Swacch Bharat Manners!

H1N1 virus (swine flu) is back again and it can be prevented  with Manners! Yes, simple everyday manners like- covering your mouth while coughing or sneezing will

help reduce the risk of swine flu and by practicing the most important manners – toilet

manners!

Just like there are table manners and phone manners, similarly there are toilet manners!

And it is these manners that we need to cultivate in kids if we want them to be hale,

hearty and healthy all their life.

What are toilet manners?

Simple, everyday acts that will help us reduce the health risk to ourselves and others,

they are-

1.      Always flush after use.
2.      Wash your hands after using the toilet, you have touched things like the door, lock, flush handle, so wash hands.
3.      Teach little boys how to use the western commode without sprinkling and little girls how to use it without squatting on it with their feet  on the seat!
4.      Washing hands with soap is better than just with water.

Toilet hygiene is very important as

•       Many germs are found in toilets.

•       The germs grow and spread in dirty toilets causing the spread of diseases.

•       Clean toilets prevent this health hazard.

So what is hygiene? Did you know that the term "hygiene" is derived from Hygeia, the

Greek goddess of health, cleanliness, and sanitation?

Teach children a small song that they can hum every time they wash their hands, this

song will help them have fun while washing hands and will remind them about

thoroughly washing for hygiene reasons-

Wash your hands- (tune of row, row, row your boat):

Wash wash wash your hands wash them all around

See that all the germs and dirt are washed all out

Scrub, scrub, scrub your hands, scrub them all around

See that all the germs and dirt and washed all out

Rub, rub, rub the soap, rub it nice and slow

Find, find, find the germs, and find them all fast, fast

Between the fingers, on the thumb, see they do not last.

Rinse, rinse, rinse, your hands

Rinse them out with water

Dry, dry, dry your hands, dry them on a napkin.

Clean, clean clean hands is what you have now,

So remember to always wash your hands

So that everyone can say vow!

So when we help kids do the above we keep our kids safe, hygienic and healthy, so let’s fight all diseases, including swine flu by bringing manners back in fashion.

Watch our special Swacch Bharat video and spread it to more children, parents and schools.

www.eca-inida.org

This article is written by Dr. Swati Popat Vats, President Early Childhood Association and Podar Education Network.