You’re a single dad, and you have kids in school. The last thing you need is for your kids to get COVID or your children pass COVID onto you. While many ladies love a beard, as do the guys who sport them, let’s face the fact that beards can be a germ catch-all if not properly taken care of and groomed daily. We have some tips and tricks on how to avoid getting COVID from your kids.
Make Sure Everyone Wears a Proper Mask
Having your kids wear a mask to school is pretty much the norm right now. A mask protects both your children and their classmates from transmitting the virus to each other. As long as your children are wearing their masks correctly and wash their hands frequently, they should be able to reduce the likelihood of contracting and transmitting COVID.
Wearing a proper mask when you have a beard is important too. You will want to get a mask that covers not only your nose and mouth but also your beard. Beards can catch all kinds of debris from eating and germs in the air. If you wear a gator mask, or an extra-long mask that covers your beard, you can reduce the chances of your changes of getting COVID.
Is Distant Learning an Option?
For single parents, distant learning is not typically a good option when you have young children in the house; however, if you are the only person bringing in a paycheck in your house, you cannot afford to take time off of work should you get sick. Sometimes, reducing the risk of exposure is the best way to accomplish this important feat. If you are able to work, especially from home, and have your kids do their school work as a distant learning student, you can protect your entire family from added exposure risks.
Wash Your Hands, Man!
Telling your kids to wash their hands is great, but if you are not on top of keeping your hands clean, then you will all be at risk of getting sick. This fall, the risk of getting the common cold and the flu are added to acquiring COVID. One of the best defenses against all of these nasty germs is washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer when you come into contact with high touch-surfaces.
While a lot of men feel they are immune to all the nastiness of the world, the truth is, cold, flu, and COVID are real issues that you should approach with extra caution. While you may have a job where all you do is touch dirty and grimy surfaces, it never hurts to use hand sanitizer in between tasks.
If you work in an office, keep in mind that close contact with co-workers and sharing objects can put you at risk of getting sick. Practicing and teaching your children proper hand washing techniques is an easy risk-reducing tool against bacteria and viral infections.
Find Time for Self Care
Men can be really hard on themselves and tend to not give themselves enough time for self-care. When you are a single parent, this can be even harder. If you need someone to talk to, there is always help through BetterHelp Counseling.
In addition, you need to make sure that you take some time to treat yourself right. If you find that you have a free hour in your schedule, book a massage. Get back in touch with your teenage self and take up an old hobby. If you like to read, find a series to get lost in after you get the kids to bed at night. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that you take time for yourself. You cannot take care of others if you do not take care of yourself first. Click here for more information on self-care.
Take Your Vitamins
While vitamins are not the cure for a virus, they can help boost your immune system so that you reduce your risk of getting sick. It is not a bad idea to have your children take extra vitamins too. If you are unsure of dosing, talk to their pediatrician.
Vitamins and supplements that are great at boosting your immune system are:
- Zinc
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Echinacea
- Vitamin B6 or B-Complex
- Vitamin E
- Iron
- Selenium
- Elderberry
- Astragalus
- Garlic
- Andrographis
- Licorice Root
- Curcumin
- Acai berry
Many of these vitamins can be found in a good multi-vitamin. It will also save you a ton of money not purchasing each one of these separately. There are a bunch of immune boosting supplements on the market these days. Find one that you like and take it daily.
While you are at it, make sure that you drink a lot of water each day and that you eat a balanced, nutritious diet.
It is possible to survive not only raising children as a single dad, but doing it without getting COVID. Be sure to follow these steps, and you will be on a good path to maintaining a healthy family.
Author Notes
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.