Practical Parenting

pp kids hygiene washing hands intro

Kids healthy hygiene habits

“Mummy, let me do it!” If this one’s at the top of your child’s list of favourite phrases, you’re in good company. Toddlers and preschoolers often want to do everything themselves: turn on your computer, answer the phone, feed the dog, pick out their outfits… But when it comes to personal hygiene, as a parent you walk a fuzzy line; you want to encourage your child’s budding independence by letting her take care of herself, but you still need to be heavily involved in her cleanliness to be sure she gets the job done right.

Even though children want to be responsible for their own body, it’s up to you to convince your tot how important good hygiene is. You might be surprised to find that the hardest part is letting her have the chance to practise so she can eventually do it on her own.

“If she’s going slowly or doing a sloppy job, you may want to jump in and just wash her hands for her, but resist the temptation,” says developmental psychologist Dr Christopher Jones. “One of the biggest challenges for children who are learning these skills is a lack of opportunities for practise.”

Photo by Getty Creative Apr 13, 2011