Thank you to all of you for joining me tonight!  I hope you all have a safe, healthy, and happy summer.  Good night!

It isn't necessary to drink milk.  You can get the same nutrients from other sources--other dairy products is the obvious example, but you can get calcium from some vegetables and fish sources, and there are lots of ways to get vitamin D.  Milk also has protein, but there are abundant other ways to get protein, such as from meat, fish, other dairy, as well as grains and legumes.

Some kids transition out of cosleeping easily--with some it can be more of a struggle.  Getting help from a behaviorist or another professional can make a difference.  We are struggling with this with my almost 4yo son...sometimes his older sisters have "sleepovers" with him so my husband and I can get a break!

If you are giving goat's milk, it should be fortified.  My two youngest wouldn't drink cow's milk either--I gave them orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin d.

Breastfeeding is the best thing for babies and toddlers.  The World Health Organization recommends that kids be breastfed until age 2!  If you are giving cow's milk between 1 and 2, check with your doctor as to whether low-fat or whole is best.  After age 2, except for special circumstances (such as being underweight), lowfat is best.

Shannon--it's good that you know that about your son and can do what you need to do so he doesn't get into trouble with overheating.  It's good to bring water with you if you will be outside for more than a short while.

Connie--whether or not kids should sleep in their own beds really depends on the circumstances. Sometimes cosleeping can be wonderful; sometimes it can be unhealthy or even dangerous.

If children are sweating heavily and looking flushed, you should have them rest, preferably in the shade, and drink (water is fine).  More serious signs would be dizziness, weakness, nausea or vomiting, cramps, or headache.

Shannon--I don't know that sunscreen must be applied a full 30 minutes before going outside, but it's a good idea to let it dry.  If it's still wet, it might wipe off.

Most kids aren't bothered by fluorescent lighting, but I'm sure some of them are.

April H--if your child is underweight, then higher fat milk could make sense.  Talk to your doctor.

How often sunscreen needs to be reapplied depends on whether your kid is getting wet and/or sweaty--if they aren't, a really good solid application of a high SPF in the morning should last many hours.

Connie--I am a big fan of breastfeeding (just weaned my youngest at three and a half).  It makes intrinsic sense that breastfeeding should prevent obesity, and I believe it does, but there isn't a whole lot of data to prove that breastfeeding itself does it.  It's hard to untangle from the influence of parenting.

Amanda--the kids are probably okay for 30 minutes, but it depends on your latitude and the weather.  I got a pretty good sunburn on my back this weekend in just about 30 minutes.  You should tell parents to put sunscreen on their children in the morning when they get them dressed.

April H--what we want for our children is that they have a healthy weight their entire life.  If we teach them to eat and enjoy low-fat foods, we help make that happen.

JK--I'm not sure I totally understand what you mean by allergic reactions being a form of injury.

Education is the most effective way to prevent an allergic reaction.  It's also important that there is always diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and possibly an Epipen handy; that way if despite education a reaction happens, it can be treated before it gets worse.

One thing to steer away from is the combo sunscreen and insect repellent products--because you don't want to reapply insect repellent as often as you should reapply sunscreen.

We've traditionally recommended whole milk under 2, but with so many overweight children many people feel that it should be low-fat from the start.

I like the suits with the built-in flotations too--but still, your eyes still need to be on 'em.  And I worry that the kids who wear them all the time may think that they can float even without them and might be more likely to jump in the water when they shouldn't!

The most effective insect repellents are the ones that contain DEET, and if you have a child that gets eaten alive (one of my daughters must have really sweet blood, because she gets more bites than anyone!) or if you are in an area where there is mosquito-borne illness (or tics) that's the way to go.  You can use up to 30% DEET, but don't reapply.

There are lots of other insect repellents that are less strong, and worth trying if it's less crucial.