Tips for Teaching Children About Hygiene
Tips For Teaching Children About Hygiene
It goes without saying just how important hygiene is these days. With the threat of viruses out there looming over each and every one of us, you likely don’t need anyone explaining the importance of hygiene to you. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your kids see things the same way.
Maybe your kids are at an age where they can’t interrupt the importance of hygiene yet. Maybe they just play it off.
Does your daughter go days without washing her hair, while your son drains the hot water heater from taking so many showers?
Either way, hygiene can sometimes be a touchy subject, but it is one that needs to be instilled in your child at a very early age. Here re some tips for doing so.
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Starting With the Hands
It might seem simple, and all in all, it is, but it is also ever so important. Knowing how to properly and when to wash your hands can be immensely important.
It might be one of the simplest ways to protect yourself and those around you from getting sick, but it’s a highly-discussed topic when it comes to spreading diseases and germs.
The proper way to ensure that you have killed out potential germs and bacteria on your hands is by scrubbing them for at least 20 seconds. Not all kids are willing to stand there for 20 seconds, counting, and scrubbing their hands.
This is why you need to come up with some kind of little entertaining activity to keep them engaged for 20 seconds of hand washing. It could be a song.
It could be a little step routine. Whatever it is, it needs to engage your child while keeping them focused on scrubbing their hands at the same time.
Coughing and Sneezing
Coughing and sneezing are just two things that people do. It doesn’t mean that you have allergies or are getting sick. Sometimes coughing and sneezing are just natural reactions to certain exposures.
Regardless, its the perfect way to spread germs, bacteria, and disease. Regardless, teaching your child to sneeze and cough into their elbows instead of their hands or air is some of the best parenting advice that you can get these days.
While coughing and sneezing into the hands does prevent the germs from going airborne, it doesn’t stop them from spreading when you touch something afterward.
The Teeth
Your teeth are an immensely important part of your overall health. Without them, you can’t eat properly, your face will sag, and your overall appearance just won’t be what it could. This will likely also be one of the hardest areas to get your child to focus and follow directions.
Starting at the youngest age possible and making it a part of your family’s daily routine is the best way to go about broaching the subject. It is also advisable if you expose your kids to a family dentist so it will become part of their routine while growing up.
Make sure that every one of the members of your family is brushing their teeth in the morning, after meals, and before bed.
Choosing the right toothbrush can also play a pivotal role in the entire process. Younger children might need electric-powered brushes to ensure that the job gets done properly every time.