5 Tips For Avoiding Back-to-School Germs

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At the end of summer break, there’s no denying that parents are definitely ready to send their kids back to school. Summer vacations are always a lot of fun, but the constant stress of trying to entertain children can be a lot. During the highly anticipated first day, parents and, even teachers, often forget about all the germs associated with being back in the swing of things. Seasons are getting ready to change and the summer days are about to turn into fall temps – new allergies are arising, the different temps cause new colds to brew, and students will be sitting in closer closed quarters.

It's important to embark on the school season by checking off some sanitary to-dos before everyone starts. Think of it as fall cleaning. Everyone anticipates the annual spring cleaning purge, but incorporating these same demands for the fall could save parents some serious co-pays and unprompted PTO. According to the CDC, on average, elementary school children get eight to 12 colds or cases of the flu each school year. For older kids, they contract on average four to six. Teachers often refer to the initial illnesses as the back to school plague. However, there are healthy habits parents (and teachers) can instill in their children to help battle the germs. If we teach kids to watch out for potential danger zones and hot spots, they’ll be better equipped to avoid colds and other illnesses.

You’ll want to add a few additional supplies to that Target run and carve out a day for the whole family to get involved with this health awareness preamble. So, before you send the kiddos back to school, check out these tips for avoiding germs – and cold mayhem.

Equip Problematic Areas

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Sanitary wipes are life savers. Equip your car, entry ways and other highly trafficked zones with a box of sanitary wipes. If you pick up your children through the car line, your door handle, inside of the car and potentially car seat are the first things your child touches after a long day at school with friends. Consider keeping a box of sanitary wipes in your car, along with some hand sanitizer. It wouldn’t hurt for your kids to wipe down those surfaces after they’ve got out of the car and put hand sanitizer on their hands before they scratch their face or eat their afternoon snack.

If your kids take the bus and come home, have a hand washing station set up and direct them to go their immediately. Often times, children are hungry after a hard day of learning and go directly to the kitchen to get a snack. Encourage your kids to wash their hands before eating. Also, incorporate sanitizing door knobs within your nightly routine. Most times, parents have a night before process that they complete to prep for the next day – wiping down surfaces, such as door knobs is a great way to prevent potential germs from spreading.

Antibacterial Gels

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Don’t just buy your kid’s classroom hand sanitizer and call it a day. Make sure you purchase antibacterial gel bottles that your children can carry with them throughout their day – whether they keep it in their purse, pocket or backpack, it’s important that they have it in and they’re consistently using it throughout the day when they’re unable to wash their hands. Lockers, classroom doors, bathroom doors, and table tops are all places where germs can spread. It’s important to talk with your children and explain this to them.

Other places we all often forget about are water fountains and lunch trays in the cafeteria. Encourage your student to carry a reusable water bottle with them. This will prevent dehydration, remain earth friendly and eliminate the potential of them contracting a cold from the germs a water fountain carries. Water fountains are the perfect spot for kids to ingest microorganisms because they are putting their mouth on the stream of water – and some younger elementary students, may even put their mouth directly on the fountain. Teach your students to run the water a little first before drinking from a fountain.

Food trays, in the cafeteria, are not always washed thoroughly. Tell your kids to bring their tray to their table and then use hand sanitizer before they eat their food. While we don’t want to make our children paranoid, we do want to teach them good hygiene and overall healthy living habits.

Good Sleep Regiment

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Parents need to make sure that their school aged children are getting the appropriate amount of sleep each night. According the CDC, school aged children should get 10 to 11 hours of sleep every night. Sleep deprivation lowers the immune system and lowers the chances of a child being able to fight off an infection. It’s also important for children to get quality sleep – this means no severe interruptions. These distractions could be television, a smart phone, tablet, or even relationship stress with friends and family.

If a child is constantly waking up throughout the night due to stress, their body will not combat germs like it would if the child got a night’s worth of uninterrupted sleep. Parents should eliminate potential distractions and instill a solid bedtime routine. As a child gets older, the routine will change; however, the adolescent will understand the importance of sleep and naturally adapt a healthy regiment that works for their older age.

Volunteering to Clean at Your Child’s School

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Teachers are super heroes, but they cannot do everything themselves – and while janitorial staff members are paid to clean, there are going to be some corners and attention to detail that they’re unaware of covering. Therefore, teachers need to make sure they’re wiping down surfaces on a regular basis to avoid potential germs from spreading within the classroom. Have the students help by making the daily clean up part of their end of the day routine. It may be a good idea for teachers to even ask the parents to volunteer – if the grade is younger. While parents don’t always have the time to volunteer, perhaps a weekend clean up session once a month isn’t such a bad idea – when you think about the bigger picture and the germs being eliminated.

Maintaining a clean learning environment is important – and parents should also contribute to the classroom by making sure the suggested cleaning supplies are purchased and sent to school with your child. There’s a reason why the teachers ask for those items and while it may be expensive, and/or seem excessive, your child’s health is important and having those items on hand is one of the first steps to having a clean learning environment.

Pack a Healthy Lunch

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A child should eat a healthy lunch every day; however, one of the biggest benefits from eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and other foods high in protein is building a healthy immune system. While it’s okay to eat a sweet treat occasionally, it’s important to not skip the greens and other enriched foods because those nutrients are going to be the combative resources your body needs to fight off germs.

Teach your children the nutritional facts of the items you are preparing for their lunch. Sometimes explaining why things are healthy, rather than assuming they understand, is a better way of addressing a healthy balanced meal. If you have a picky eater, it may be wise to involve your children with their lunch packing endeavors. Sometimes if children feel like they have a choice in the decision, they’ll be more inclined to give things a try – they may also have some great lunch ideas, that they’d like to try, that you haven’t thought of.

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Back to school is a very stressful time. The inevitable school supply list and apparel choices can be seriously overwhelming, but the one thing you definitely want to avoid is the situation getting even more stressful. Avoid additional stress, by instilling healthy living habits within your children. Explain to them why it’s so important to practice good habits and how they can benefit. Decide to be proactive and not reactive when it comes to avoiding germs and illnesses. You’ll find a great sense of relief for yourself, your children and family if you’re able to dodge germs. Try these tips and maybe even share them with a fellow parent. Once you’ve incorporated these things into your daily routine, they’ll just be a way of life.

True Self-Care Starts With Taking Care of Your Body