With nearly 22 million school days lost each year due to the common cold and flu (CDC) and as many as 2.7 million bacterial found per square inch on common school surfaces (NSF International), it´s no wonder that 82 percent of parents with kids in grades K-5 fret about the germs in their children´s classrooms (according to a survey conducted by Seventh Generation).
This school year, Seventh Generation is sharing tips from best-selling author and pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, to help parents protect their child´s health during back-to-school season. Dr. Greene suggests taking the following precautions:
Optimize the immune system
- Reap the benefits of probiotics like those found in yogurt. A recent study showed that children who received enough probiotics daily throughout the cold and flu season had a significant reduction in the number of illnesses they had and, when they did get sick, the symptoms were both milder and didn’t last as long.
- Be sure your child is getting plenty of vitamin D from the sun, from food, or from a supplement.
- Build a strong foundation. Good food, good sleep, and good physical activity all help the immune system to flourish.
Be wise about reducing unnecessary exposure to harmful germs
- Teach children the key times to clean their hands in the classroom. The most important times include after sneezing, coughing or using the restroom, upon leaving “high-risk” places (recess, naptime, play stations) and before meals or snacks.
- Sixty percent of teachers surveyed said that they request that parents donate disinfecting wipes to the classroom. Seventh Generation´s disinfecting wipes kill 99.99% of germs* naturally using the active ingredient thyme, a component of thyme oil which is derived from the herb thyme.
- Stress the importance of not touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Demonstrate to your children how to cover their mouth and nose for every cough and sneeze. This simple maneuver has spectacular results in decreasing the spread of viruses and bacteria floating about the room, waiting to be inhaled.
*Refer to disinfecting product labels for full details
WIN !!!!!
One of my lucky readers will also win a Seventh Generation “Back-to-School” kit that includes a Seventh Generation backpack, two canisters of Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes (one for home and one to donate to your child´s classroom), disinfecting multi-surface spray cleaner, facial tissue and paper towels. (As Shown)
Here is how :
- Leave me a comment on how you keep your household germ-free during the school year ?l = 1 entry
- Comment and tell us how your keep your kids healthy and germ-free ?= 1 entry
- Follow Me on Networked Blogs (right sidebar) comment and tell me you do= 1 entry
- Follow this blog, comment and tell me you do = 1 entry
- Follow me over on Twitter (@plussizemommy) = 1 entry
This giveaway begins NOW and ends on Aug. 14, 2010 at 10PM EST.
This giveaway is for USA residents only. Winner will NOT be emailed. Winner will be posted on this blog by Aug. 9th. Please check back to see if you are the winner if you enter.
Winner will be selected via random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize by emailing me.
Thank you and Good Luck to All who enter!!
Happy Back To School !!!
The Plus Size Mommy
*Disclosure- Seventh Generation provided me with the free product, gift pack and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.
I am registered on The Plus Size Mommys Blog.
I am a clorox user and use it in the toilet, and wipe everything that its safe to wipe with clorox or another safe disinfectant.When I go to my daughters home, my son in law comes home from work and says—I can smell that your mom was here helping you clean today! But it helps wash the germs away.
Chlorox/Lysol wipes! I love them….I whip one out and start wiping everything down.
The kids wash their hands whenever we come home from being out and about….and hand sanitizer when we are out and about !
I follow your blog via RSS feed
I use Melaleuca products to keep germs under control and to minimize our impact on the environment and keep as many chemicals out of our home. I also love seventh Gen products Great giveaway
Following on networked blogs.
I keep my kids germ free by teaching them what not to touch. reinforce handwashing, proper handwashing! Supply them with hand sanitizer that they can carry on their backpacks and purses so its always available.
I follow your blog – 7th generation products are the best. We also keep a bottle of clorox around to clean our counters and bathroom. Bottles of hand sanitizer live in each of our cars, backpacks and purses.
I am obsessed with germs because my students are always sneezing,coughing and making me sick. Seriously, I can pick up germs so easily. At home I clean our telephones, doorknobs and bathrooms every Saturday morning. I understand there will always be germs, but I figure if I keep on top of them, there will be a lot less.
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I keep try to teach my students to cut down on the germs to by using hand sanitizer after every class. They share the keyboards in the lab so as they leave, I encourage them to take a little hand sanitizer to kill germs.
Every Wednesday and Friday I spray the keyboards and tables with Lysol as well.
Brooklyn was one of the places where the Swine Flu happened two years ago.
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I follow you on Twitter!
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I can’t believe I wasn’t following your blog already. I’ve read it for so long and just can’t believe I wasn’t following. I am now….but in my defense I don’t think I saw the blogger button to follow this blog. But I am following now
Disinfectant wipes. Lots and lots of disinfectant wipes.
I’m a big believer in vitamins and supplements (not like dozens, but a multivitamin every day, and extra C, zinc and echinachea during the winter months).
Networked Blog’d
I follow via email
I follow on Twitter
I’m a huge believer in Clorox and Lysol products lol
They do wonders!
Thanks for the chance to win! Glad I got in on the last day!
ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com
I bought my Godson(my best friend’s son who is 5) some kids vitamins to take…I know he doesn’t always eat the right amounts of fruits and veggies, so that is helping him alot..He hardly gets sick!
ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com
Following you via networked blogs
JoeyfromSC
Joey J.
ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com
Follow your blog via GFC as JoeyfromSC
ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com
Following you on twitter @JoeyfromSC
ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com
I have an automatic soap dispencer at home, it stop germs from collecting on the pump handle of regular soap dispencers. Its a great idea, very clever design. Its new on the market, have you can across it?