How do you teach young children (around age 3-6) personal hygiene?

[harmonytx1]

I'm curious how everyone teaches their children how to clean themselves (brushing teeth, washing hands, using the restroom, etc) when they were really young? Do you do the activities with them? And at around what age were they able to do these tasks by themselves?

 

[julioalmeda219]

@harmonytx1 I always brush and floss with my son at the same time. (He's 4 now). I always make comments on how good it feels to have clean teeth. I taught him about bacteria with discussion, videos, and books and explained what cavities are and even showed him pictures of gums with gingivitis. I let him get up close and personal and watch how I floss.

When he was a baby I wrap him in a towel after his bath and hug him, then gently floss his teeth and brush them while singing. He felt loved and he liked it. I got him floss picks so he could start doing it himself and moved onto string floss as he developed dexterity. We floss every single time we brush - twice a day, NEVER skip a single time. I do it twice a day because only flossing sometimes might confuse him.

I let him open new packs of toothpaste and got him a brand new electric toothbrush and new brush heads regularly which he always gets excited about. I have a hand mirror and let him look at his teeth in detail, and I showed him my teeth as well. We talk about different teeth and what they're for. I have some amalgam fillings, so I explained why I have them and pointed them out.

Recently we got some disclosant tablets (they are chewable tablets that dye plaque a dark colour, usually red or blue tones) and got him to chew those to see where he's missing. He loves them, it's so fun! You can buy them on Amazon or get them from your dentist or dental hygienist.

I am always talking about oral health. As you might have guessed, I'm in school for dental hygiene lol so I'm passionate about it and I teach my son as much as I can. I always explain they whys and I never assume he's too young to understand science concepts. He just started JK and he understands a lot now about microbiology and the immune system and nutrition.

I also teach him about healthy eating, vitamins and minerals, and avoiding sugar and I explain why, always. I don't give him juice/pop and I limit candy. Lots of vegetables and fruit however. He drinks only milk and water.

Health education never ends and it is always a topic of discussion in my house. While cooking and dinner, getting ready in the morning and getting ready for bed. I repeat myself all the time about how important it is to brush and floss and remove the bacteria on your teeth and under the gum line.

I always do the activities with him and talk about it as I am doing it. I also taught him the proper healthcare methods of washing hands and I practice it with him every single time we're in the bathroom. Repetition is important.

 

[valentinap]

@julioalmeda219 I'm saving this post for later just for this response! Thanks!

 

[labo]

@harmonytx1 Lead by example. Kids typically copy their family members behavior.

 

[sloanep]

@harmonytx1 For teeth brushing (that's the easy one), it's by doing it for them, then with them (I'm brushing my teeth while they are brushing them as they grow holder), then I used an app with a timer showing them where they should be brushing.

Same for washing their hands. When they were younger I'd do it with them, then at the same time.

For the restroom... I don't know. It kinda came naturally. Potty training wipping them, then watching them wipping themselves to tell them if it's ok or not, then just asking if they wiped or not and doing a refresh once in a while when the toilet gets block by to much paper.

I feel like a lot of that is done by watching us do it (cleaning up, make up, brushing, etc.)

 

[ready4god2come]

@sloanep What is the app for teeth brushing?

 

[sloanep]

@ready4god2come https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qweqweq.toothbrush

is the one we used. The kids really liked it.

 

[shamakwa]

@ready4god2come I don't know what they use but there's one called Pokemon Smile which makes a game out of brushing

 

[sorensen]

@harmonytx1 2yo twins. We let them have a first pass at doing it themselves first. Then we “help” or finish the task. Things they do on their own: brush teeth, wash hands, brush/comb hair, shampoo hair, wash cloth their bodies in the bath, they started using the potty (not potty trained yet) and they are wiping themselves.

The hard part is trying to get them to do these things thoroughly. And for me having the patience to let them do it themselves even if they do a crappy job and it takes forever.

 

[hydroplane]

@harmonytx1 I taught through being an example and then slowly letting my daughter do it herself. I had a routine. Mornings we would get up, brush our teeth, wash our face, and brush our hair. In the evening, bath time, lotion, teeth, hair, snuggles and reading/song time. I've done this same routine since my kid was born and adjusted bedtimes as she got older. With washing hands, we would go together and wash before meals, after if messy, and then during potty training I would talk about it/after going potty.

I found videos online to help reinforce washing, teeth brushing, and hand washing. My kid loved these videos and I'd use the songs from them to help her. At 6, she will still sing some of the songs while washing her hands, in the shower, and on the toilet.

Around 3-4, my kid started doing it independently but I would still help/do a check. I'd let her brush/floss first and then I'd do a finaly brush around as my check. At 5, she has been able to do those things by herself. I found her brushing improved by getting an electric tooth brush. She learned from showering with me how to wash. At 5 she could independently start the bath/shower, wash, and I would check her hair for conditioner.

At 6, she does it all independently. I say "time to get ready for bed" and she does it and same with getting ready for school/mornings.

 

[prexioc]

@harmonytx1 Started out with Elmo brushing teeth songs as the timer and then evolved from there. The same with potty (but Daniel Tiger) and slow encouragement from us.

We let things happen a bit more than really trying to force anything.

 

[earmuffs]

@harmonytx1 Do it together and at every appropriate time. Lots of positive praise. Kids learn off modeling behavior good … and bad.

 

[hope79]

@harmonytx1 We do all of the hygiene steps at the same time. My kids have bathroomed with me since day1, showered with me in occasion and brushed teeth nightly. If they see me do it, they'll do it too. Teaching kids to wipe their own butts has been the hardest thing yet though start early and often. Kindergarten and the need to self wipe creeps up fast