Good Hygiene Habits To Teach Your Child

Good Hygiene Habits To Teach Your Child

Hygiene is one of the most important aspects of our lives, not only does it ensure we live healthy lives without illnesses but also it is an indicator of a good self-image that leads to high self-esteem. Teaching children about personal hygiene habits right from a very young age is a good idea so that they can help them take care of themselves and carry it forward into being responsible adults. Children are also more prone to infections, so stressing the importance of cleanliness can help avoid any such infections.

Children have high movement and activity, whether it is at school or at home playing with toys or their friends. So, getting them to sit in one place and listen to you can appear to be a task for many parents. That is why incorporating personal hygiene lessons within playtime and while spending time with them around the house can really help the child grasp it in a fun way and practise it themselves.

Here are some ways in which you can teach your child personal hygiene:

Hand and Food Hygiene

Start with the basics, which is washing your hands before and after every meal and after using the washroom. Parents can make use of many animations and short movies available online to teach their children about bacterias and infections that can be caused by dirty hands. Educational cartoon videos are a popular way to teach children about hygiene and moral values coupled with their parents’ counselling.

Parents should also pay attention to lead by example. Show your child the good habits of hygiene by doing them yourselves like washing hands, brushing your teeth at night and bathing thoroughly. We cannot expect our children to do something that we don’t follow. When you are doing something while cooking like washing vegetables and fruits, let your child know every day “It is important to wash fruits before eating”, this way we are creating rules in their mind and they are more likely to remember it when they see us do it.

Let your child also form a habit of washing his/her every time they come home from outside, sneezing, tying their shoes and meeting with a friend. Hand hygiene also includes nail hygiene which is so important as our nails can store a lot of bacteria and germs inside them. Your child’s nails should be kept clean and short at all times, and create a habit of cleaning the nails every time they wash their hands. Short nails will also avoid the habit of nail biting which is also unhygienic.

hygiene for kids

 

Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is very basic as well but the most important. Your child should have the habit of brushing his teeth twice a day, after waking up in the morning and before sleeping. Parents should teach the children how to brush their mouth thoroughly and also floss every day, to avoid dental cavities.

oral hygiene for kids

 

Bathing and Toilet Hygiene

Bathing habits should include thorough and complete washing of all body parts every day with antibacterial soap. Especially armpits, neck, legs and feet, which are areas that can deposit germs and sweat. Parents should ensure that the child is scrubbing their feet every day and cleaning them with soap, to avoid any fungal infections or smelly feet. Facial skin should be paid more attention to, as it is more delicate. Pay attention to hair hygiene as well, an unclean scalp can invite dandruff and lice. Your kids should be taught how to shampoo thoroughly and keep their scalp clean. it is all a matter of everyday practise until it is a part of your child’s life.

Toilets contain the maximum number of germs in the house, parents should pay attention to the child’s toilet hygiene. This includes cleanliness after passing stool or peeing, washing their hands afterwards, keeping the toilet seat down when done and teaching them how to flush.

Also Read: How To Boost Immunity in Kids

Home Hygiene

Creating a clean environment around you is so important to the personal hygiene regime. Your child should know the importance of a clean room and house. Little habits like making your own bed after waking up, keeping your shoes outside the bedroom and keeping dirty dishes in the sink themselves can go a long way!

Inculcating personal hygiene habits for kids is not an overnight process, it takes time and consistency from the parents’ side every single day. It is important to lead by example, constantly voice the activities to create an impression in the child’s mind, and include your child in everyday activities. Good personal hygiene is crucial to form professional and personal relationships in adult life, so we must teach our kids from the start.

 

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