Experts advise to teach a child to follow the rules of hygiene from an early age. By the time the baby begins to lead a more active lifestyle, spend a lot of time in the children's team, on the street, in public places, the habit of regularly washing his hands should have already been formed. This will help protect the child from many diseases transmitted through dirty hands - from respiratory viral infections to dysentery and hepatitis A.
Wash my hands with pleasure
A child can start washing his hands on his own from about three years old, before that his parents help him. The kid should get used to the fact that before eating, after coming from a walk, playing with pets or going to the toilet, it is necessary to go to the bathroom.
Make the procedure as comfortable as possible for the child - put a low bench by the sink so that he does not have to reach for the tap, hang the towel lower. You can buy baby soap in the shape of a fish, a shell or a funny animal, soft towels with bright pictures - this will interest the child.
When your baby is older, choose soap in the store with him, taking into account his preferences. Having his own soap and towel is hygienic and adds value to hand washing in the eyes of the child.
If possible, place restraints on the tap so that the water does not turn out to be too hot or too cold when the child puts his hands under the stream.
Practice a few nursery rhymes or rhymes about washing your face and hum them as you wash your hands.
Helping the habit gain a foothold
Remind your child to practice good hygiene by example - let the children see that you wash your hands regularly.
At the age of four, it is already possible to explain to a child that harmful microbes can settle on dirty hands, which then, together with food, can enter a person's mouth and make him sick. Try to avoid nasty details, and don't show enlarged photos of bacteria or worms - bullying isn't the best teaching method. But the child will surely like to draw microbes on the palms with a washable marker and then wash off the pictures with soap.
Try not to get irritated if the baby drops soap, a towel, or splashes water on the floor. As coordination of movements improves, minor misses will disappear.
Choose one of the baby's toys, preferably made of rubber or plastic and made in the form of a man or an animal. Let the toy "go" to wash its hands or paws with its little owner. Remind your child on the face of the toy that he forgot to wash his hands before eating.
The child should know that the need to observe personal hygiene also applies outside the home - be sure to take wet antibacterial wipes or hygienic hand gel with you on walks, on a visit, on trips. It is better for a kid from an early age to get used to the fact that you can only touch food with clean hands, and if you get dirty, you need to quickly remove dirt from your fingers and palms.
