On a scale from 1 to 10, I’m like a zero when it comes to being a ‘germaphobe’. As a kid, growing up in Israel, we literately walked barefoot everywhere and pretty much ate off the floor without giving it a second thought. Double dipping? There’s no word for that in Hebrew. Basically, germs is a non-issue. Having said that, I’ve become more “Canadian” over the years, and there are now some things that out of limits even for me.
But the germs that I despise the most are the ones that my kids pick up from school! If it makes them sick, I’m all about preventing it! While we can’t always avoid it, we can TRY to educate our kids about germs and what they can do to try and avoid them. Besides teaching them a few simple tasks to stay healthy, it also teaches them independence.
One thing we teach our kids is to always wash their hands after they come back from school, after they play outdoors, after they use the washroom, and before they eat. Teaching healthy habits can start young and at home.
The best part is that this lesson is also reinforced at Ryan’s nursery school. The first thing that the kids need to do when the arrive at the school is to wash their hands before they enter the class. So not only is Ryan learning how to keep the germs away, but he’s gaining independence by applying soap, washing and wiping his hands dry ALL ALONE! Kandoo hand soap has made this lesson easier and lends to development of healthy habits. Kandoo’s soap is easy to pump and the colour and scent makes it fun! I often have to stop him from washing his hands TOO much (if there’s such a thing).
Shortly after turning three, Ryan also mastered using the potty and stopped using diapers. While it took him a few months to be completely accident free, his sense of independence was growing. While at first we always helped him wipe, over time he would wipe and we would do a “check”. However, he’s getting a point where he wants to do it ALL himself without any help (aka: check) from us! However, most 3 year olds aren’t capable of doing a proper wipe, especially with regular toilet paper. I’ve heard too many horror stories about soiled underwear because of kids rushing to wipe or just not doing a proper job.
That’s why I’m thankful for Kandoo Flushable Wipes. Unlike ordinary toilet paper, they are gentle, and moistened with lotion, which makes them clean up to 30% better. The best part is that Nathan copies everything that his older brothers are doing so he’s completely obsessed with washing his hands and using the potty. Talk about a win-win!
What are some of your tips or favourite products that helped teach your kids to be more independent?
Disclosure: I received compensation as part of the Kandoo Kouncil campaign. As always, the opinions and stories are my own.
Teaching independence takes so much patience! Sometimes I have to remind myself not to just do it for him. Today I let my 4 year old help chop veggies for dinner! I was considering getting a “kid-safe knife,” but I just helped him with a regular knife.
So cute! Teaching independence that way is great.
I love that the nursery school encourages them to wash their hands. I hate the germs my kids bring home from school. ( I don’t think I was much of a germaphobe either, until I had kids and sent them off to pile into a room with twenty other little germ farms. Ugh.)
We love Kandoo products! My kiddo uses their hand soap and loves it. I got my little mama elasticized shoe laces to help her out with putting her shoes on and taking them off. She still sits and waits for me to do it for her as I did in the past. Even if we’re in a rush, I encourage her to do her own laces, and at the beginning of school, to put her stuff in her locker instead of me doing it. It’s so hard to resist helping though! Plus, it’s so much faster when we just do it. Haha.
Your photos are so cute! We have Kandoo products and really love them. They have helped my kids become more independent. I also like the scent of their products (the hand soap is great – I even use it!)
So important to teach independence to little ones! We love Kandoo products so much! That’s all we use for the boys!
UGH. Talk to me about germs and school!! My kids and our entire family has been sick on and off for all of September. ENOUGH already. Uncle. Three weeks of coughing and waking up every night with one DD and then now the high schooler has something that looks a lot like the flu. Up visit bathroom every hour all night times two nights. I am all for any soap that teaches independence and keeps my family healthy. We used that product Kandoo often when they were small.
Teaching independence can never be started too early. Kandoo products are great!