Keeping your kids healthy can seem like a neverending battle, especially during the winter and spring here in Kenosha.
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, but sometimes even our best efforts can’t stop the boogers from flying.
So what can you do to help prevent that annoying cold or flu from hitting your home? Here are our tips for keeping your kids healthy when they start going to daycare!
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. If you are on the fence on 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.
Use it as an opportunity to teach good hygiene habits.
Sometimes, a simple solution is the best solution. We have known for some time that simply washing hands more often would help greatly reduce the amount of spread of common illnesses like the common cold. Teaching your children to properly wash their hands, cover their mouths, and wipe their nose will go a long way to making sure your child stays as healthy as possible!
Don’t be afraid to tell people to stay away!
Sometimes, it’s not the other kids at daycare you have to worry about, but rather, your own friends and family. Especially when kids are very young (under a year) your friends and family will want to hold and snuggle your baby as much as possible. While most of the time, a simple wash of the hands might be enough, other times it might be best to ask that person to take a rain check. Many new parents struggle with this as they don’t want to disappoint someone, however, you need to be confident and understand that you are only doing what is best for your child. Getting sick is not fun for anyone, but especially not for children.
Sleep and Nutrition!
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. 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.
Unfortunately, your child is going to get sick at some point in their life. No matter how vigilantly you wash their hands and scrub their toys, some kind of bug is going to sneak their way into their system. With these tips, however, you can help your child get sick less often and have their illnesses be less serve. And that is good news for both kids and parents alike!
