how often do your younger kids wash their hands?

[caedmyn]

Say 10 & unders...do they wash them before meals? Before unloading a dishwasher? Do your boys (voluntarily) wash their hands after using the bathroom?

[PeterPan]

Well in all honesty before meals and dw would depend on what they were doing first. If they were outside, they would wash. But after bathroom, yes he has that habit. If the dc does not, I would put up signs with the steps and get an automatic soap dispenser to make it cooler.

[HomeAgain]

Always after the restroom and usually after meals.  He doesn't often think of it before meals unless his hands are visibly dirty.

He's always been that way, though, and has a thing about germs and dirt when it makes his skin feel funny.

[maize]

Most of mine are good about washing hands after using the bathroom, but then my family tends towards clinical OCD so I'm more likely to need to discourage excessive handwashing than to encourage more. It's a fine line to walk when trying to emphasize proper hygiene for those kids who do need reminders.

I don't think my four year old has developed good washing habits yet.

I've never thought to require handwashing before unloading the dishwasher. I'm more concerned about bringing stuff home when we have been out in public; stuff that is already in our home I figure e are all exposed to regardless--kids are more likely to pick something up from each other by typing on the same keyboard or turning a doorknob than from eating off a plate that a sibling touched briefly yesterday.

[PeterPan]

3 minutes ago, maize said:

kids are more likely to pick something up from each other by typing on the same keyboard or turning a doorknob

Yes, when I get sick it's usually from germs we brought in. We ALWAYS wash when we return from somewhere, and I keep soap with tea tree oil at that sink in the mudroom. Now my dh tries to wash in the kitchen sink because he likes how big it is. But everyone else just in the little bath at the entrance, wash wash. And when sickness is going around, we lysol wipe the keyboards, knobs, stair rails, etc.

[SKL]

Honestly?  Only when reminded.  Not because I didn't try and try to teach them better.  Not because I don't model the right things.  😕

[Storygirl]

We have taught that hands should be washed after using the bathroom, before meals, after touching or feeding pets (for example, if they wash hands before a meal, then touch a pet before sitting at the table -- not every time they touch a pet), before handling food when helping in the kitchen, in the middle of cooking tasks if they touch eggshells or meat, before touching any dishes that others would use (for example, when setting the table or reaching into the silverware drawer). My kids don't play outside any more, really, but if they were helping with an outdoor task, I would remind them to wash when they came in.

My kids are all teens now, and they still need regular reminders, or they will not always wash. I tack on reminders when I say things, such as, "Please wash your hands and come set the table for dinner."

[LucyStoner]

After bathroom and before meals, still needs occasional reminders.  

[BlsdMama]

Practically never.  It's true what they say about large families.  We're dirty.
:P 

Okay, so after bathroom, yes, but I'm awful about before meals.  We do great after gardening, that's points, right?
Truthfully, I'm fairly certain these kids have immune systems like tanks.

[caedmyn]

3 minutes ago, BlsdMama said:

Practically never.  It's true what they say about large families.  We're dirty.
😛

Okay, so after bathroom, yes, but I'm awful about before meals.  We do great after gardening, that's points, right?
Truthfully, I'm fairly certain these kids have immune systems like tanks.

I'm so glad we're not the only ones.  My mom was kind of guilting me today because my kids don't wash their hands before meals or emptying the dishwasher.  I don't worry about it when my toddlers eat some random thing off the floor out in public either.  I mean, I'll stop them if I can, but if not, well, they crawl around on the floor and then chew on their hands, so what's the difference really?

[EKS]

My kids were trained to wash their hands after using the bathroom, after coming in from outside, after coming home, before eating, before handling food.  I'm not saying that they didn't need reminders, but those were the expectations for their whole lives.

[JustEm]

After the bathroom and when they are annoyed by their sticky hands. We rarely get sick so I'm content with no hand washing before eating or after coming back inside.

[Jentrovert]

It's not something I'm super picky about. I'm very strict about washing hands after handling eggs, raw meat, or similar, after eating (I have one who simply cannot eat without getting food all over her), and when coming in after an especially dirty job. We usually wash before meals. But I don't strictly require it when coming in from outside (we're in and out all day). And I find it difficult to enforce after every use of the bathroom.

We are rarely sick. But I'd still like us to wash a bit more.

[EmseB]

I started asking the kid who unloads the DW to wash his hands first because I was finding grimy cutlery put away in the drawer. Blech. So he at least rinses first. Most of the time. I think. 

Otherwise, everyone knows they are supposed to after the bathroom and before eating, but I'm sure I don't catch everyone when they "forget".

[PeterPan]

16 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

I am sure that the fact that many of you homeschool has way more impact on the germ level in your house than all my neurotic hand washing. 

We still go out in the community. It's why everyone here is saying they have their kids wash every time they come inside. We're still exposed to what is going on out there. It's why I was able to get pneumonia and bronchitis so many times a year, because we were out participating in the community germ pools.

[EmseB]

26 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

I am sure that the fact that many of you homeschool has way more impact on the germ level in your house than all my neurotic hand washing.  I worry about the germs my schooled kids bring home.  

I wish this helped. My kids still play with everyone in the neighborhood who goes to away school and bring home the same germs. This time of year, and being close to having a newborn, I kind of wish we could be as unsocialized and sheltered as everyone thinks homeschoolers are! 😄😕

Edited September 25, 2019 by EmseB

[Wheres Toto]

We're among the "not so often" group.   After bathroom (I hope, I remind but don't check) is the main one.  After doing something messy, after class, after handling the snake.  

ETA:  We hardly ever get sick even though they are out and around other kids often.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Where's Toto?

[caedmyn]

47 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

I am sure that the fact that many of you homeschool has way more impact on the germ level in your house than all my neurotic hand washing.  I worry about the germs my schooled kids bring home.  

I think my kids pick up about the same stuff from Sunday school, their midweek church class, and other church-related events as other kids do at school.  I don't remember DD getting sick particularly often the 3 years she was in school.  I do know there have been several occasions where we've caught something and later I found out it was going around the school our church runs.  I was particularly displeased when several people brought their not-really-recovered-from-the-flu kids to one church event and of course we (and others) caught it.  Seriously people, I don't care if it only happens once a year and your kid spent months preparing--if they're sick, stay home!

[SKL]

We are also blessed to be pretty healthy, so I can't say I worry about germs.

After the bathroom should be a given, but at some point it becomes ridiculous to check.  One hopes that eventually they will understand why they should want to do that without being told.

I do try to catch my kids before they handle food that others will eat.  However, I'm sure that slips through at times.

Other than that ... I'm in the "some dirt is healthy" camp.  I do realize not everyone has that luxury.

[catz]

I tried to remember to have them do it when we came home from somewhere, after going to the bathroom, before meals and snacks.   And we ALWAYS stop and do it as we leave the doctor's office building.  I'm more neurotic if an illness is going around at home.  

[Laura Corin]

After the bathroom. That was it. 

[Mommyof1]

DD6 washing her hands after using the restroom and before she eats. Also if she has been playing in the dirt.

She saw a science show on pinworms and that freaked her out. 

[ksr5377]

They SHOULD be washing them before meals, before unloading the dishwasher, after using the restroom and first things when we get home from being out in public.  Oh, and whenever they come in from the barn.  Everyone is pretty good about it, but I still remind them from time to time.