For most parents, there is a moment of reckoning when you retrieve your sick child from school for the first time. It’s amazing how quickly they get sick and then, in turn, get your whole family sick. This occurs first in kindergarten when your children come into very close contact with a wide variety of other children and none of them have the same immunity to illness as adults. So how do you cope with the risk of sending your kids away to school and getting them back sick?

Of course, there are modern medical interventions to help heal your children once they’ve already fallen ill. But there are also small steps you can take at home to protect your kindergartener’s immunity.

Eat, Sleep, Hydrate, Repeat
One of the top things that we take for granted when managing our own health is the impact of our diet and sleep habits. A healthy body requires the right nutrients, an appropriate amount of water, and plenty of sleep. When our lives get busy it’s easy to skimp on one or maybe all of these critical health components. We urge parents to prioritize these three things all the time, but especially during times of the year when illnesses are rampant and children are more vulnerable.

How Much Do Your Kids Know About Germs?
Germs can be a difficult concept to wrap your mind around. This is especially true for young children. You can’t see or feel them, so it can be difficult to remember to protect ourselves against them. Without frightening your children, do your best to explain the concept of germs. We all have germs on our bodies, but some germs are harder to fight against than others. The more your kids understand how germs work, the better equipped they are to protect themselves, their kindergarten classmates, and your family from illness.

Teach Them Good Habits
Once your children understand the idea germs you can use that information to inspire them to develop good cleanliness habits. For example teaching children how to effectively wash their hands, cover their faces when they cough or sneeze, and to keep their distance from others when they are sick. These habits are as much about maintaining their own wellness as they are about not infecting people around them.

Whether the germs going around your child’s kindergarten classroom are simply a common cold or something more serious like the flu or strep, you can rest assured that no one else wants it! With a little bit of at-home education, you can teach your children how to minimize the spread of illness at home and at school. And, by prioritizing wellness you give your children all the tools they need to boost their immunity and stay healthy all year long! If you have questions about St. Barnabas School’s approach to wellness, contact us today.