SCHOOL’S NOT OUT FOR GERMS!

The kids have only been back at school for five to six weeks and we have been attacked by school germs. From the sniffling cold, to chesty coughs to influenza, and don’t forget the ominous dengue, the uninvited germs have made the rounds attacking each family member in sight. With a family of six to care for, I have my hands full looking after sick children at night and still trying to manage the sick free ones during the day. And if I were to be struck down by any one of these pesky diseases, disaster strikes, and the smooth running of the household comes to a stand still. With anyone in the family being sick disrupting the otherwise busy family routine, I am in a deadly battle to keep these school germs at bay and prevent them from entering my household.

Update the troops

If your children are old enough to understand, update them on behaviours that they should adopt at school to prevent carrying germs back home. Here are some useful strategies:

1

Educate your children that it is not a matter of being selfish or unkind by not sharing their water bottles. This is the quickest and easiest way that germs are spread through. If they have to share maybe pour water into another cup or put half their food into the other person’s lunchbox instead of sharing one utensil.

2

Try and avoid rubbing their hands on school stair rails, doorknobs etc for these are the places that the most amount of germs inhabit.

3

Avoid constantly putting their hands to their face and mouth, these areas are germ spreaders and this is the easiest way to ingest germs and thus become sick.

4

Make sure your child has his or her own pencil case and supplies, if sharing is at a minimum, then the spreading of germs will also be nullified.

Try and avoid rubbing their hands on school stair rails, doorknobs etc for these are the places that the most amount of germs inhabit