Parenting Closely Spaced Children Health Matters
by aearthurParenting closely spaced children is a challenge under ordinary circumstances. When your kids get sick, life becomes even more interesting.
I have found one thing true… when one child gets sick the others usually do too. In my new guide,
Parenting CSK’s: The Common Sense Guide to Parenting Closely Spaced Kids
One of the challenges I talk about is parenting closely spaced siblings when sick or when your kids are sick. Children close in age share everything, including germs. Fortunately there are several steps you can take to preserve your sanity and your own health. Thus far I have managed to personally escape multiple flu bugs even when both kids and my husband were extremely ill with fevers, sore throats, intestinal trouble and more.
The number one prevention tip? Hand washing. Hand washing must become part of every day life when you parent closely spaced kids. Make a point to encourage your children to wash their hands after playing, being outdoors, picking up trash, picking their noses… it sounds funny, but realistically speaking hand washing IS the best way to avoid spreading germs.
You might also consider some disinfectant wipes to swab down doorknobs and other frequently ‘touched’ areas in the home once a day or so. While this will by no means prevent your kids from getting sick, it may lessen the severity of illness or prevent germs from ‘circling’ or your kids from re-infecting themselves once better.
If you are pregnant and caring for closely spaced kids, it is equally important you adopt a vigorous hand washing habit. This will help make things easier after you deliver. Hand washing will become so much of a habit you won’t have to think about it, and you’ll protect yourself and your baby from unecessary exposure to germs your other kids bring home.
Remember, getting sick is part of having kids, but it doesn’t have to rule your life!
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