Is your child picking up more than the ABC’s in school?
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
I was given the opportunity by Seventh Generation and My BlogSpark to try Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes, disinfecting multi-surface spray cleaner, facial tissue and paper towels and I love each of them. The disinfecting wipes have come in handy for those quick cleanups and the multi-purpose spray has been great to use everywhere in the house. The facial tissue has sat right next to my bed the past week and half simply because my good ole allergies have been completely out of whack. I am amazed that my nose is not raw because most tissues do that to me. And lastly, the paper towels! Wow, they pick up so much more than I expected and they are super thick.
Would you all like the an opportunity to dig in, too? One lucky winner will receive one (1) Seventh Generation “Back to School” Kit!
THE GIVEAWAY
Your ways to enter include:
- Let me know how you are keeping your kids healthy and germ-free
- Let me know ways that you keep your households clean during the school year
- Sign up for my feeds in a reader or email (please make sure you confirm your subscription or your entry will not count)
- Become a fan of Frugally Thrifty Facebook
- Follow Frugally Thrifty on Twitter (use the hashtag – @SeventhGen and #myblogspark when tweeting about the Seventh Generation Back-to-School Kit)
- Follow on Networked Blogs
- Follow on My BlogFrog
- Add my button to your page
- Blog or Tweet about this giveaway or service
There are many different ways to enter and the best part is that you can enter as many times as you like. All I ask is that you please leave each entry as a separate comment (link included, if applicable). Open to US residents only.
