Teaching Self-Care Skills By: Taryn Anaya

Bathing - Teach your child to always close the door when they are bathing -Help your child test the temperature of the water with a thermometer -Have your child get the a wash cloth wet and apply a small amount of soap to it -Then have them start cleaning each part of there body thoroughly -Help them rinse off their body with warm water -Then have them get out of the bathtub and dry off

Caring for Teeth Set a timer for your kids so they know how long to brush for (2 Mins) You could also play a song for 2 minutes so its fun Make sure to brush every tooth Brush in a circular motion Brush tongue and roof of mouth Teach kids how to hold the floss by gently wrapping a piece of floss around two fingers Have them practice flossing by putting the floss through the prongs of a comb Watch your child to make sure they are brushing and flossing correctly

Dressing Show them the basics first like how to use zippers, buttons, or Velcro Show them how to correctly put on all of the items on first Make sure they know how to dress according to the weather and time of the day Show them what kinds of cloths match When your child first starts dressing them self have them wear loose clothing so its easy to take off when using the bathroom Give them about 10-15 minutes when getting dressed When your child is around four or five years old you can show them how to tie shoes or buckle a belt

Caring for Clothes Teach them how to sort dirty cloths by color (lights and Darks) Have them Check the pockets of their pants and make sure there is nothing inside them Have them turn shirts with graphics inside out Teach them how to use the washing machine and help them pit the detergent in Also show them how to hand was delicate clothing Teach them how to use the dryer timer based on how many cloths are in the load Have them fold there cloths and put them away after

Sleeping Kids who are 4-6 years old need 11-12 hours of sleep You shouldn’t give your kids very much sugar during the day because it may keep them up at night Have everything ready for them before they go to bed like (book, water, stuffed animal, night light) Get them into a routine have them go to bed and wake up at a certain time ever day Make sure you let your child wind down by reading them a book or telling them a bedtime story

Toilet Training They need to have some sort of interest in using the toilet They need to be able to speak enough to let you know they have to use the bathroom If they can keep a diaper dry for 2 hours or more then you can start potty training them You can get them a potty chair, this will make it easier for them to relax and not have to be held over the toilet A potty chair might also make them excited to use the toilet When first starting ask them throughout the day if they need to use the bathroom Don’t force them to use the toilet if they aren’t ready

Sharing Make sharing fun and let kids know it is polite to share Show your kids that when they share they can play games and work together Let them know that if they share other kids will want to share with them If your children see you sharing then they will want to share too Teach them how to talk to other kids and express to them if they really don’t want to share a special toy

Chores Make chores fun If they are doing dishes you cold let them use bubbly soap If they are picking up their room let them have a friend over after its clean Its good to reward your children after they do chores but don’t bribe them If they see you doing chores they will be more likely to do them a well

Work Cited "Ages & Stages." HealthyChildren.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. The Nemours Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 May 2016