Keep Viruses at Bay!

Hi families!  This is a Monday repost of a Tuesday Top Five from the beginning of last flu season. Our worldwide battle with Novel Coronavirus has made this topic relevant again.  Truthfully, those of you that work and live with children are constantly in virus-management mode.  Our Coronavirus Q&A last Wednesday went well – lots of good questions and information to share. 

Top Five Reasons Why You Always Get Sick

Well families, we’re back into the swing of the school year and your little ones are spending all day sharing with you.  That sharing includes their stories, their lessons, their homework, and their germs (yikes!).  Does it always seem like it’s you that gets it when something’s going around?  Well, here’s our Tuesday Top Five on that topic, and a few work-arounds for you to try!

• It’s the Hands, Man…

  • Our hands are the easiest way for germs to get from our environment into our bodies where they can make us sick. Trying not to touch “germy stuff” is not always an easy strategy to employ when living with little ones.  And trying to get them to not touch “germy stuff” is pretty much a lost cause! 
  • In addition to the usual hand-washing times (“after using the bathroom” and “before eating”), try employing a routine of hand-cleaning at certain intervals of the day (i.e. when they get picked up from school, after tae kwon do practice, before opening the fridge, before using the family computer). 
  • And if you or someone else in your home gets sick, make sure you extra-clean those shared surfaces in your home (door knobs, faucets, light switches, fridge/freezer handles) where germs may linger.  The “elbow sneeze” and “no-hand shaking during flu/virus season” are other good techniques to help keep your hands clean!

• Eyes, Nose, and Mouth – oh my!

  • Touched something gross? Not to worry – YET!  Once germs get on to your hands, the main “doorways” through which they get into the body to make us sick are through the eyes, nose, and mouth.  Do your best to clean your hands before touching any of these germ portals, and you’ll do well to keep those germs at bay!

• Get a head start on the flu!

  • No surprise here – a doctor who takes care of sick and hospitalized babies is recommending that you get your flu shot this season. Remember that if you are able to get your flu shot, not only are you giving your body a head start in case you get exposed to the flu, you’re also helping to protect vulnerable people around you that can’t get the flu shot.  Do your best to stay flu-free this season!

• All That Stuff Your Mom Said…

  • Tell the germs that come your way that there is no place for them to make you sick! Keep your body a healthy and strong fortress against disease by resting, exercising, drinking lots of water, and eating your peas (okay, well – maintaining a healthy, balanced diet).  Turns out that all that stuff your mom said really matters :)

• Germs Happen

  • Sometimes, even if we’ve employed all our best tactics, germs still come our way and get us down. When you’re sick, use all those ideas above to rest up, get better quick, and decrease the spread of your illness to others. #bounceback!!

Stay healthy out there, families!

The Peas :)