Hand Hygiene

Washing your hands is THE BEST way to fight the spread of disease--including colds and flu.


How to Wash Your Hands:
1. Wet hands (use warm water if possible)
2. Soap (apply liquid or bar soap to hands)
3. Wash 15-20 seconds (Rub hands together. Remember to rub around/under your fingernails and in between your fingers) (15-20 seconds = the time it takes to sing the ABCs song once or the Happy Birthday song twice.)
4. Rinse
5. DRY (Use a clean towel/paper towel)
6. Turn off the water with the paper towel/towel or your sleeve.
(7. Use paper towel or sleeve to open bathroom door before throwing the paper towel away.)


Click here for a hand washing poster


The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) put together this video about hand hygiene:


I love the beginning of the video where animation shows bacteria spreading. Gross. I wash my hands before eating, after going to the bathroom, before fixing food/meds, after coming home from anywhere, and after changing diapers. I always forget to wash up after handling money. Someone needs to invent germ-resistant money!


My friend came home from her first day at the cadaver lab. The lesson had been on hand washing. She was so grossed out - thinking about all the germs on everything. She washed her hands like crazy for months. I wonder if she still washes her hands correctly.

Staying Home for the RSV/Flu/Swine Flu Season

Flu/RSV season is upon us again!  Last year, staying in to protect Seraph and Angel from getting sick nearly drove us crazy.  This year I'm more prepared.  Yes, we really stay home as much as possible until Spring.  No, we don't pull our daughter out of school or Haqon out of work.  We do keep hand sanitizer at the front and back doors.

I tried getting my family to wash their hands each time they came home.  No one remembers.  Besides, most people don't wash their hands correctly.

My kids devoured their Halloween Candy this year.  S Bear went to bed with a tummy ache. I forgot to take pictures of everyone in their costumes - oops.

Seraph and Angel are both feeling better today.
My favorite Angel moment today:  She was looking in the fridge and said, "Jinkies".
My favorite Seraph moment today: She was sitting up and rolled her shoulders up and down to get D Finch to giggle.