to cribs requires careful consideration. In fact, by the time your child is crawling, your house will resemble one giant childproof playground. There will be safety latches on kitchen cabinets to keep prying hands out and a safety gate blocking the top stair to keep baby from taking a tumble.

Of course, it's impossible to be completely prepared for everything your baby will experience. Just remember: These experiences are opportunities for you to praise, encourage, teach and model. This is your time to create a bond with your child that will outlast rebellion and separation

Stop Poking the Baby "If you hit your little sister one more time, I will slap you!"

Okay. You said it. Now what? If you follow through on the threat, you engage in exactly the same behavior you're trying to stop, and you will hurt your child. What can you do if your toddler can't seem to stop hitting, jabbing, pushing or poking a younger sibling?

Monitoring whereabouts A baby should never be left alone in any area where other young children - or pets - have unrestricted access to him or her.

Many parents choose to wear a sling that holds the baby close to them. The sling gives parents the freedom to move their arms and perform multiple tasks while still holding the baby. It also makes it difficult for a toddler to reach up and poke or prod.

Teaching appropriate touch Help your child understand that babies need to be handled with care. You can teach your toddler gentle touch using a "pretend baby," such as a doll.

Teaching your toddler how to act around the baby may take several weeks. It is not a "one-and-done" learning experience. Use the doll to demonstrate good touching and playing behaviors. Practice with your toddler. When he or she consistently displays good behavior with the doll, reward your toddler with more supervised time with the baby.

Catch'em being good "Baby bucks" can be a reward system for your toddler's good behavior. Each buck a child earns for good behavior can be turned in for a reward or treat, such as watching a video, getting a special snack, reading an extra bedtime story or spending more time with you and the baby.

The rewards should be directly linked to your toddler's behavior with the baby. Rewards and consequences (for bad behavior) should be significant and important to your child. As your toddler's behavior improves, you can reduce the rewards and focus on other behaviors he or she struggles with.

Set limits on your toddler's television time . Many experts recommend that preschoolers watch no more than one hour of TV daily.

Watch TV with your child . Be a filter for your child by helping him or her understand what's happening on screen.

Teach your child to take "No" for an answer . Nagging or whining for something comes naturally to children. You must teach your child that there will be times when he or she wants something, but you will have to say "No."

Reward your child with time and attention rather than with things . Give your child "people" rewards (hugs, kisses, time spent with Mom and Dad) when he or she has earned it for good behavior.

Encourage play activities that promote creativity, problem-solving and concentration . TV entertains kids, but it doesn't engage the part of the brain that thinks critically or solves problems.

Find ways to involve your child in volunteer or service activities . When you donate your time and energy to a cause, look for opportunities to explain to your child why you do this or have your child assist you. Using these strategies successfully when your child is young will help him or her develop a sound system of values that puts people first. He or she may still get enticed by the latest toy or snack food on the market, but you will have given your child a larger framework from which to understand personal desires and choices.

I'm Not Going to Take Anymore When your child is angry and throws a tantrum, do you feel as though you have no control? Thoughts of helplessness can creep into the mind of even the most motivated parent. A common reaction from parents whose child has just thrown a fit is to quickly return to life as usual. However, if little Johnnie or Suzy isn't taken aside and taught that tantrums won't be tolerated, the behavior is sure to repeat itself.

The next time your child has a meltdown, remember: You need to control your own emotions, and you need to correct your child's behavior.

Here are a few strategies to help you and your child stay in control.

Training days Take time each day to practice your own personal staying-calm plan. The plan can be as simple as taking several deep breaths or as involved as reciting a positive message in your head.

Have a game plan for dealing with your child's tantrums. You and your spouse should agree on what to say and do when a child acts out. It's important for children to have parents who encourage and enforce the same behavior expectations. Devise signals or choose "clue words" that will alert you or your spouse when your emotions are starting to run high or when your child's behavior is spiraling out of control.

If you're a single parent, always be consistent. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.

Never surrender Avoid arguing or debating with your toddler. You're the parent. The more rational you are, the quicker your child is likely to respond to your request. Parents who surrender are parents who exhibit the very behaviors they're trying to stop (yelling, arguing, threatening, etc.).

Don't sacrifice your adult role to act out your child's naughty behavior.

Return to the crime Your first reaction after stopping a tantrum may be to escape from the scene and get back to something more pleasant. However, your child should have the opportunity to undo whatever he or she did.

Children are never too young to start taking responsibility for their actions.

If your child acted out by making a mess, saying naughty words, hitting others or destroying objects, make him or her correct the situation. That means cleaning up the mess, apologizing, doing something nice for others or replacing what was broken.

Children who must deal with their negative actions learn a valuable lesson.

Effective consequences For example, if your child acts out in a store, don't threaten never to visit that store again - that's unrealistic. More effective consequences include going to the car for a time-out or taking away a snack, a possession, playtime or some other privilege.

If you go to the car for time-out, give your child a few minutes to calm down. Then, clearly describe the appropriate behavior you expect when he or she is in the store. You may even want to practice how to follow instructions and accept "No" for an answer. The latter may require several practices.

After you've explained your expectations and practiced with your child, return to the store. Let your child demonstrate what you taught during time-out. Give simple instructions, and praise your child for following your directions.

Ready-Steady Emergency Kit

We cannot always protect our children from every possible threat, but we can help them feel more secure. One way to do this is by making a Ready-Steady Emergency Kit.

The purpose of the kit is to help children develop a sense of control and confidence in their world. Giving children a sense of security reduces their anxiety and can help them cope when the unexpected happens.

Preparing an emergency kit should be a family activity. A fun way to get everyone involved is by turning it into a game such as a treasure hunt. Here are a few ideas for getting started:

1. Let your children pretend to be pirates. Mom and Dad can be ship captains.

2. Crumple a brown paper bag and write on it all the supplies an emergency kit should have. This is the "treasure map" the kids will use.

3. Mom and Dad should collect the various safety supplies and hide them around the house. This may require extending the game over a period of a few days. Items to be "discovered" can include:

   • First-aid kit

   • Battery-operated radio or TV

   • Flashlight

   • Bottled water

   • Cash or credit cards

   • Batteries

   • Clothes

   • Matches

   • Canned food

   • Waterproof bags/containers

   • Sleeping bags

   • Blankets

   • Personal hygiene items (soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.)

   • Games and books

   • Tools

    

4. Assign each item a point value. The pirate or pirate team that earns the most points or finds the most supplies listed on the treasure map wins a prize. Prizes could involve having the losing team make ice cream sundaes for the winners.

Action Plan Once you've assembled the kit, hold a family meeting. This is when you should discuss a plan of action in case of an emergency. For example, go over what to do in the event of a house fire. Show your children multiple ways of exiting the home. Agree on a meeting place outside if everyone has to flee the house. This safe place could be a neighbor's home or the front yard.

You may need to make a chart for young children to help them understand where to go and how to know whether they should stay in the house or evacuate.

At the family meeting, tell your children what to do in case there are no adults around. Have a list of emergency phone numbers that include relatives and trusted friends. Be sure to include 911.

Talking to your children about what to do in an emergency is a good start. Practicing what to do is even better.

Emergency drills Once every month or so, practice your emergency plan. Use different sounds to alert the family about the type of emergency that's occurring. For example, a whistle means fire drill and a drum means tornado or weather-related drill.

Watch how your family responds. After the drill, have a family meeting to discuss how everyone remembered and performed the family's emergency action plan.

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