Teach your children hygiene

Jan 08, 2008

DORA looked at her 10-year-old son Jimmy in shock. His hair was unkempt, his shirt creased and stained, and his shoes coated with dust. For the last three years, the boy had been in boarding school and Dora didn’t know how much her son hadn’t learnt as regards personal hygiene.

PARENTING - Jamesa Wagwau

DORA looked at her 10-year-old son Jimmy in shock. His hair was unkempt, his shirt creased and stained, and his shoes coated with dust. For the last three years, the boy had been in boarding school and Dora didn’t know how much her son hadn’t learnt as regards personal hygiene.

“Is that your hair or you are wearing a mop?” Dora yelled. Jimmy just smiled indifferently.

Since Jimmy joined boarding school, his attention to personal hygiene has declined considerably.

Even during the holidays, the mother and son hardly spend time together because Jimmy visits relatives. Dora’s face turned from anger to remorse as her failure dawned on her afresh. Tears welled up her eyes. She then held Jimmy’s hands and whispered ‘I love you’ before finding out what went wrong.

Like Dora, many parents realise late that their children have no skills on personal hygiene. Personal hygiene is an integral part of self-presentation that every child needs to master.

Cleanliness is a lesson best learnt at home. It has to be taught; children cannot learn it on their own. You can train your child early to learn the importance of appearing neat and appropriately dressed for place, time and occasion.

In our fast-paced society, parents are paying relatively little attention to children’s self-presentation. You can nurture this love at an early age. Not by shouting, mocking or teasing but by tactful and firm training. Let’s share some helpful tips:

  • Hair is crucial to self-presentation. Ensure that the child’s hair - long or short - is neat. Sometimes boys wrongly imagine it is only girls who should have neat hair. The golden rule is: train the child early
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  • The child’s clothes should be clean. Discourage the boys, especially, from wearing socks more than once without washing them, to avoid smelly feet.

  • Ensure that the child observes oral hygiene. Skills like paying attention to the tongue and a proper way of brushing teeth are essential. As part of the hygiene, habits like washing hands before touching anything if the child has been playing should be cultivated early
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    Did you know that many parents do not teach their children the need to wear clean underpants? Undergarments are an invisible part of the dress code and you should not ignore them.

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