As we prepare to bundle up for another chilly cold and flu season, here are some quick tips for helping everyone in your family stay healthy.
Limit Sharing
We want our children to learn to share, but not when it comes to germs.
- Make sure each child has her or her own designated towels. According to the NHS, bacteria and viruses can be transmitted by sharing towels, blankets, or other linens. By having hand towels and bath towels embroidered with each child’s name, it’s easy for kids to learn to use only their personal towel. Don’t forget to have clearly marked towels for your children to use at school, day care, and the pool.
- Teach children to avoid drinking out of the same cup or sharing a spoon. Children’s dishes can be clearly marked with their names for school and day care and washed in hot soapy water between uses at home.
- Once children are old enough, teach them not to put toys, pens, and other items in their mouths as this can help spread germs. For younger kids, try to give them their own toys to play with so they don’t share germs with others.
Keep It Clean
While scientists have determined that antibacterial soaps are not helpful, it’s still important to keep things clean.
- Make sure children know to wash their hands thoroughly, particularly after a visit to the loo, before they handle any food, and prior to eating.
- Regularly wash toys to keep them from spreading germs. Plush toys can be cleaned by hand in warm soapy water or run through the washing machine. Check the manufacturer’s care instructions for the best way to clean playthings. Don’t forget to wipe down phones and the remote for the telly.
- Frequently clean bathrooms, handrails, tables, counters, and any other surfaces that receive a lot of hands-on traffic.
Don’t Get Too Much Out of Your Workout
Public gyms, pools, and football changing rooms can all be a breeding ground for germs.
- Bring your own towel to use while at public gyms, pools, and sport centres. Make sure children use their own towels rather than sharing.
- Bring a second towel to use wiping down gym equipment before and after use.
- Bring rubber slippers or flip flops to wear in the shower and while walking around changing rooms.
- Wash workout towels and clothes in hot soapy water following your workout. If you know you won’t be cleaning laundry that often, purchase additional sets of clothing and towels so you have fresh items to use at each workout. This will help prevent the spread of germs while helping to reduce post-workout odour.
- Bring your own yoga mat and make sure everyone in your family has their own sport safety equipment like mouth guards, shin protectors, swim caps, and water bottles.
