When it comes to gross germs and icky illnesses, kids are like sponges. If one kid in the class gets sick, it doesn’t tend to take long for the germs to spread throughout the rest of the class (and the rest of your family, too). Before you send your kids back to school, make sure you read these top ways to prevent germs and keep those sick days to a minimum.
- Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or going to the bathroom. Make sure your child scrubs for about 20 seconds and uses antibacterial soap for the best results.
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Different coloured fruits and veggies are loaded with different healthy vitamins, so it’s important to have your kid eat the rainbow!
- Don’t share water bottles or drinks. Sharing bottles, cups, and straws are a surefire way to pick up germs from a friend, even if they aren’t currently showing any sickly symptoms.
- Don’t share your hairbrush, hat, hair clips, etc. Lice can often run rampant in elementary school classrooms, so it’s best that your child doesn’t share any items that come in contact with their head.
- Get enough sleep! As adults, we know that we need proper rest to ward off illnesses, but this is just as true with kids. Make sure your child is getting enough sleep each night, ideally aiming for an average of 10 hours.
- Never double dip! Whether it’s with veggies and dip or chips and salsa, teach your child not to double dip as it’s a common germ-spreader.
- Get fresh air and exercise. Make sure your kids don’t spend the entire weekend watching TV and playing video games! Getting a healthy dose of vitamin D each day will help keep your kids healthy, and regular exercise will help keep their bodies strong.
- Get immunized. Prevention is always the best medicine! Make sure your child is up to date on all scheduled immunizations.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth when your hands might be dirty. This is a common way for your child to spread germs and catch a cold.
- Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. Whether they use a tissue or the crook of your arm, make sure your kid catches those germs before they infect others!
- Don’t share makeup, creams, lip balm, etc. Beauty products can easily absorb our germs, so it’s best not to share these items with friends.
- Bring your own water bottle to school. Water fountains are ground zero for germs, so encouraging your kids to bring their own water bottle instead of using the school fountain.
- Consider getting a flu shot. Talk to your family doctor about seasonal flu vaccines as a further way to prevent illnesses in your whole family.
- Use hand sanitizer. If you can’t wash your hands right away after coughing, sneezing, or touching something questionable, use antibacterial hand sanitizer to fight against germs. Pack a small travel-sized bottle in your kids’ backpack!
- Stay home if you feel sick. If your child does get sick, let them stay home and rest! Not only will rest help them feel better faster, but your child’s classmates and teacher will appreciate you keeping the germs at home.
What are your top ways to avoid germs and illnesses throughout the school year? Share your tips with us in the comments!