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Have
you made your child
cleanliness-conscious?
Cleanliness is a state of mind.
Give it to your child in the early years.
Cleanliness is a good habit, most
of us agree. None of us would like to go in unflushed toilets. None of
us would tolerate a neighbour spitting from the balcony. There can be no
two opinions about the regular visits of the garbage van near our residences.
While most of us want our surroundings to be clean, how many of us teach
our children the importance of cleanliness. We might teach them to brush
their teeth, wash their face and bathe everyday. But do we extend the concept
of cleanliness to every aspect of their daily life. Here are tips for inculcating
the value of cleanliness in children.
Start with the
room
If your child's room looks like as
if it has been hit by a mini-tornado, you have to ensure that it is not
taken over by a typhoon. Children have to be taught to keep the things
in the right place. It is a habit of a lifetime. Parents cannot and need
not be over attentive about this aspect in the early years of their children.
But some discipline has to be injected at a later stage. Set down certain
parameters. For instance, a child should never be allowed to use soiled
hankies or towels. Never ever allow the child to bring the shoes on the
bed, however tired he or she may be. Children must also be taught to tidy
their beds.
The next step is
the bathroom.
It is here that we teach our children
to brush their teeth, clean their bottoms and have a nice bath. They must
also learn to keep their surroundings clean. For example, you could put
up a funny little poster that reminds your son to pull the flush. Or put
up a little bell that rings every time he forgets to shut the door.
A little girl hated to brush her
teeth. Her mother devised a good plan to ensure that she did. She would
apply the toothpaste on the brush before waking her up, and then all she
had to do was to check whether it had been used or not. You could come
up with your own little traps and plans to check on your children.
Let your children take turns to change
the napkins, towels and tissue rolls. It is these little things that count
and make a well-mannered child. These good habits will ultimately get internalized
and add to the assets of your child's personality. For instance, imagine
your son on a high-level political visit to a foreign country. He will
never ever wear soiled socks, however busy he may be during the trip.
Leaky taps point towards a cluttered
home. Teach you children to conserve water by shutting the all taps in
the house as well. Be it in the bathroom or kitchen, or anywhere under
the sun.
What about other
places?
Be it the dining table or kitchen
or the balcony, children should be tutored not to mess up the belongings.
In order to maintain cleanliness, never allow your children to eat in any
place of the house. Teach your children, irrespective of their sex (be
it a boy or girl) to lay the table neatly. Make sure that both your son
and daughter pick up their own used plates and carry them to the kitchen
sink. They should also offer to carry those of the aged members of the
family. Washing their hands and gargling after meals is also a very good
habit, as it will help them fight bad odour throughout life.
Help them create
a clean world
Encourage children to extend their
cleanliness beyond their bathrooms and bedrooms. Set down some rules for
their behaviour in the society at large. Teach them to apply the same cleanliness
standards in the public and private too. You have to ensure that your children
do not litter a park when on a picnic, or that they do not throw garbage
from a running bus/train.
The road is not for spitting or throwing
other waste materials. Children have to be strictly warned against spitting,
as it is an international menace.
Be a role model
Children will imbibe cleanliness
only if they see their adults following the same standards. Parents should
therefore never bypass the rules. For instance, if a schoolboy sees his
father using a soiled napkin for three days, he is also bound to do the
same.
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