Hand Washing - Setting Good Examples For Your Children

y">washing is effective for people of all ages working or
As children, we are constantly being reminded by ourplaying in all locations. It reduces germs in the kitchen,
parents to wash our hands after using the restroomon the playground, lowers transfer of bacteria from
and before eating. At the age of ten, this seemedthe bathroom to the classroom, or from the hospital
like a chore; however, regularly washing your handsinto an office.
throughout the day is proven to reduce ourEducating children and adults alike about the benefits
susceptibility to infectious diseases, making the choreof hand washing is proving difficult because believe it
of hand washing well worth the effort. You'veor not, people are not very consistent when it
probably grown up to raise your own children thecomes to hand washing. The American Society for
same way, where hand washing is an important partMicrobiology has posted the results of one of their
of their daily routine.studies, explaining that about 90% of women wash
In American culture, we shake hands to greet people,their hands after using a public restroom, but only
which place even more value on cleanliness. In other75% of men follow suit!
cultures, customs are in place that actually eliminatesA survey conducted over the phone back in 2005
this point of contact, which reduces the risk andrevealed that only 75% of us wash our hands after
spread of disease. The Japanese custom of ojigi,using our bathroom at home, changing a child's diaper,
where two people bow in a respectful greeting, ispetting a household animal, or handling food or
one such example.currency. All of these activities merit a good hand
Studies conducted over the last decade havewashing. These alarming results should motivate
repeatedly shown that thoroughly washing youradults to provide a better example and to help
hands is the single best way to reduce the spread ofestablish good habits for their children.
germs and the diseases they can cause. Hand