My kids have been back to school for a month now, and they have already begun to bring home surprises for me. I love it when they have pictures in their backpacks, crafts and even an unusual rock. But the other thing they bring home is germs. Uh uh, that is one gift that I would like to return to sender! Since its impossible that a building with 400 children would be a germ-free zone, its inevitable that we’re going to get sick. I recently read a Health Canada stat that in a typical year, up to an estimated 25 per cent of Canadians come down with the flu. That’s about 8.6 million people! And that’s not counting how many of us get annoying colds and sniffles too!
People joke about the “Man Cold”, but every parent knows that sick kids are just as painful!
So what can we do to avoid getting sick?
Ramp up the hand washing! If your kids, like mine, argue that they do not need to wash their hands after going #1 then they need to be reminded. Ditto for before meals. It’s a constant battle in our house but one of the easiest ways to avoid getting sick.
Disinfect the hot zones. Things that we touch all the time without thinking too much about it: keyboards, telephones, light switches and doorknobs. I use an anti bacterial spray.
Consider getting a flu shot. My husband was the only one in our house to get a flu shot last year, and the only one who didn’t get sick. Maybe it was a coincidence, but it worked. You can get them at your doctors office, local clinic and drugstores like Shoppers Drug Mart.
Keep eating a healthy diet. We all do our best to feed our families well with whole grains, lean meats and lot’s of fruits and veggies! Feeding our bodies good things helps fight germs.
Take your vitamins Despite our best efforts to eat well, sometimes we miss out on the getting the whole spectrum of vitamins. In our family, we all take daily multivitamins just to make sure we’re getting everything we need.
Don’t share germs! If you (or the kids) are sick, do everyone a favour and stay home!
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