8 Tips To Beat School Sickness This Season
The holidays have come and gone and the kids will soon be back to school for the most dreaded time of year… sick season. 🤧🤒
As a parent, it can often feel like no matter what you do, someone always has a runny nose, a yucky cough, or a fever that gets passed around the entire house and it can make the winter season feel super defeating.
This reality is most common for parents of younger children, but even as your child moves into middle and high school, you’ll see that the school sickness really never goes away.
While it can feel like this is something that you’re just forced to endure, over the years I’ve learned a few ways to help minimize sickness in the household and continue to implement these tips even now as my kids are older.
As you start sending your kids back to school after winter break, take some time to read up on what’s going around and prepare yourself to tackle it head on so you can continue to enjoy the season without a bunch of trips to the doctor.
Because who wants to spend their days in waiting rooms?! NO ONE. While, of course, sometimes it’s inevitable, my hope is that these tips help you beat school sickness this season and allow you to spend more time making family memories!
8 Tips To Beat School Sickness This Season
1.No school clothes in the house and bath/shower daily.
When we pick our kids up from school and bring them home, it’s rare that the first thing we think to do is to have them change clothes and shower.
But when you think about it, germs get attached to your child’s clothing, which means if the first thing they do is come home and sit on the couch, they are spreading all over your home.
During the winter months, when sickness is at its peak, it’s wise to implement a “change clothes and shower immediately” rule.
I know that bathing or showering right when the kids return home isn’t always feasible and doesn’t make sense for your schedule, which is okay!
But at the very least, have your kids change from school clothes to home clothes to help mitigate the risk of germs spreading. Even though more laundry will be produced, it’s usually worth it!
Additionally, this is usually the time of year when more baths and showers are worth the extra water bill. Sometimes, as a parent to littles, we let them skip baths on certain nights, and while I totally understand this, now is NOT the time to skip bath night.
2. Extra cleaning on weekends
Use weekends as your chance to wash everyyyythingggg that your kids came home from school with!
This includes backpacks, coats, hats, gloves, extra clothes, lunch boxes, folders, binders, etc.
Anything that entered the school should get a good dose of Lysol or run through the wash if possible!
Additionally, be sure to wash sheets, blankets, stuffed animals, etc., and spray down all mattresses and living spaces with a gentle air freshener that also kills germs.
3. Wipe down lunch boxes and water bottles daily
As parents, we often oversee a number of things our children carry to school, such as lunch boxes, water bottles, snack pouches, and more. However, during this time of the year, it's crucial to take some time daily to wipe these items down. All of these things can harbor germs that can be brought into your kitchen, which can harm your and your family's health. Therefore, it's recommended that you invest in some Clorox wipes and use them generously to keep these items clean and germ-free.
Check out our Back to School - Lunch Essential Round-Up, which includes all of our favorite lunch boxes, snack pouches, and other essentials.
4.No shoes inside
A “no shoes inside” rule might sound like a rule that’s extra picky, but your shoes are actually one of the things that carry the most germs.
Just think about all the places your child walks at school each day… on the sidewalk, classrooms, gym, the bathroom. 🤢
In fact, one study conducted out of the University of Arizona found E. coli on more than a quarter of 26 shoes tested.
So, while it may seem simple to implement, it can play a HUGE impact in keeping your home clean and sick free.
Check out a few of our favorite indoor slippers for the whole family!
5. Start with fresh toothbrushes if you encounter sickness.
Most of these are things you may not think about, but if your kids encounter sickness of any kind (even if it’s just a minor cold), be sure to throw out their current toothbrushes and start fresh! We love having a bulk pack of toothbrushes at home so we never run out of them unexpectedly. We find it convenient to replace them whenever needed without worrying about stocking up again for a while.
If you're interested, we have a complete list of all the items we use, which you might find helpful too.
6. Use disposable water cups when sick
Let’s be real… we all have that one emotional support water bottle, right?! Most of the time, as parents, we designate specific cups for our kiddos to limit the dish load, but when you or your kiddos are sick, use disposable water cups and be sure to sanitize all water bottles thoroughly!
If you’re not a fan of disposables, at the very least, keep the sick person's cup separate to ensure there is no sharing between family members and that the cup gets cleaned and sanitized once they’re well!
7. Throw away old sponges and wash all cleaning cloths
Towels and sponges hold germs more than we think, especially when sickness is running rampant. For now, I suggest ditching the hand towels for a bit and opting for paper towels or napkins in your kitchen and bathrooms for hand drying.
And yes, I know it can feel like a waste, but for a short time, it’s worth knowing that you’re cutting down on contamination and keeping your home as clean and healthy as possible!
8. Level up the hand sanitizer
During sick season, it’s always wise to place hand sanitizers around the house, travel with them in your car to use after errands, and ensure your child has one in their backpack or lunch box as well!
While washing your hands with soap and warm water is the preferred option, having hand sanitizer on hand as a backup is always a smart move.
Overall, there is a way for you to continue to enjoy the winter months with your kiddos!
All it takes is a bit extra preparation to make sure that you’re ready to fight any school sickness that comes your way.
Here’s to a healthy and happy second half of the school year. 🎉
P.S. Do you have any winter health tips that I should know about? Connect with me here and let me know!