Children’s body development is rapid, and as a result, the changes in their bodies are rapid as well. Even though these changes are evident, parents aren’t always aware of their children’s changes. That’s why it’s important to have a discussion about personal hygiene with them. So, when should personal hygiene practices begin?
Most parents want their children to have healthy personal hygiene habits. Still, many of them wonder how to raise children who show good hygiene or resist peer pressure to engage in unhealthy habits.
It seems nearly impossible to teach a child proper hygiene; your child may wash their hands a million times a day and still not wash them properly. But, teaching your child good hygiene habits doesn’t have to be as difficult as you may think.
Here are the best practices for your kids:
Use These 3 Cs Techniques
The 3 C’s-clean, check, and clean again-are a great starting place when teaching kids how to wash their hands properly.
Teaching your child good hygiene habits
Educating your child with good hygiene habits helps their overall health and provides a positive role model for your kid. Good hygiene habits will reduce the risk of infections and make your child feel more confident in school, sports, and other activities.
Washing hands
Washing hands is one of the most important things a parent can teach a child, as it prevents the spread of germs and infections. Encourage children even at an early age to wash their hands using water and soap:
- When hands feel and look dirty
- When preparing food or before eating
- After touching fluids, such as urine, blood, or vomit
- After touching an animal or anybody, or raw meat
- After sneezing, coughing, or blowing the nose
- After using the toilet
Bathing and Showering
Showering or bathing your child(ren)? It’s a challenge many parents face-and often, it’s one you can’t seem to conquer. You need to teach them how to clean their hands, their pits, their face, and their feet. This is especially important if they’ve been playing out in the dirt all day. Keep plenty of soap in your bathroom, a loofah, some shampoo, a shower foot scrubber, and any other items that can make bath time fun for the kids. With some amount of effort ingraining good showering habits into your kids, you can set them up for a healthy life.
Teach them to brush every day
This is a process that starts early, so the earlier you start, the better. One great way to instill good oral hygiene in your child, especially when they’re young, is to teach them to toothbrush every day. Additionally, get it into their habit to consult the family dentistry in tukwila (if that’s where you are located) at least twice a year. Since bi-annual dental check-up is important to maintain healthy teeth, if this habit is instilled from childhood, they are sure to follow through even when they grow up. Unless you would want your kid to end up with cavities, tooth decay, or gum diseases that could severely affect their health, it would be ideal to get them into the habit of visiting an oral healthcare professional who offers childrens dentistry in urbandale or wherever you are located.
Teach them to clean ears properly
Teach them to dry their ears thoroughly after showering or swimming. In addition, show them how to use a cotton swab correctly and safely to keep the ears clean. Also, explain to them not to put anything in their ear or not to try removing the ear wax themselves, as it can damage the eardrum. Schedule visits with a doctor for ear wax removal, so that they understand how to maintain clean ears from early on.
Clothes and shoes
Children spend a lot of time in either their PJs (or, oftentimes, their clothes) or their pajamas, and learning how to take care of themselves properly begins with good hygiene habits. Clothes and shoes are just the beginning of learning how to take care of our bodies.
Teaching your child good hygiene habits takes time and patience; that’s where the “teachable moment” comes in. A recent survey revealed that 60% of parents said their child either has or wants their cell phone, while 33% of those same parents said their child wants or needs their own tablet. Even though tablets and cell phones are fun, these devices can be a big distraction in the classroom, which is why it’s important to teach your children proper hygiene habits.
Good hygiene habits are one of the most important things you can teach your children as a parent. You want to instill in them good grooming habits that will not only help them feel good but will also benefit their current and future health.
When our children develop good hygiene habits, they are more likely to have good overall health. But as we all know, children can be so fickle. They want to eat what’s in front of them.
Children begin to develop very early in life, and it’s our job to make sure they are cared for properly and are able to lead healthy lives. One of the most important factors a child needs to develop is proper hygiene. One of the most important factors in a child’s development is proper hygiene. Healthy skin, proper communication skills, and a healthy immune system are all important parts of a child’s development.
For parents, the main priority when teaching children proper hygiene is not whether they have clean teeth or clean hands but whether they have a proper understanding of germs. By teaching children what germs are and what they can do, and why they shouldn’t touch their faces or eat with their hands, parents take the first step in preventing illness and spreading germs.