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It is essential to teach your children about good personal hygiene at a young age. Teaching them how to keep themselves clean and hygienic will help them stay healthy as they grow older. Here are five tips for teaching your children about personal hygiene:
Explain the Meaning of Good Personal Hygiene to Them
From a young age, you can be having conversations with your child about how important it is to keep ourselves clean and to practise good hygiene. Explain to your children what it meant by personal hygiene, it is, of course, more than just having a bath. Talk about how personal hygiene is the practice of keeping their body clean and healthy, as well as their hair, face, hands, feet, nails and teeth too.
As well as explaining you'll want to demonstrate to your child how to clean themselves well and help them understand that they must thoroughly wash their genitals too as this can be an area where bacteria easily breeds. By explaining personal hygiene to your children in a way that is age-appropriate and easy for them to understand, they will be more likely to remember and practice it as they grow older.
Show Them How to Clean Their Teeth
Another vital part of personal hygiene is oral health. Teach your children how to brush their teeth twice a day for a full two minutes each time. Make sure they are using a toothbrush that is the correct size for their age and using toothpaste with fluoride. If your child is old enough, you can also teach them how to floss their teeth, wrapping the floss around their fingers and gently inserting it between their teeth, using a clean piece for each new tooth. Remember to help them understand that they need to be gentle when flossing so that they don’t hurt their gums.
Making the best of the teeth you have is so important but it won't always be enough to give you the smile of your dreams, so as your child grows they may need help from an orthodontist or once they are adults maybe even visit cosmetic dentists Glasgow.
Show Them How to Wash their Hands Properly
I'm sure the recent Coronavirus pandemic has made everyone aware of the importance of good hand washing techniques. It isn't enough to just splash one hand under a little water, you'll want to show them how to use warm water and soap to clean their hands thoroughly. Explaining that they need to scrub all over their hands (both sides), including in between their fingers, for at least 20 seconds.
Make sure your children know to always wash their hands before eating, after using the bathroom and playing outside. This will help them stay healthy and avoid getting sick through bacteria or a virus.
Encourage Regular Bathing or Showers
Children need to shower or bathe regularly to keep their skin clean and healthy, but depending on your child's skin type be careful not to over bathe them as those with sensitive skin will find this can dry them out and aggravate skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. A good emollient can be used instead of soap or shower gel if your child does have sensitive skin.
Hair washing is part of their hygiene routine and depending on their hair type and the kind of activities they get up to will impact how often you wash their hair. Once or twice a week can be enough for someone with normal hair, but a messy toddler may need a hair wash every night to get sticky food and residue out.
Discuss Good & Bad Personal Hygiene Habits
Finally, it is crucial to discuss good and bad habits regarding personal hygiene with your children. Explain to them that there are certain things they should do every day to keep themselves clean, such as brushing their teeth and washing their hands. However, there are also things that they should avoid doing, such as picking their nose or eating candy before bed, and we all know kids can be guilty of these things!
By teaching your children about good personal hygiene, you are helping them to stay healthy and clean, as well as being a good friend and smelling nice! Make sure to practice what you preach and lead by example so your children will be more likely to follow your advice.
