Local officials in the fields of education, health and finance offer tips on how to make 2007 a year to remember

n Use everyday moments to educate young children. Name the colors of all their clothes, label household items for children to begin recognizing words, read signs along the road.

n Count things out loud with them. Counting fingers and toes can be fun.

n Encourage children to form words and communicate verbally. Ask them questions that require more than "yes" or "no" responses. Help them problem solve while they play.

n Use bath time to name body parts as they are washed.

n Be creative, consistent and fair with discipline. Time out shouldn't last longer than one minute for each year in the child's age (8 minutes for an 8-year-old). Put them in a timeout chair that is too tall for their feet to reach the ground. Withhold toys or rewards during bad behavior.