COUSIN MOMS ◽ TIPS
Kids and keeping clean…is that even a possibility? What about smelling nice? From diaper pails (the worst stink) to body odor (it starts early!) to washing that face and brushing those teeth…what is it like dealing with all of this? We asked. They answered.
We are at the phase of parenting where we have some kids self-sufficient when it comes to showers/baths and general hygiene, and a little one who depends on us to make sure she is clean.
Kamrin
My personal experience with the kids is to teach them young! Then giving them the opportunity to apply those teachings as they get older. Bathroom and house. Those are the two areas we focus on.
Basics of brushing teeth twice a day, bathing well to keep clean, when they were young…and then washing their face and noticing the products they use…all a process as they grow up.
We have three teens (one is a pre-teen) who are in athletics and need to have good hygiene!
We have two boys that play sports, and a daughter in sports and theater and dance. So skin care and hygiene is very important.
One big tip is when coming home from sports, they take a shower right away. My boys have learned that when you’re sweaty and sit down, and don’t wash off, the skin can become irritated. And that’s not fun. Teenage boys and sports “filth” sitting on good furniture – no way.
The kids need to understand their skin type. I’ve learned this working for a skincare company. A product that might work for me might irritate my daughter’s skin, so we try to fit our individual needs. My boys love the Dove mens care line of products and this works really well for them. Same for deodorant. Although they also like Arm & Hammer deodorant.
My daughter has sensitive skin so she now uses a clay-based cleanser from Nuskin – a polishing bar – and it really helps keep her skin clean so she doesn’t have breakouts on her skin. It’s been a game changer! She also changes her towel with every shower (this is a hot topic!) This adds to our wash, but the dermatologist recommended this for her skin. This helps with skin irritations.
Finally, we have the kids clean their face and we taught them this practice at a young age. Sweat and theater makeup and all of the activities affects the kids’ faces. And not just random soap. In our house, we found a facewash for our kids. We love our Nuskin Lumispa for me and my daughter – a skin care device that does the cleansing and helps build a habit.
It’s important to find hygiene products that fit each child. Our favorite toothpaste for all of us AP24 and we all love it. But we all have different skin types, and we are learning to personalize our routine for hygiene. It’s important! Building basic habits and then growing with the kids does work. If you have boys and kids in athletics…you know what I mean!
Charissa
We have a house full of daughters, and thankfully one of the "crazes" today for young girls is skin care, and I'm on board. They definitely needed direction on what type of skin care to buy, recognizing that their young skin doesn't need the anti-aging, collagen-filled products. Some of my favorite brands for young girls are Everdeen and Bubble. They both have clean ingredients, with gentle cleansers and moisturizers that also contain sun protection. In all honesty, it's really just setting them up for good habits in taking care of their skin.
Deodorant is a new hygiene product we've introduced to our 10-year old. Everdeen has a good product as well as Fresh Monster. Fresh Monster has fun scents and they are all aluminum and paraben-free.
Dental hygiene is important as well, and we are thankful to have my husband (my girls' father) as a dentist. October just happens to be Dental Hygiene month! I can't stress enough how important it is to take care of our children's teeth from the moment they get their first tooth.
Our girls love their electric toothbrushes from BURST, as these help the girls in making sure they brush for a whole two minutes. We are supporters of fluoride in their toothpaste, a great ingredient to fight cavities and protect their enamel. Teaching them the proper way to brush, and spit out the toothpaste is important too! For toothpaste, our kids enjoy the flavors Hello provides - especially the unicorn sparkles. Crest has great kid options as well.
Don't forget to floss! Our girls like the floss picks as they are easier to use with their little hands. You can buy a large pack on Amazon in shapes of all sorts of animals, no brand in particular.
As they grow, I know trends will change and new products will be released but these are just a few items we like in this season of life. –