Wash, wash, wash your hands.

I am sure we are all getting sick and tired of hearing to wash our hands. But the fact that people aren’t doing it is also what is probably making us sick and tired.

How many of us have seen someone use the restroom when we are out and about, and they leave the restroom without washing their hands? I know I have seen it plenty!

I see it everyday when kiddos do not want to take the extra time to wash their hands after they use the bathroom. I have seen it in the school system when they don’t let the kids wash their hands throughout the day, even when there is a sink in their room! Kids need to be able to wash before and after they eat each day, no matter how much extra time it takes.

Right now, we are being faced with a significant health challenge with the Coronavirus. Thankfully, it does not seem to be affecting kiddos as much as older adults, so as a daycare provider, I can be a bit relieved. But, they could be a carrier of the virus, and we would never know. Kids have colds and allergies, and there is no way to tell the difference at this point between what is a normal cold and what could be an underlying symptom of the Coronavirus that could be passed onto the adults around them. We all know that kids do not always cover their mouths properly when they sneeze or cough, if they even cover them at all! They are also very oral creatures when they are young, and the virus can stay on surfaces for a few days, so make sure to wash any items your kiddo puts in their mouth.

Make sure to wash your hands and face each day, as well as your kiddos. Try and teach them to keep their hands off their face, as that is where germs can get into their bodies. Most of my daycare kiddos are good at using the inside of their elbow to catch their sneezes and coughs. If they could just keep their fingers out of their noses!

At my house, the kiddos wash their hands before and after lunch, after we come inside from playing outside, after they use the restroom, after they use a tissue, after they put their fingers in their mouth or nose, and any other time I think is necessary. It is a must and hand sanitizer should only be used when soap and water is not around. Remember to have them sing the ABC song or count to 20 when they wash, so they are most effective at getting the germs off.

I hope this virus is not long-lasting and continues to be mild in most of the population. But until that happens, please remember to wash, wash, wash!