In this day and age, everybody is running scared of potential illness. There are however some very simple but effective ways to keep your kids well, even at school. By instituting the following practices and tools, you are far more likely to have a child who stays well.

1. Teach them to wash their hands. One of the most important ways to avoid getting sick is to wash your hands, and kids need to know that. Before eating or after working on common equipment, kids should learn to wash their hands. This is a simple and important ritual that all kids should be taught from an early age. It can make a huge difference in your child’s health in the long run.
2. Cover your mouth. If you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth—it’s really that easy! Unfortunately many parents either take for granted that their kids are doing it or neglect to tell them just how important it really is. If you teach your kids to cover their mouths, they will avoid passing on germs and this phenomenon can really catch on in time.
3. Don’t touch your eyes. Avoid ports of entry such as the eyes where infection may spread because this is a common problem with kids. Teach them not to rub their eyes or put their dirty fingers in their mouth. This is a really simple lesson and can be invaluable when it comes to your children’s health. If they learn it early on and get into the habit of avoiding this type of touch, it can keep them healthy a lot longer.
4. Don’t share food or drink. Too many kids take a sip out of their friend’s drink or share their lunch with others, and this is an instant way to spread germs. Teach them just how quickly germs may spread by simply sharing a beverage or a simple lunch item, and let them know that it’s okay to say no to sharing in this capacity.
5. Send wipes with them. While you don’t want to turn your child into a “germaphobe”, a little prevention can go a long way. Send some antibacterial wipes with your kids in their backpacks so that they can wipe their little hands or even their lunch spot to avoid picking up any germs that may lurk there.
6. Keep them home if they are sick. While we don’t want our kids to skip school or miss anything important, sometimes keeping them home if they are exhibiting any symptoms can be good for themselves as well as others. A weakened immune system is far more likely to give way into more serious illness, so if you’re not sure then keep them home and away from more potential germs.
7. Tell them to keep you in the loop. If they are exposed to germs or are unsure of certain practices as school such as a dirty lunchroom, tell them to talk to you about it. Having open lines of communication on who is sick and what is going on in the school environment can truly help in keeping your kids healthy.

Keeping your kids healthy at school can be a difficult task. If you know how to go about it and arm your kids with all the right tools, they are far more likely to stay well and avoid bringing sickness into the home.

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