1. April 3rd is Kick Butts Day! [return to top]

Kick Butts Day is an annual initiative that encourages activism and leadership among elementary, middle and high school students. It's the day America's kids stand up to tobacco, and America's adults stand up for kids. Kick Butts Day rallies and events take place in every state, and several nations, showing that kids are powerful voices in the fight against tobacco.

We need to help our kids to distinguish fact from fiction. And it's not too soon to begin. For example, if you are watching TV with your 8-year-old and smoking is mentioned, you can say, "Do you know that smoking is so bad for your lungs, it can cause people to die?" If your child has questions, answer them. If not, let it go. Short, simple comments repeated often enough will get the message across.

For tips on Talking with Kids about drugs, including tobacco, visit:
* http://www.talkingwithkids.org/drugs.html

Visit the official Kick Butts Day Web site at:
* http://kickbuttsday.org/

2. Tip of the Month: Listen to Your Child [return to top]

An important tip from the Talking with Kids campaign: listen to your child. In our busy lives, how often do we listen to our children? Listening to our kids builds their self-esteem and lets them know they are important to us. Listening can also lead to valuable talks about tough issues, like sex and alcohol or drugs. Giving your children your full attention when they talk will help them to be open with you-all year long.

For a list of Ten Tips for Talking with Kids, visit:
* http://www.talkingwithkids.org/first.html

3. Featured Talking with Kids Resource: KidsHealth [return to top]

KidsHealth is one of the largest sites on the Web providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence. Created by The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, KidsHealth provides families with accurate, up-to-date, and jargon-free health information they can use.

Please note: Children Now does not necessarily endorse the opinions of the organizations listed below. These links are provided for informational purposes only. No health Web site can substitute for advice from one's personal clinician.

View the KidsHealth listing in the TWK Resource Directory at:
* http://www.talkingwithkids.org/local.html

Visit the KidsHealth Web site at:
* http://www.kidshealth.org/index_noflash.html

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