Get The Kids Out Into The (Cold) Fresh Air!

Many parents think that they should keep their little ones indoors during cold winter months.  However, it is not the cold weather that makes people sick more often during the winter.  Not directly anyway.  What increases the amount of sickness during winter months is the fact that people spend more time together indoors, thereby spreading their germs to each other more often.  So bundle up those little ones and get them out for some fresh air each day!  Bonus:  Being in the sun each day will also alleviate "cabin fever" & the "winter blues" - the restlessness & depression that children and adults can experience after being cooped up inside for the winter.

Know Your Local Hospitals

As my family found out the hard way last year, not all hospital emergency rooms are equipped for or capable of handling pediatric emergencies.  For example, our two year old was sent home with a broken elbow because the emergency room doctor was afraid to properly examine her and the radiologist could not properly read her x-ray; broken and fractured bones are sometimes harder to read on children.  Know ahead of time which hospitals in your area have a Pediatric Emergency Room, and have the phone number and driving directions in your home and in your car, so that you know exactly where to go in an emergency. 
As I also recently discovered when I scalded myself with burning hot oil following a Christmas night deep fryer explosion, it is a good idea to know which hospitals in your area have burn units, as the last thing you want to do when you are in pain is waste time trying to figure out where to go.