GOOD HABITS YOUR LITTLE ONE NEEDS TO LEARN

1 WASHING HANDS

Children get dirty, and that’s fine. But washing hands is our best defence against germs. Many illnesses including the common cold and gastroenteritis are spread by hand-to-hand contact. Covid too. Regular hand washing or sanitising can prevent these and many other infections. It’s important that this is the message your child gets and not the message that it’s “bad to be dirty”. Wet bars of soap are tricky to handle, so it may be easier to let your child use bottled liquid soap.

TIPS

• MAKE IT FUN Teach your toddler to wet her hands with warm water and lather up. First she should wash her palms, then the back of her hands, between her fingers and around her nails. Hand washing should take as long as you can sing “Happy Birthday”.

• DRY THEM OFF Remind her to dry her hands properly afterwards. Damp hands spread more germs.

• SEVERAL TIMES A DAY Encourage hand washing after toilet or potty use, playing outside or with pets, before meals or snacks and after blowing your nose. If you’re still changing nappies, make a big deal of washing your hands and your toddler’s hands after changing. You’ll be getting the message across many times a day.

• MAKE IT STICK Make a star chart and include hand washing as one of the activities that gets a reward. Give your child a star or sticker every time she washes her hands correctly.

• BE CREATIVE “There’s nothing like a colourful, interesting pump-action bottle of liquid handwash on the basin to attract a curious toddler!” Janine says.

2 BRUSHING TEETH

Regular teeth brushing prevents cavities, so start a brushing routine as soon as your baby’s first tooth erupts. Keep sugary snacks to a minimum and never let your toddler fall asleep with sugary drinks, including milk, in her bottle, as these will cause teeth to decay where the liquid pools in her mouth.

Use age-appropriate toothpaste for your child as these are specially formulated for her dental needs, according to her age. If you’ve been to your child’s first dental check-up, your dentist may have shown her how to brush properly. If not, show her how to brush her teeth in a circular motion. Teeth brushing should be supervised until at least the age of 7. TIPS

• START EARLY There are several brands of starter “brush” kits to choose from. We like NUK and other brands that include a teething brush for your young teether to chew on when her gums are itchy as well as a toothbrush for you to clean your baby’s gums and first teeth.

• TIME FOR TEETH Keep teeth brushing to a set time – after breakfast and before bed. Let your child try to brush her teeth on her own, but follow up to make sure it’s done properly.

• CHOOSING BRUSHES Have your toddler pick out a few different toothbrushes and let him choose one to use each time he brushes.

• BATH OPPORTUNITY If your toddler won’t sit still, try brushing her teeth while she’s in the bath.

• MAKE IT STICK Two minutes of brushing can seem like forever to your toddler, so use an egg timer as a distraction.

3 EATING VEGGIES

Vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. If your toddler is between the age of 1 and 2 years, she should be getting about three servings of fruit and vegetables per day. If she is over 2 years old, she needs about five servings. Use positive reinforcement rather than bribes and punishment when it comes to trying new veggies.

TIPS

• INCLUDE VEGETABLES WITH EVERY MEAL and as between-meal snacks.

If your child won’t eat cooked vegetables, try them raw with a dunking sauce.

• LET YOUR CHILD BUILD A VEGGIE PICTURE on her plate, then let her choose which part of the picture she eats first.

• PLAY PRETEND WITH YOUR CHILD You could be a buck eating grass (lettuce) or a bunny nibbling on its carrots. Use a picture book to find out what other animals eat.

• KEEP TRYING Toddlers’ tastes can change rapidly, so don’t give up on a particular vegetable too quickly – try to bring something to the table at least 12 times.

• MAKE IT STICK Don’t make a big deal out of veggies. If everyone enjoys them at the table, your toddler will catch on.

• WALK THE TALK You can’t expect them to eat veggies if you don’t! You have to be seen eating them too.

4 TIDYING UP

You’re definitely on the right track if you’re teaching your toddler to tidy up after herself! Learning to tidy up encourages independence and lays the foundation for responsibility in later years.

TIPS

• GET ORGANISED Split toys into smaller, more manageable groups – blocks, dolls or musical toys – and place them in different containers. Let her play with a few of these at a time – they’ll be easier for her to manage and pack away.

• “HELPING ME” Let your toddler help you rake up the autumn leaves or put her clothes in the basket at bathtime. Toddlers love being your little helper. • STORYTIME Read her a story about Mr Messy (Mr. Men and Little Miss by Roger Hargreaves). It’s a great story for getting the tidiness message across. • SONG TIME Tidying up should never be boring but rather part of playing and a lot of fun! Make up a family “tidy up” song, and sing it every time you help your toddler tidy up.

5 GOOD MANNERS

Every parent wants to raise a polite child. Getting your child to greet people is the first step to good manners. It’s probably going to take some time for her to get the whole manners message, so you’ll have to be consistent and keep encouraging her.

TIPS

• SHOW AND TEACH Remember your own manners. If you ask your child to do something, say please! Thank her if she hands you something.

• GREETINGS If your child attends a playschool, teach her to say “hello” and “goodbye” properly when you drop her off or pick her up.

• PREP HER There’s no harm in prepping your child by saying: “Don’t forget to say hello to Granny” or “Remember to say thank you for your presents”.

• SHAKE ON IT “I’ve taught the boys to shake hands with other boys when they say hello. It’s supposed to stop them for a few seconds so they learn to make eye contact with the other person,” says Kerry Vida, mom to twins Brandon and Jared.

6 SCRUBBING UP

Bathing is something your child will either love or hate. Children expend much more energy than we do throughout the day, so it’s important that all the grime and sweat is washed regularly. Get into a routine and keep to it as best you can – after dinner or just before bedtime is a good place to start.

TIPS

• OWNERSHIP Get your child her own facecloth and towel. It will help her develop a sense of ownership for her things.

• BE CREATIVE WITH BATH TOYS An old colander, measuring spoons or egg cups, as well as a small fishing net are all great items for bath fun.

• TOYTIME Use an old drying rack to store the toys when they’re not being used. The water runs back into the bath, and the toys dry off.

• DIY Encourage your child to wash herself, but until she’s older, you’ll have to give everything a quick once-over when she’s finished.

• MAKE IT STICK Use bathtime to teach your child about basic cleanliness. Tell her that just because she can’t see the germs, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

• PLAYTIME “Our girls play a little game in the bath. They name a body part, then give it a good scrub,” says André van Breda, dad to Kaylin and Sue. ●