Teaching Your Child Proper Hygiene

There are many stages of "letting go" with a parent and a child. There is the stage where your child leaves your arms for the floor. There is the stage of "off the floor and ready to roll." Before you know it, you’ve got a graduation program in hand ready to watch your child walk across the stage. You teach your child how to use the bathroom (and everything that goes along with that), you remind them to wash their hands. At night, you teach them how to brush their teeth. At some point, you teach them how to bathe themselves. Slowly, but surely, your child is becoming independent and with that independence comes the knowledge of personal hygiene.

Children learn by example. If you wash your hands before each meal, more than likely your child will follow suit (especially if you remind them.) Likewise, if you eat with dirty hands no doubt your child will eat with dirty hands. Example and reminders are a large part of teaching children about personal hygiene. But after awhile instead of it becoming a reminder, for some children they hear it as nagging. Think of all the things that you tell your children everyday - "pick up your clothes," "don’t forget your deodorant," " flush the toilet," "wash your hands," "brush your teeth," "have you had your shower yet?"

Here are some fitness tips you may want to consider so that your child will have a good foundation in personal hygiene.

Start early
Don’t wait until a child is 5 to start potty training. Most children around the age of 2 can be introduced to the potty and be successfully trained to go on their own. However, if you have the potty chair in the bathroom before you even start potty training, the child gets used to seeing it there and will eventually make the connection. Teach your son/daughter as they get older about changes they will see and experience with their bodies and the importance of cleanliness.

Lead by example
If you want your children to wash their hands before every meal, then make it a family affair. Brush your teeth in the morning and evening - and help them brush theirs. Wash your face in the morning and use a washcloth to get to theirs. Soon enough, they’ll realize the patterns they need to establish. Their attention to dental care will be enhanced because they’ve watched you and you’ve physically taught them.

Allow your children to have a voice in the choice
For example, when it’s time for your child to start using deodorant, let them pick out what kind they want to use. Giving your child the opportunity to have input into what types of hygiene products they want can go a long way in helping your child learn to take care of himself/herself independent of you. Obviously with certain things, feminine hygiene products for example, your expertise and knowledge will be important.

Give examples and reasons why hygiene is important
With older children, you can explain some of the ins and outs of germs, viruses, etc. With smaller children, games tend to work in teaching them to wash the "germies" away so that they don’t get sick.

Hopefully, you will succeed in teaching your child the importance of hygiene - thus, helping your child to feel good by having a clean and healthy body.

By Deborah Lambeth