What You Should Never Say to a Kid with Head Lice
Every parent dreads the thought of their kid coming home with head lice. It can be really easy to overreact, think the worst, and honestly just kind of freak out. Rest assured, any parent who has dealt with head lice understands. The important thing is that you take a deep breathe, remember you are the adult, and NOT overreact. The things you say when you are dealing with a head lice infestation in your home can impact your children way more than you think.
Peggy O’Mara wisely teaches us, “The way we talk to children becomes their inner voice.”
In highly stressful situations, such as finding head lice in your home, it is a great time for a reminder to all parents to watch what we say and how we say it.
What not to say and why:
“Who have you been playing with? Those kids are so dirty!”
“Yuck! Please don’t hug me. I don’t want to catch it!”
“It’s so gross! So Creepy!”
“How could this happen, haven’t you been careful? Have you been showering?”
“Oh no, now I have to tell all your friends and neighbors that you have head lice!”
Obviously, a few of these are self-explanatory. We would never want our children to feel unwanted or like a burden to us. But, as you well know if we are not careful sometimes our emotions can take control and cause us to blurt things out that we don’t honestly mean. Don’t make your children feel dirty or gross. Honestly, the CDC tells us that in the United States alone up to 12 million children will contract head lice each year. That’s a lot of people passing around head lice, and sometimes it is inevitable.
The fact is, anyone can catch head lice, no matter how often they shower or how careful they are. It doesn’t matter where you live, how much money you make, or how often you shower. Head lice are not killed by shampooing hair. They are often transferred by ways that are unavoidable, especially with young children who spend time with other children all day long at daycares, elementary schools, camps, playgrounds, sports teams or anywhere else they interact.
Children need their parents to help them feel safe and secure. Be sure to make this experience a trust-building experience, not a horrible one where they feel unwanted or shunned. Reassure them that you are going to help them, get it over quickly, and make sure that it is done as discreetly and easily as possible.
Lice Clinics of America is an excellent source for parents who are have dealt with head lice before or not. New, innovative treatments that we offer have revitalized the head lice industry, making getting rid of head lice much easier and less worrisome. Call us today to schedule your appointment!