Tumbling classes are popular among the toddler set. Not only do kids get to learn how to be civilized socialize with other tots their age, they also get some much needed exercise. Just like adults, kids need physical activity, at least an hour a day. And in time, they might actually learn to do some tumbling in the process.

So it's no surprise that little Suri Cruise loves to tumble. But according to Star magazine (which means take this story with a grain of salt), taking Suri to tumbling classes near their East Village apartment was getting to be far too big of a production, what with the paparazzi and privacy issues and all.

So instead, mom and dad are reportedly building the little girl a gymnastics room right inside their apartment, including $7,000 worth of equipment. She'll also have her own personal gymnastics teacher who visits once a week. Can you imagine having all that equipment at your disposal every day? It's like a little kid's dream come true!

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As Jacki pointed out last week, sleep is important for children's health. I can totally relate to her post about strict bedtimes ... we're going through this right now ourselves. After a long summer of lazy evenings spent with little regard to bedtime (and peaceful mornings where the kids slept in!), we now have to be up, at the latest, at 7 A.M. each morning.

Because my kids are still quite young, I know that they still need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. It's not easy getting them to bed early (my goal is 7:30), but I know that if we don't stick to the new bedtime routine, I'll have sleepy, grouchy kids who aren't getting what they need to be healthy.

So how much sleep do kids need? It depends on their age and their individual needs. My girls should be getting 10 to 12, but I know from experience that 12 is really optimum for them. Kids Health has a great article on sleep guidelines for kids. As a general rule:

• 0-6 months: Newborns may sleep up to 16-20 hours a day, split between day and night.
• 6-12 months: Between naps and nighttime, babies this age may sleep 15-16 hours a day.
• 1-3 years: Toddlers need 10 to 13 hours of sleep, including a nap
• 3-5 years: Preschoolers will sleep about 10 to 12 hours a night, and may start to drop their nap.
• 6-9 years: These kids still need about 10 hours a night.
• 10 to 12: Aim for a little more than 9 hours per night.
• Teens: Not quite adults, teens still need about 8.5 to 9 hours per night.
  

Of course, these are only guidelines. There are children who will need more sleep, as well as those who thrive on less. But in general, making sleep a priority will help your child be healthy and alert for whatever their day holds.

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Every day I learn something new from my son. He's so much better at forgiving and forgetting, he throws himself into all his activities with his whole heart, and the second he meets someone new he considers them his friend. They're beautiful lessons to learn and I'm constantly reminded that while I'm the parent and it's my role to teach him, it's also my role to put my jaded adult heart aside and learn from him, too.

When it comes to physical activity we could all take a tip from our kids. Dietblog has a list of 5 things we can learn from toddlers:

• They stay on the move. Toddlers wake up and don't slow down until it's time to go to sleep. They play, play, and play some more. Just the simple act of being in motion more can make an impact on adults' weight control and energy level. If you find you're stuck behind a desk all day, make an extra effort to move a bit more -- by a small stepper for use underneath your desk, get up and walk around the office, stand up and stretch, and make some extra trips up and down the stairs.

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If you're of the mind that television can mold a toddler's mind in the wrong direction, a new study says that some shows don't cause future attention problems in kids who spend hours in front of the boob tube.

Shows like "Barney" and "Arthur" as okay for kids under age three (who generally should not be watching television), but shows like "Rugrats" and "Power Rangers" should be off limits, according to the research.

The problem? Shows should be educational to be available to toddlers, not full of zany cartoon characters that a child witnesses over and over during a crucial time in brain development.

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Have you had those nights when your 18 month-old wakes you up from crying too much due to a persistent cough? How do you tame a coughing youngster? Off-the-shelf cough medicine?

If so, you may want to pay attention. An FDA advisory came out this week warning parents about the possible injury that can be done to kids under two when cough and cold medicines are administered without direct orders from a doctor.

Quite a few injuries and even a few deaths have been attributed to regular medicines fit for most older kids and adults, but cause children under two to have reactions and complications. That tiny print on the back or side of each bottle of cough medicine is there for a reason, but unfortunately, many parents apparently don't take the time to read it or get worried over a cough and ignore such warnings.

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The term "terrible two's" didn't get coined by accident, as I'm sure any parent would tell you. It seems to be the age when kids discover the word 'NO' and aren't afraid to use it -- as much as possible and often for no real reason other than to be difficult.

As surprising as it may be, having a willful toddler is actually a good sign. Recent studies have found that toddlers who are more defiant usually have parents with more positive parenting skills, and that the defiance may actually be a healthy sign of confidence.

So next time your disciplining your child just remember: it could be worse! They could be well-behaved and unhealthy.

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Olivia writes on urbanmamas about advice she got from the children's shoe expert at Nordstrom department store. Her post brought back sweet memories of going to Stride Rite and getting to stand on the metal shoe sizer, full of pride at how I'd grown. I always knew we were getting "good shoes" (with the doggie on the logo, or am I just imagining that?).

But I didn't realize they were also good for my health.

Developing feet need good shoes that fit just right. According to the UK's Children's Foot Health Register, bones continue to harden and grow - and shoe fitting is crucial - all the way up through age 18. What Olivia learned echoes this exactly. Correct sizing - length and width - is the most important issue in selecting shoes for children. But she also writes about the characteristics of a few popular children's shoe brands and the benefits of real leather in the fight against unhealthy shoe stink.

Our son is 16 months old and just beginning to wear shoes. I've had him in used shoes that we got at consignment shops, but Olivia's post has got me reevaluating that idea. It may be time for him to take his first trip to the shoe store.