The long-dreaded flu season is quickly making its way back into our lives here at school in Kenosha.
As kids head back to school this fall, and as COVID-19 begins to make its resurgence, it’s vital that your kids stay healthy this season. While we pride ourselves on being the cleanest daycare center in Kenosha and go above and beyond to prevent the spread of germs at our facility, sometimes even our best efforts can’t stop the boogers from flying.
Here’s what you can do to keep your kids safe and healthy this upcoming school year.
Teach the importance of good hygiene habits
Emphasizing the importance of good hygiene habits is essential for young children. They may not understand why it’s necessary to wash their hands and keep their germs to themselves, and it’s especially hard to know if they are doing so while not on your watch.
Showing them and explaining how to wash hands before eating food, after going to the bathroom, and after blowing or picking their nose, and coughing and sneezing could really help keep them healthy.
Try to keep their hands away from their nose, eyes, and mouth
Kids love to touch their faces but don’t realize this can be the culprit of spreading illnesses. Kids touch so many different dirty surfaces and toys throughout the day, and once they touch their nose, eyes, or mouth (really, anywhere on the face), they can infect themselves with that illness.
Sleep
When it comes to the spread of germs, there are a lot of things you can’t control. You don’t know who touched a door last or what kind of illnesses the kids at daycare might have, but there are still a lot of things you can control that can go a long way.
It has been proven that kids who get more sleep are less likely to get sick. So, make sure to stick to those bedtimes and be sure your children are getting plenty of rest at night.
Nutrition
You can also make sure your child’s diet is full of foods that help boost their immune system. While most parents automatically think of Vitamin C and orange juice, many other fruits and vegetables contain a variety of different vitamins and minerals that are proven to help your body fight diseases.
It is more important than ever to make sure your child is eating plenty of these healthy foods to keep the body and immune system strong. Keeping them away from sugary, processed foods is your best bet. Filling their stomachs with nutritional, whole foods will help boost their immune system.
Also, communicate the importance of drinking water throughout the day (even when they’re not sick) to stay hydrated. Water helps fight off illness, and to keep your temperature normal. Not just that, but your body needs water in its system to digest food. Just be aware that the amount of water kids need is dependent on age, size, health, activity level, and weather.
Keep your kids home!
We get it – having to keep your child home from daycare can throw a big wrench into your day, especially if both parents in the house are working. We don’t expect you to keep your little ones home for every little sniffle and sneeze, but please use good judgment in deciding whether your child should come in for the day, especially as we try to reduce the risk of COVID-19.
If you are on the fence about whether or not you will be bringing your child, exercise the golden rule. Would you be happy if another parent sent their child to daycare in the same condition? No? Then it might be a good idea to keep them home to rest and get healthy. If we all as parents would think this way, that would help stop the spread of germs in a big way. If you have any questions about our sick child policies, you can find them here.
Unfortunately, your child is going to get sick at some point in their life no matter how much you emphasize the importance of washing hands and feed your child nutritious, immune-boosting foods. Some kind of bug is going to sneak its way into their system. But with these tips, you can help your child get sick less often, reduce the spread of more germs, and have their illnesses be less severe. And that is good news for both kids and parents alike!
