Getting your little one into the hand sanitising habit
Good hygiene has always been important, but since it’s now regarded as a life-saving move rather than a mere rule for life, it’s never too soon to get your little ones on track. Here’s how to do it.
For most moms, a hygiene routine is part of childcare. We automatically wash our hands after changing a nappy or helping our kids use the loo; before cooking their food and again after serving it – and, once they’re old enough, we make sure they do the same, too. That means that they’re already wired to keep things clean.
That’s a good thing, points out Joan Tindale, principal of Greenpark Nursery School, because so many nasties are warded off with plain old soap and water. And it’s just a small step from there to making hand sanitizer a habit, too.
Recogise that your child is probably already used to the concept of sanitiser
Most parents already carried a bottle of sanitizer around even before it became the must-have item of 2020, so probably weren’t too thrown off when it became an indispensable item on every shopping list. Which means that your little one is probably used to it too. Again, that’s happy news, because they probably don’t consider it a strange, new and slightly sinister custom upon entering and exiting public spaces.
Keep it light and fun
Even so, says Joan, it’s good to turn handwashing and sanitizing into something fun. “Whatever your own feelings about pandemic hygiene, don’t be tempted to overexplain it when you talk to your child. Keep it all lighthearted,” she advises. “Focus on the fun of building up a lather, for instance.” Although your kids may be long over the thrill of singing “happy birthday” twice over while washing their hands, you can still up the fun factor by making up your own 20-second song. Just make sure that they are still learning the basics of the habit: “They need to know that when we wash our hands, we put the plug in, lather up for 20 seconds, then rinse and dry thoroughly,” says Joan.
Find your favourite brand of sanitiser
When it comes to sanitizer, you may find that kids are less resistant if you use your own rather than relying on those supplied by shops, which often sting, chap or burn little hands, especially if there are cuts. Find a brand you enjoy – there are many gentler varieties available.
If your kids need a little help getting used to the non-stop spraying, you can act out a trip to the shops before venturing out: “One of you can play the customer who pushes the trolley, while the other is the person who stands at the door to greet people and give them sanitizer,” Joan suggests.
“Kids aren’t scared of the pandemic until they pick up that we are, so if you remove the fear factor from hygiene, it becomes nothing more than a part of their daily lives,” she concludes.
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