Hygiene is an indispensable part of our lives. Proper hygiene helps us avoid a lot of health problems and diseases (the current situation bears witness to that). However, maintaining proper hygiene is difficult for us as well as our young tykes. But this task is not going to be that easy. They will not give in easily.
Maintaining kids’ hygiene is a battle you continually fight with your little ones. It drains you out. For kids, hygiene is one of the things that are boring and unnecessary for them. But we as adults know better and want them to learn. But that process is way too tiring. So, here is a way to teach your kids hygiene without losing your sanity.
Don’t be afraid to let them try.
Children always want to try and do things on their own. But, parents are scared to let them do anything on their own as they fear kids might hurt themselves. And so, they never let them do it on their own. Furthermore, you expect from them that they will learn about hygiene. How will they get a grasp on it until they try?
Don’t worry too much about your kids. They are stronger than you think. And anyway, your primary goal is to make them independent. So, the earlier they start, the better. Next time if your child says that they want to brush their teeth on their own don’t refuse. There is no harm in trying something new.
You do, they do.
Our kids always try to do what we are doing. They want to do what the grown-ups are doing. Usually, this is something that annoys us. But in this situation, we can put it to use. Whenever you are doing your morning chores, get them involved. You are brushing your teeth; they brush their teeth, you cut your nails; they also want to get their nails cut. The list is endless.
At first, you might find it annoying that they are following you everywhere. Kids will also ask a lot of questions. Don’t lose your patience. Go with the flow. And you will be rewarded in time with results.
Play games.
Kids hate hygiene. Kids love playing. And when you put together the two you understand, make it a game and they will like it. Children love to play games, and no matter what, they can’t say no to playtime.
The first game is glitter hands. Kids do not wash their hands for as long as they should. So the solution is to put glitter on their hands. Glitter takes time to scrub off. So they will wash their hands properly. The second one is to show kids how germs pass on. Paint their hands as if they sneezed in their palms.
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Then let them go about doing their work. That ought to teach them the basic necessity of hygiene. While also keeping it fun for them.
Don’t force.
Force never brings anything good. It rubs people off the wrong way. Children are no different. Your intentions are always good, but if you force them, it won’t work. There are a few ways it will go from here. First, they will not do it at all and become stubborn about it.
Second, they will do it for the time being in front of you but, whenever you aren’t there, they will resort to their old ways and be stubborn about it.
So, there is no way it ends well. We don’t want them to blindly follow what you are saying just because you forced them into it.
Be patient, be positive.
Your child will not follow the hygiene routine right away. It will take time. They are kids, after all, even adults take time to fall into a schedule. Don’t lose your patience. Focus on the bigger picture.
Your child will resist. But don’t retaliate in the same fashion. It will only increase negativity between you. I know time is of the essence, but it will only increase the resistance if you put pressure on them continually.
Keep it simple.
Don’t overcomplicate things than they already are. Your main goal is to get them into maintaining hygiene. So, let that be the goal all along. There is no need to attach too many strings to it and complicate it any more. If you want them to wash their hands, then just say so.
There is no need for elaborate plans and traps to get the job done. You want them to clean their hands, not send someone on the MARS mission. It is easier for you as well as your child if things are not complicated.
Don’t be too strict about it.
What you need to understand is that they are just little kids. Children have far more pressing things to do, like; play, eat, sleep, and repeat, rather than focusing on such trivial matters like cleanliness. The point being they are kids, they will be naughty.
They will want to have fun. And let’s face it, even as adults we are not a fan of all these things but do it nonetheless (or is it just me?)
If they want to skip a bath once in a while, it is okay. They are not going to sprout tentacles immediately just because they missed a bath on Sunday. Loosen up a bit. It is okay to shake things up a little. Even we have holidays from work. It is only fair that they get their holiday too, that is if they want it.
When it comes to kids, everything is a challenge. Teaching them anything or imbibing values is a huge feat. But with the right methods, it becomes considerably easy. In most cases, child and hygiene don’t mix well (and in the cases where they do mix, congratulations!)
Hence, these catalysts are necessary. You have to take your time with them. Don’t give up on trying. It is a sprint, not a marathon. And may you have good luck with it! (you will need it).