Dawn, a mother of three, is constantly dealing with running noses, sore throats and coughs. When one child gets sick, the next one gets sick, and the next ... then it's usually Dawn's turn and finally her husband's. She calculates that at least one member of her family is sick for two weeks out of the month. What can she do to help keep her family healthy?

"Every kid gets six to eight colds a year, that's average. Some get more than that," says pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp. "There are some things you can do to keep that number down."

Wash your hands often. When you do, be sure to wash vigorously for 15 seconds to kill all germs. Germs are sticky, like cooked rice, so make sure you rub your hands together well.

Change your kids' clothes after school. Germs stick to clothes too!

The best thing for boosting your immune system is sleep. Sleeping more immediately translates to strengthening your immune system. So if you do get sick, it's important to get extra sleep.

Some other great ideas to help minimize your family's exposure to germs include covers for shopping carts and disposable place mat sets.