Take this example for instance:
I had friends come to visit with their children. I'd make a nice lunch for them, usually a plate of spaghetti, and the children would enjoy the meal. Pasta on the table, in their laps, on the floor, on their hands, all around their faces, making them resemble Ronald McDonald. Children seem to get more food everywhere else than in their tummies.
At the end of the meal I'd say, "Ok, everyone wash your hands." My children would comply while their children would say NO! I'd have to get up and go over to them and take them to the bathroom and do the washing and drying of their hands for them (while the parents said and did nothing). Then I'd clean up all the spilled pasta and wipe down the tables, floors etc.
Their NO to my request tells me a few things:
1) They're not regularly asked to wash their hands. When children are taught manners they use those manners where ever they go because they've learned it's polite and part of functioning in society. It's the same with cleaning habits. Children who are taught to wash their hands will comply when asked to wash their hands. Children who are NOT taught this will not comply. These children were NOT taught they need to wash their hands after eating.
2) The parents are ok with hearing No. Again, if you teach you're children to respect adults they will do as they're asked and not butt heads. Children who butt heads with adults are not taught by their parents to respect their parents let alone other adults.
Another situation happened with these children/parents. They had visited mutual friends of ours and had been sick with gastroenteritis:
An intestinal infection marked by diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) is typically spread by contact with an infected person or through contaminated food or water. Diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever are common symptoms. Avoiding contaminated food and water and washing hands can often help prevent infection. Rest and rehydration are the mainstays of treatment.
They had been sick a few days before visiting this friend and were better (no longer vomiting with diarrhoea) by the time they visited, yet most likely still contagious considering that days later when we visited be became violently ill!
Gastroenteritis is contagious. It is spread through close contact with infected persons (for example, by sharing food, water, or eating utensils) or by touching surfaces contaminated by an infected person and then touching one's mouth. You can be contagious (and the virus remain in your stool) from a few days up to two weeks or more.
Knowing these parents don't teach their children that washing hands is important I am sure we got sick by touching surfaces those children had touched; most likely the surfaces in the guest toilet and bathroom as well as children's toys.
That night myself and my children were ill and vomiting with diarrhoea all night. Thankfully my partner was unaffected and was able to look after us.
This tells me a few things:
1) Those children weren't washing their hands when they visited the mutual friend and why would they! It's fairly obvious they're not required to by their parents. They would have been leaving those gastro bugs on everything they touched! Eeww!!
2) The mutual friend we visited hadn't washed down any of the surfaces these children had touched since their visit. They wouldn't have thought to because they don't use the guest bathroom (they have their own ensuite bathroom and were not affected with gastro themselves).
This is to show you that not all parents ensure their children wash their hands regularly or that environments are cleaned. It's not a given that all people know how important washing hands is. With covid-19 hitting us right now I cannot stress enough how important it is that you teach your children to wash their hands! Their well being and the lives of others depend on it!
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