School Germs: How to protect your family

It’s that time of year when all those school germs make their way home. Here are some tips from moms for how to protect your family from school germs and keep everyone healthy!

How to keep kids from bringing the school germs into the house. Also, tips from moms for what to use to boost their immune systems and fight off all the yucky school germs!

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Ugh… School Germs

Well we made it exactly 11 school days before having a kiddo home sick.

The kids started school with a two day week and then a four day week. After the first full week, Little Guy came down with something over the weekend. He stayed home from school yesterday, but felt up to it today.

Can I let you in on a little secret? Mom is not feeling great today. Of course, as moms we don’t dare get sick. We get sick but the show must go on. Hubby has night school two nights this week. So, that means, regardless of how I feel, I’m taking the kiddos for the first night of their return to swim lessons tonight by myself.

So, I’m doing all I can to keep myself from getting all these germs. We’re doing all we can to keep everyone else in the family from getting sick. I also need to keep the house germ-free because I get to spend some time with an adorable 3-month-old a couple days a week until his daycare can take him full-time. And when does that start? This week! Of course…

So I did what most people these days do when they need some great Mom advice. I took the the internet and asked for help from my Instagram mom friends.

Are you following us on Instagram? We share all sorts of this stuff over there!

Protecting your family from school germs

I got some great advice, so I’m sharing all these gems with you even as I use them myself.

It basically comes down to tips for cleaning yourself and your home and helpful vitamins and supplements. Let me tell you, elderberry is definitely a recommendation that came up the most!

Wash Away School Germs

Ok, this is standard advice that can’t be beat. Hand washing is the single most effective way to reduce illness.

With all the commotion after school, are you remembering to have the kiddos wash their hands right away?

I am guilty of forgetting this. If they immediately ask for a snack, I remember. However, when they’re running back out to play or showing me all their schoolwork, I do not catch them and enforce this right away.

Believe me, this week, we will be getting more strict about this one.

Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizer

We all know the key to keeping germs away is frequent washing and sanitizing. Hand sanitizer is always something we have handy for on-the-go or strategic places in the house.

We recently found out about Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizers, and I’m amazed by this! They somehow manage to coat the probiotic in something so that it’s released after the sanitizer. Then, after the sanitizer kills 99.99% of the germs, the good bacteria is delivered. It’s pretty incredible!

Uses a patented technology to create a “membrane” around the probiotic to protect it from the antibacterial formula. Probiotic benefits will be delivered after the sanitizer activity completes. This means the sanitizer doesn’t kill the probiotic, and the probiotic doesn’t neutralize the sanitizer. The bad bacteria is eliminated, and the probiotic thrives.

Also Read: Desert Essence Toothpaste

I like the way this hand sanitizer dries quickly when you rub it in and leaves your hands feeling smooth and not dry. With all the fantastic ingredients, the scents are also pretty unique. The lavender and lemongrass are our favorite. Does anyone else think lemongrass smells like fruit loops? Just me? Once the sanitizer dries, you have soft, nice smelling hands.

Use promo code DEprobioticpowder to get 30% off Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizers by visiting desertessence.com.

Change Clothes

Do you have your kiddos change clothes after school?

Just like hand washing, the kiddos just right into playing half the time so I never considered to have them change their clothes right after school.

This is such a smart solution and something I hadn’t even thought of before! I’m so interested to know how many people do this. Am I just a dirty mom for not having thought of it before?

Outside Play

I love this one! I actually wouldn’t have thought of adding this if I was giving someone my advice for how to protect your family from school germs. It’s too good not to share and remind everyone, though.

First, outside play is fantastic for physical exercise, energy levels, and creativity. Second, the indoor circulation of germs and bacteria is avoided if they stay outside in the fresh air. Third, playing outside helps to build up their autoimmune system and resistance to allergies.

Outdoor play can’t be beat!

Even as it gets colder, studies show that being out in the winter air (properly bundled) is better for you than staying inside where germs can spread. Here is a good read about cold weather and outdoor play, if you’re interested.

Also read: Our favorite outdoor toys

Clean Surfaces daily

Since we know that the indoors hold more germs and bacteria, we also know that it is incredibly important to keep the house as clean as possible.

My friend, Felicia, from Five Hes and She says she tries to wipe down her surfaces almost daily with a disinfectant such as Lysol or Clorox.

I just did a deep clean on Sunday, but I will be more diligent about wiping all the high-traffic areas.

Common places to wipe down daily to protect your family from school germs

• Doorknobs and handles
• Counter tops
• Stair railings
• Bathroom surfaces
• Common touches surfaces in mudroom (such as cubbies) or entry (such as hooks or benches)
• Refrigerators
• Sinks

Diffuse School Germs Away

We use diffusers every night in the winter. We love them for a personal humidifier and typically use oils such as lavender and peppermint for sleep, or eucalyptus for congestion.

However, certain oils have antibacterial properties.

Just like the Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizer, tea tree, lavender, lemongrass essential oils are great for their antibacterial properties. You can diffuse these around your house to help prevent the spread of bacteria and help protect your family from school germs.

Other essential oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus, oregano, and orange are also known to have antibacterial properties.

Also Read: Easy tips to help your family stay healthy as the weather changes

Vitamins and Supplements

Several of my Instagram mom friends suggested different vitamins or supplements. In the past, our kiddos have loved Solgar U-Cubes and Vitamin C gummies. Unfortunatly, we have been out since summer and I haven’t restocked. Not smart.

In addition to a multi-vitamin, a couple other supplements were recommended. For immune system support, my friend Esther, from A Magical Kingdom Called Home, had great results with Silver Biotics when they took it before their recent Disney trip. Another friend swears by D-mulsion Vitamin D drops daily, especially in from the Fall to the Spring.

Elderberry

We’ve come to the most recommended way to protect your family from school germs! Almost 75% of the recommendations from our mom friends were for Elderberry.

Do you know anything about this?

Apparently, you can administer elderberry in an elixer, syrup, or gummies. There may be other ways, but these were the ones recommended. Different moms recommended different things, but I think what it comes down to is paying attention to the ingredient lists. Too many added ingredients and sugar is obviously not ideal. However, if you’d like the kiddos to take it I’m guessing there needs to be a balance in order to have a taste they will tolerate.

Elderberry recommendations to combat school germs

• Kids version of the elixer. “It’s sweet by not full of added sugar like the syrup, and it seems to last a lot longer too.”
• Sambucus brand syrup. “There are others that have chemicals like crazy and tasete absolutely foul. Sambucus is actually delicious.”
• There were lots of votes for elderberry gummies. I totally agree with this because both the kids and I prefer anything in gummy form!

Another interesting side note: Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizer also uses elderberry combined with other botanical extracts including Tea Tree Oil, Thyme, and Echinacea to help reduce bacteria.

Remember: Use promo code DEprobioticpowder to get 30% off Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizers by visiting desertessence.com.

There are no “School Germs” if you Homeschool! haha

I couldn’t not put this in here. To my Instagram buddy who suggested this one, you made me laugh.

If all else fails, just get your kiddos out of that petri dish and teach them at home.

For those of us who are pretty sure we are NOT meant to home school – even though we dream of the flexibility and travel opportunities – let’s give these tips a try and consult back in a month.

Also Read: Get Ready for School after Summer Break

Let me know in the comments if you use any of these tops to protect your family from school germs.

Or, let’s connect on Instagram, and share our struggles and successes there!

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