Do your children wash their hands before every meal?

[Hayegernz]

We definitely did as kids and thinking I am too lax with mine. They wash their hands when coming in from outside and after the loo but that's it.

After just seeing a thread about worms I'm now a bit worried that my baby ate her dinner with her hands after playing with her big sister's toys and crawling around the floor all afternoon. Barf.

Is it just us?

We wash hands after toilet, when coming in from outside and always before eating. I do so why not my children, I think it's a good habit to get into and it's not that much effort!

This is why the advice is to wash hands when coming in - because you have been out in the world with the great un(hand)washed!!

Not if they've been home but if they've been outside or playing with the pets.

I wash before cooking / prepping food / after touching chicken etc.. but if ds is - I dunno - watching TV or something, I wouldn’t send him to wash before he ate.
And don’t most antibacterial soaps have some kind of ongoing protection? So if I’ve washed after the bathroom they’re still clean when I eat lunch an hour later?

I wouldn't because I never really knew it was 'a thing' until way into adulthood.

No, none of us have ever really washed out hands before eating. Obviously yes after the toilet (although DS is still a bit lax with this ) and always before doing any sort of baking etc. But never just before a meal.

They are very rarely ill, and have definitely never had worms, eeeeeeek!

I'm so glad I avoid other people's home baking and cooking now. I knew that some people out there were gross but I didn't really think the numbers were so high.

@TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination we did it for a few years too. Yuck. Firstly it was when DH and I were still new and I was too young and unsure of myself to say no thanks, then it was just expected when the kids came along and DH didn't like to "rock the boat".

Eventually I said fuck not rocking the boat, I just sank the whole damn thing and hired our own caravan. Then I cooked all the meals from ours and took them over to eat together. Oddly enough we were never ill again.

This is the basic NHS handwashing advice page: www.nhs.uk/live-well/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/ - it includes before eating or handling food

You know that microbes and bacteria are not visible to the human eye? And why are you allowing your kids to eat what comes out of their nose? Ugh. Just because kids do it doesn’t mean it’s not fucking disgusting…

Always at least when I'm about they do!

Ive had loads of kids come over for a play date and dinner and my kids always wash their hands, I'll ask the other kids and it's like I've asked them to strip naked!

Basic hygiene is you so me

Wash hand on coming in from outside, after the toilet, before cooking, and if hands are dirty. That’s it.

We also don’t eat with our hands, so don’t really see the issue? Obviously if your children are babies/toddlers that is different, but for school age children, just instill some table manners and give them a fork.

This is our affliction. I have 2 DC, 8 and 12. Never had lice - always threadworm. They've had it at least twice each. We eat a lot of fruit and veg, including organic stuff "straight off the farm", and I think this is the culprit. But we treat it and otherwise kids are v healthy/never ill, so it is what it is.
They wash hands in hit and miss fashion for dinner if they've been playing outside.

@Changechangychange table manners have nothing to do with hygiene, also we don't tend to eat sandwiches, / burgers with a knife & fork, so just because hands don't look dirty, doesn't mean they are clean.

No...never have done. Not even as a child!

I'm also a teacher and our children at school don't either...it's not 'a thing' these days anymore OP 🤷‍♀️ They eat with cutlery, so we are assuming that their hands don't touch their food 👍 (plus, there simply is not the time or facilities to get 450 children to wash their hands by 12pm!)

They only wash their hands when visibly dirty so rarely!

All of us are never ill and extremely healthy as their immune systems have been exposed and trained. They also used to eat food when they dropped it on bus floor

It never fails to surprise just how many people see being filthy as a badge of honour. Totally bewildering esp that last comment about food being dropped on a bus floor still being eaten. It seems something v common here and also in the Netherlands.

Before meals and after coming in from trips out. Just a good habit to get into really.

@MugginsOverEre

yeah I know what you mean, I put up with things when I was young that I wouldn't now. Sank a boat with the Ex's parents too (but not over hygiene, though...it was a pick your battles decision.)

you were very kind to use the caravan to visit & make meals!!

@carefullycourageous

Alternatively you could stop picking your nose or wiping it with your hands🤮 & stop assuming other people are that gross.

No, only after using the loo or if visibly dirty. Also bath them only once a week unless dirty (of course that will change as they become teenagers).

I work in medicine and believe in the hygiene hypothesis. I have IBD and was brought up in an extremely bug-free environment. I don't know if there's a link personally, but I know the research suggests it's a risk factor.

The dc are 12 and 9, and never get ill (it's quite weird actually). I'm doing what I can to protect them from a horrific disease.

@About10lbstogo

12 & 9 and you bath them?

& they only have a bath once a week???? Sorry but that's revolting.

you are going too far in the other direction to your parents.

Yes

Yes. They always wash their hands when they come home (from school, from being out somewhere etc), after the toilet, and before eating.

After toilet and before cooking (and after usually if I've been touching raw food) but not before eating. Do people wash their hands before eating a pack of crisps or a biscuit or a piece of fruit and stuff or just proper meals?

Nope