- 1). Explain the importance of personal hygiene. Use items such as toothbrushes, washcloths and shampoo to demonstrate daily care. Begin with simple tasks, such as how to wash hands, and end with larger tasks, such as how to shower.
- 2). Place hand soap on the bathroom or kitchen sink, within the child's reach. Using your hands, show him how to rub soap onto the palms of both hands and distribute the soap to the backs of the hand and between the fingers. Rinse and dry your hands, then have the child imitate what you have done, allowing him to wash his hands on his own.
- 3). Help the child brush her teeth. Put a tube of toothpaste in one hand and the toothbrush in the other. Place your hand over the hand she is holding the toothpaste with and squeeze the right amount of paste onto the toothbrush. Add toothpaste to your toothbrush, too.
- 4). Stand beside the child and brush your teeth, gums and tongue, then have her imitate what you are doing. Then teach her to floss. Have her brush and floss her teeth on her own, under your supervision.
- 5). Give your child the shampoo bottle and tell her to squeeze the proper amount of shampoo into her hand. Tell her to use that amount of shampoo each time she showers. Have her wash the shampoo off her hand. Then perform a mock demonstration of how to massage shampoo into the scalp and rinse it out.
- 6). Give the child a washcloth in one hand and a bar of soap in the other. Show him how to rub the bar of soap onto the washcloth. Rub the washcloth over your clothes, as if you are showering, and tell him to imitate you. Have the child bathe alone after teaching him to shampoo and wash.
- 7). Teach children who have entered puberty how to apply underarm deodorant. Include instructions on foot care. Because acne is a common concern of teens during puberty, teach children how to wash their faces with face wash and facecloth.
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