Your Health: Kids, keep those bike helmets on

Keeping children in those back seats properly strapped in, or in their bike helmets even when a parent can't see them, can become a battle of wits and wills.

Here are a few ways for parents to win:

• Start early. "They need to know they can't ride around on wheels without a helmet on their heads," she says.

• Stay firm. Give in once, and your child learns you'll give in again.

• Engage the kids. Let them know the physical milestones they'll need to pass before moving from a car seat to a booster or a booster to an adult belt. (See details at usa.safekids.org.)

• Get help. Establish a neighborhood bike-helmet watch and let the kids know that any adult who sees them without protective gear will give you a call.

• Set a good example. Adults who don't wear helmets or seat belts send a strong message — that casting them off is a rite of passage.