This Mom's Must-Do List When Her Little One Returns From Daycare

Published on 10/25/2019 at 2:25 PM

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I remember the first time I got the call from daycare: "Hi, Mrs. Murray? This is Miss April from Gabe's daycare. He has a 101 temp, running nose, and cough — when can you come get him?"

Little did I know that this would be the first in a series of "sick calls" from my son's daycare. Each one resulting in me having to drop everything, leave work, and reschedule plans to go pick up my heartbreaking-ly cranky son from daycare. This would then be followed by a frantic dash to the pediatrician for an unscheduled wellness check. I, of course, was always a bit panicked. But the doctor would ask the same series of questions: "When did you notice any symptoms?" "Has he been coughing?" And finally,"Is he in daycare?"

Ask any parent with kids in daycare and they'll tell you the pros (Socializing! Independence! Friends!) and then the big con — they're always catching something.

Listen, I get it. Babies and toddlers in daycare are kind of gross. Running around, slobbering all over everything, stealing each other's pacifiers and bottles, sticking their fingers in their nose, mouth, and pants and then right into the toy chest. Of course germs are going to spread, but that doesn't mean they have to thrive and spread in your own home. Once I came to this realization, we started taking some actionable steps everyday when we came home from daycare to keep our house a germ-free zone.

No Shoes Past the Front Door

First thing we do when we get home? Ditch the shoes. Why? Because nothing spreads germs faster than walking them all over your house. And when I say "germs," what I really mean is fecal bacteria, mold, and even allergens. There have been numerous studies done on the bottom of your shoes, and the fact of the matter is, you never really know where you've been stepping on all day. And when you have a toddler or baby crawling around at home, it's better to be safe in socks than sorry in sneakers.

Wash Our Hands

The goal here is to really help develop and encourage healthy habits. Once we get inside, we'll head over to the sink and wash our hands. The rule of thumb used to be that you should sing "Happy Birthday" twice for a good, disinfecting handwashing, but in 2019, the song of choice in our household is "Baby Shark."

Disinfect Counter Surfaces

Once we've come home, unpacked bags, and settled in, it's time to start cooking dinner. But before that, I like to give all our kitchen surfaces a good disinfecting. I use Clorox ® Clean-Up® Cleaner + Bleach on my kitchen counter to give my surfaces a quick and effective deep clean. There's inevitably some spill from the lunchbox or stain on the counter that this helps clean while eliminating odor. I just spray all over, allow to sit for 30 seconds, then rinse and wipe clean.

Bath Time Scrub Down

Bath time serves a dual purpose in our house. First, it's a really nice bedtime ritual that helps trigger sleep for Gabe. Second, it's our last line of defense against lingering bacteria that he may have picked up during the day. That being said, it's all a moot point if your bathtub isn't clean (because then you're just soaking in your own filth from the day before.) So I keep a second bottle of Clorox ® Clean-Up® Cleaner + Bleach in my bathroom. I just quickly spray, rinse, and wipe down my tub after my morning shower, so it's ready for Gabe's nighttime bath. Cleaning your tub everyday may sound a bit extra, but it's just become a part of my morning routine and pays off in the long run.

Disinfect Potentially Contaminated Toys

While you can keep your house germ-free, you can't keep your child from ever getting sick again. Whenever Gabe comes down with something, I always go around and collect all the toys he played with over the past few days for a quick disinfecting. Stuffed animals and blankets get put in the wash, and colorfast plastic toys get a nice soaking. I mix ½ cup of Clorox® Regular Bleach2 with CLOROMAX® with one gallon of water for five minutes. Then I rinse and let them air dry. This helps prevent spreading his germs to the rest of the household and keeps my mind at ease.