We all know how important it is to wash our hands before eating and after using the restroom but do we wash our hands for long enough? Kleenex's cold and flu tips website recommends that you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to ensure that they get clean. An important tip to teach the little ones!

I heard that you should wash your hands long enough to make it through two choruses of "Happy Birthday". :-D In case you haven't tried it, "Happy Birthday" becomes one real long song by the time you rinse your hands. :mrgreen:

Yes! I am all the time making sure my kiddos wash their hands long enough and thoroughly enough. You can't just dip them under the water for a few seconds and be done. When they were younger I had them sing their ABCs and taught them to wash both hands, in between fingers and around fingernails. Now that they are older I have them count to 30. It's so important to remember especially this time of year!

Ugh! We definitely don't wash for 'that' long, though we are committed hand washers. We have Purell in the kids' bathroom and in the kitchen, and the kids use the Purell after they wash with soap and water in both places. Started doing that because the faucets and hand towels aren't gonna be germ free, either. :-D There is a point where ya just gotta release it to the Lord. Plead the blood and walk away. LOL! :lol:

[lovingsmiley]

Joy [welcomewave]

We don't wash for that long. If they've been using the potty (or playing in the potty, ugh!) I make sure they use soap and soap up both sides of both hands, and rinse well. And we wash if they were playing in the dirt outside, and we wash before meals.

BUT - if they just get a little piece of food or something on their hands, I'll just do a quick rinse (or use a baby wipe).

My hands get so dried out from constant washing - i wash mine after every diaper change, before cooking, during cooking (when switching between meat/veggie handling etc), after i use the restroom, then washing dishes.... ugh! on top of that mine again get wet when i'm helping the kids wash theirs, and then when I shower, too. my skin is all cracked and terrible from frequent hand washing. Even vaseline at night barely keeps my skin together. I do use lotion. I think less washing might actually reduce my chance of infection since having cracked, bleeding skin practically invites infection in!

Ugh! We definitely don't wash for 'that' long, though we are committed hand washers. We have Purell in the kids' bathroom and in the kitchen, and the kids use the Purell after they wash with soap and water in both places. Started doing that because the faucets and hand towels aren't gonna be germ free, either. :-D There is a point where ya just gotta release it to the Lord. Plead the blood and walk away. LOL! :lol:

[lovingsmiley]

Joy [welcomewave]

As always, Joy, you made me smile with your post. That sums it up perfectly! [rofl]

I agree with you, Nichole. And I think if you're home all day with kids who aren't in school, there's a less likely chance of you catching anything dangerous. We do Purell in the car whenever we've been in public.

There *is* something to be said about being too germ free, too. But that's probably another subject for another thread. :-D

[lovingsmiley]

Joy [welcomewave]

Teehee! Thanks, Ruth! LOL! [rotfl]

[lovewuvu]

Joy [welcomewave]

Thanks a lot for the info! those are all good tips!

------


There *is* something to be said about being too germ free, too. But that's probably another subject for another thread. :-D

[lovingsmiley]

Joy [welcomewave]

I thought about that too!

:)

We do wash our hands constantly but never that long (my knuckles BLEED! sometimes specially in winter for all the dish washing, hand washing, bathroom cleaning, etc ... I know I should wear gloves though) anyway the thing is that when Natalia was just born I was a germ freak but I realized it was taking away my peace... now I am as careful as I can without obsessing about it... If I did I would stay home all day long.... I mean... play areas for kids are nasty places.... and I've seen her "tasting" the steps of the slides or the mirrors that have all sorts of "little hand prints" on them... i can't be chasing her everywhere!

Something I definitely do is always carry a bottle of sanitizing wipes with me that way I can wipe the seat of the shopping carts and the high chairs in the restaurants (that sort of thing) but even when I am doing it I pray knowing that only God can protect her and keep her healthy....

-sigh- being a mom can be scary but I am so happy we have God or we could even go insane! I know I could! [whatwacko]

Paloma.

-sigh- being a mom can be scary but I am so happy we have God or we could even go insane! I know I could! [whatwacko]
Paloma.

Amen sister!