CHILD PSYCHOLOGY

Lynne M. Kenney, Psy. D.
Kenney is a practicing pediatric psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is the author of The Family Coach Method: Raising Good, Kind, Ethical Kids in a Complicated World and has been a national ambassador of the National Head Start Association. TIP: "Your children want to behave. Rather than seeing them as defiant and disobedient, think of them as hungry to learn how to be competent, skillful, and loving."

PARENTING

Roni Cohen Leiderman, Ph. D.
Leiderman is dean of the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies at Nova Southeastern University. She is an editor of numerous books, including Play and Learn: 1001 Fun Activities for Your Baby and Child. TIP: "Have appropriate developmental expectations of your children. Your 15-month-old is going to be clingy, your 2-year-old isn't going to sit at length in a restaurant, and your 3-year-old may not share toys. Understanding and accepting this will eliminate power struggles."

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Raymond Sturner, M. D.
Sturner is an associate professor of pediatrics and former director of the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship Training Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He also helped develop the Child Health & Development Interactive System (CHADIS), a web-based health-screening program. TIP: "Give Dad a chance to get to know his baby. He may need a couple hours alone to see how his own style works without being rescued too quickly by Mom."

CHILD PSYCHOLOGY

Kyle D. Pruett, M. D.
Pruett is a clinical professor of psychiatry and nursing at the Yale School of Medicine. He is also on the board of the nonprofit Zero to Three, the author of Fatherneed, and a coauthor of Partnership Parenting. TIP: "Be yourself around your kid. If you don't let your true personality come through, your child will sense it. Great parents are authentic people."

CUSTODY ISSUES

Ned Holstein, M. D., M. S.
Holstein is the founder of Fathers & Families, a family-court reform organization. TIP: "Children need assurance that a divorce is not their fault and reassurance from each parent that they will always be there for them. Focus on answering their needs more than their questions."

EXERCISE

Jacalyn Lund, Ph. D.
Lund is chair of the department of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University. She helped write the national physical education standards for the National Association for Sport & Physical Education. TIP: "Jumping rope is a great way to exercise with your kid. Make the environment friendly and you'll build your fitness levels and your bond."

Jim Liston, M. Ed., C.S.C.S.
Liston is the cofounder of CATZ Sports Performance Center, where he has worked with kids as a fitness motivator and youth-athlete trainer. TIP: "Arrive a few minutes early to pick up your kid from practice. Immediately compliment them on one good thing you saw them do. They'll leave thinking positively, and be more excited about the next practice or game."

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Harley Rotbart, M.D.
Rotbart is the vice chair of academic affairs in the department of pediatrics at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital. He is the author of Germ Proof Your Kids. TIP: "Have your child wash her hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before going to bed. Viruses and bacteria are often transferred at night through eye-rubbing, thumb-sucking, and nose-picking."

NUTRITION

Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., C.S.S.D., L.D.N.
A sports nutritionist, Bonci is a consultant for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the company nutritionist for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. In addition, she is the author of Sport Nutrition for Coaches. TIP: "Here's a great protein-rich pregame or halftime snack: Spread a large whole-wheat tortilla with two tablespoons of peanut butter and a tablespoon of jelly. Roll it up and cut it into six pieces. Each child eats two pieces."  

Jodie Shield, M. Ed., R.D.
Shield is president of JM & Associates Inc., a nutrition-communications consulting company. She is a former national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. She is also the author of several books on children's nutrition, including the ADA's Guide to Healthy Eating For Kids. TIP: "Swap the countertop bowl of candy for a bowl of seasonal berries. You'll satisfy cravings for sweets without the fat and calories."

PEDIATRICS

David Tayloe Jr., M.D., F.A.A.P.
Tayloe is president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a full-time general pediatrician. He's worked on federal government initiatives and collaborated with Congress to ensure that children are a top priority for all government leaders. TIP: "Read to your children for a half hour each day, starting at 6 months of age. As you read, ask lots of questions. Research suggests that kids learn to talk sooner when you use books to initiate conversations."
 
Suzanne Dixon, M.D., M.P.H.
Dixon is a clinical professor at the University of Washington and a practicing pediatrician at a clinic in Great Falls, Montana. She is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics and a co-editor of Encounters with Children: Pediatric Behavior and Development. TIP: "Getting children to fall asleep on their own isn't as difficult as it seems: All you need is a simple routine, practiced with consistency."  

Harvey Karp, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Karp is assistant professor of pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and creator of the books and DVDs The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block. TIP: "Add one to three hours to your baby's sleep--and yours too--by playing sounds from the womb. Play it about as loud as a shower, all night long."

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Beth Jordan, M.D.
Jordan is a board-eligible internist specializing in women's health. She is the medical director of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. TIP: "Hand-wash all plastic food and beverage containers in warm water and never heat them in a microwave. This will reduce potential exposure to bisphenol A, a chemical that may have adverse effects on a child's brain and behavior."

SPECIAL NEEDS

Fred R. Volkmar, M.D.
Volkmar is a professor of child psychiatry, pediatrics, and psychology at the Yale School of Medicine and the director of the Yale Child Study Center. He is also the chief of child psychiatry at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital and has edited several journals about special needs, including Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. TIP: "Children learn by watching their parents. Tell them to wear a bike helmet, and wear one yourself. Otherwise, they're more likely to disobey."