If every time you turn to see your son, you close your eyes and exclaim: dear, my son is always dirty!… We will tell you that he is normal and a sign that he is a healthy child!
Yes, we already know that you get a heart attack when you see dirty clothes, full of dirt, plasticine, paint … But it is normal and healthy that you always see your child in dirty clothes.
THE ONLY REAL REASON: HE REALLY ENJOYS GETTING DIRTY!
Children from one to six years old are in the process of exploring their environment. When you were a baby, your child surely put everything in his mouth. Now satisfy that curiosity by manipulating objects and appropriating it with what you can: spider, crushes, breaks, digs …
DOES YOUR CHILD LOVE TO JUMP IN PUDDLES? PLAY WITH MUD? EAT THE CAKE WITH YOUR HANDS? IS YOUR CHILD ALWAYS DIRTY?
Thanks to these actions, he learns to express his emotions and to know his own body (the skill of his fingers, the pressure they exert on things…).
At his age, keep in mind that he doesn’t care what he looks like and doesn’t understand very well the difference between “clean” and “dirty” and be aware that when he plays, he doesn’t realize that he’s getting stained.
The concept of cleanliness that we adults have is very different. But you can not demand that your child does not get dirty while playing, let alone scold him.
AVOID SAYING PHRASES LIKE:
“Look at your clothes”
“How dirty you are”
“You are so filthy”…
We know that there is the social belief that overwhelms you as a mother since you think that a clean child is the same as having good parents, but we have a surprise for you: it is the other way around! A dirty child is equal to a happy child (of course, there are its exceptions and you should not exaggerate, after each game, you have to wash his hands and put him to bathe to avoid infections and diseases).
SET REASONABLE LIMITS, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO PLAY ON THE PLAYGROUND, WITH MODELING CLAY, PAINT OR SOMETHING THAT IS SURE TO LEAVE A STAIN, CHANGE HIS CLOTHES AND SAY PHRASES LIKE THESE:
“You can play with the modeling clay if you take off your new shirt.”
“Play on the grass as much as you want, but before you go home, shake yourself well.”
Ideally, instill in your child good hygiene and health habits, and that they should wash their hands after playing, before eating and after using the bathroom.
How does it make you feel like your child is always dirty?