Avoiding Back-to-School Germies

It seems that soon after the kids go back to school, the family starts getting sick more often. Yes, the germs they get at school come home with them and spread. Various studies (you can google it) show things such as cafeteria trays, desks, drinking fountains, and the like having more germs than school toilet seats. Now that’s just gross.

While you can’t disinfect every inch of the school, you can teach your child proper sanitary habits at home. When my daughter went to preschool at four years old, we made sure she brought a little bottle of sanitizer with her. When she got home, it was half empty (or is it half full?) and the next day it was totally gone. We gave her another one and the same thing happened. Not only did she remember to keep her hands clean but, apparently, she wanted everyone else to do the same since she had been sharing her sanitizer with every child in her class!

Some might feel that it’s too hard reminding their kids to always wash their hands AND to do so for about 30 seconds with soap and warm water. Remember that commercial where the little boy sneezes on his hand then opens the classroom door? Uhm, yeah. It might be a pain to constantly check on them but it’s for their own good and their well-being. Plus, they’ll learn a lot faster if they see you doing the same after using the restroom or before handing food.

How germ-conscious are your kids?