The truth is, even I am a little afraid.
Public schools and daycares have a bad reputation as germy little havens for illness. I think of how often Bea was sick after first starting Kindergarden and PHEW! I was ready to bath the kids in hand sanitizer and run away to the desert, eshew all human contact and become a family of hermits.
So now I'm preparing to embark on this next little adventure, and surely it will involve its share of illness, infection and mucus. However, I will not give in! My goal (for your children's sakes as well as my own) is to try to mitigate as much of the daycare crud as possible. Here are my strategies:
* Eating right. Every body responds better to illness when it's given a fair fighting chance with proper nutrition. We'll be eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, avoiding processed foods and sugar and drinking lots of water. There is nothing better than a little healthy peer pressure when it comes to eating healthy foods. I have fond memories of a group of two year olds sitting at the table chanting "more broccoli, more broccoli, more broccoli" with a kind of ferver only toddlers possess.
* Probiotics anyone? We'll be ingesting our share of yogurt, kefir, miso and maybe even a little sauerkraut.
* Scrub-a-dub. We'll be washing our hands a million times a day! Hand sanitizer has its place, but when hot water and soap are available it's the best way to keep the bugs at bay. How about a handwashing sticker chart? (who doesn't like a sticker chart?) Fun smelling soaps anyone? Or the silliest hand washing song ever (yet to be invented, but stay tuned...)
* Give the face some space. Ok. So this one isn't easy for me, I'm a sucker for sloppy baby kisses and screaming belly bamboozles. But after saying a million times "Bea, don't let your little brother suck on your nose!", I've realized I need to start preaching a policy of personal space (at least during cold and flu season!) So we will practice sharing toys, sharing time, sharing ideas, sharing songs...but keep our germs to ourselves.
* Essential oils! I have great faith in my essential oil diffuser and will be dousing the house with lavender, tea tree and thieves oil liberally. Even if it's just new age voodoo, the house will smell better!
* Sanitize it! Toys, napping mats, dress up clothes and household surfaces will be sanitized regularly. We'll make sure germs don't feel welcome hanging out at Smallpond.
* Acceptance. Illness happens, we'll deal and heal just like our bodies are meant to.
Did I miss anything? Let me know what strategies have worked for you.
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