As your kids are growing up, you are looking for ways to teach them how to become independent. One of the most important ways that your kids can become independent is by beginning to take care of their own hygiene. However, allowing your kids to take care of their own hygiene can be a difficult process if you are unsure that they are going to do a satisfactory job. Here are a few tips to help your kids begin the process of taking care of their own hygiene.
1. Make goals for the kids. Whether you want to use a sticker chart or another way of keeping track of all the daily necessities, make sure that your kids know what is expected of them. As you set goals together, your kids will take accountability of their own hygiene. They will realize they are sharing the planning experience and have more desire to follow through with the goals that they set.
2. Create guidelines around the goals. If the goal is to brush teeth, then make sure that the kids have a way of knowing that they are doing a good job at brushing their teeth. Provide them with a timer, or a plastic hourglass, so that your children know how to do the job right. When they have a way of measuring their success, they will feel great when they finish the tasks they are required to do!
3. Reward good behavior. Rather than always being frustrated by the ways that your kids don’t quite measure up, make sure that you reward their good behavior. By appropriately complimenting and recognizing all the ways that they are doing a good job at their tasks, you will positively reinforce your children’s good behavior and they will actively seek ways to achieve this approval.
As you help your children form good habits, you will not only be helping them for their next visit to their dentist in Pleasant View, Utah, but you will be helping them for life!