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Stop the Spread of Germs
5 Easy Steps to Keep Your Family Healthy By Harmony Cornwell
The germ invaders have made it into your home in the form of a cold or the dreaded flu, and you know it is only a matter of time before they spread to every member of your family. But it doesn't have to be this way.
By following these 5 steps, and with some diligence, you can prevent the spread of germs. Or if you are really lucky, you can keep them out of your home by teaching your children how to practice proper hygiene at school or daycare so they do not get sick in the first place or at least not as often.
"Take as many teachable moments as you can to talk to your children about hygiene," says Dana Bates, a registered nurse from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada,and mom to a 1-year-old and 5-year-old. "By having routine interjected with teachable moments ... the children are getting enough repetition of the topic that they start to remember on their own."
Take this philosophy and apply it to these 5 steps to keep your family healthy.
1. Tissues, Tissues and More TissuesWe are always teaching our children to cover their mouths when they cough, but how often do they wash their hands after coughing into them? If it isn't each and every time it isn't enough. Have them cough into a tissue and then dispose of it right away. If this isn't practical, Lisa Vermeer, a mom of two from British Columbia, Canada, suggests coughing or sneezing into the bend of your arm to keep the germs off your hands.
