Does your kid come home running over from the playground and grab a piece of delicious pie without washing his/her hands? Does he/she bring a box full of good-luck rock, a friendly frog, marbles along—all these goodies that kids bring home may also bring millions of germs with them.

Kids don’t always heed when you tell them to wash their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, or when they come home from school. No matter if they listen to you or not, this message is worth repeating. Hand washing is by far the best way to keep your kids and yourself from falling ill.

Why Washing Your Hands Is So Important?

You don’t get to know when your hands have caught a million germs. Maybe, when you shake hands with someone, while you change the baby diapers, while you touch the doors, when you cook, when you eat and so on.

And, when it comes to kids, they come in contact with germs and unknowingly become infected simply by touching their eyes, nose, or mouth. And once they are infected, in just a matter of time, the whole family gets infected with the same illness. However, good hand hygiene prevents the spread of many illnesses–from common cold to more serious infections, such as meningitis, bronchiolitis, the flu, hepatitis A, and diarrhea.

When Is It Important for Your Kids to Wash Hands?

Every time, I guess. You should be making your kids wash hands:

• Before eating
• After playing
• After coming home from the school
• After using the bathroom every time.
• After handling rubbish
• After handling animals

These are just a few examples; you should probably be making your kids wash hands whenever it is required.

How To Make Them Wash Hands Correctly?

Teach the following routine to your kids and wash your hands together often so they learn how to important it is:

• Always try and wash hands in warm water. But, it doesn’t have to be too hot.
• Use a good anti-fungal soap with tea tree oil and lather up for 20 seconds. It’s important to wash back of your hands, nails and between the fingers thoroughly.
• Don’t forget to wash the wrists.
• Rinse and dry well with clean towel.

Avoid Using Bar Soap In Public Areas

• In public areas, bar soap can sit in a pool of water and can become contaminated with harmful germs.
• It is messy to use such soaps
• It becomes a breeding ground for harmful germs and you may pick a number of diseases
• If it is too dry, it become difficult to wash hands because dry soap is difficult to lather.

However, it is good to use anti-bacterial or anti-fungal soap at home. There you tend to maintain a proper hygiene.

It Is Okay To Ask Your Doctor About Hand Washing

Doctors are the one you trust when you or your kid fall sick and there is no harm in asking your doctor about the hand hygiene. When it’s about your kids, your concerns about hand washing are certainly justified. Poor hand practices are largely to blame for the spread of germs within health-care settings.

If you ever see your doctor, nurse or other health-care provider not using the hand sanitizer or not washing their hands, raise the question. Don’t be reluctant to do so like most patients.

Be safe, be happy!

[author ]Evie Dawson is a fitness coach and health writer based in Boston, MA. Her passion is to encourage others to rediscover their lifestyle and get inspired for organic living.[/author]