By Hannah Schenker
Nooooo, not the dreaded NITS! Oh yuck, headlice! Where did you pick them up from? I’ll have to wash all your bedding again! What a hassle! Where’s the nit comb? Not again! We only just got rid of them! We can’t afford more treatments!
Are you guilty of saying any of these things around your child? We’ve all got a story about nits and headlice – those tiny little beasties are really a rite of passage for all kids (and often the whole family). Our stories are often dramatic and in general we all tend to loathe the appearance of these little guys on our children’s heads. For good reason – they can be tricky to get rid of and they’re easy to pick up again. But our children need not feel ashamed or made to feel bad about catching them – we can change the story and make the whole process a lot easier, a lot nicer. So whether you are yet to encounter your first nit infestation, or it’s the hundredth time – here’s how to create a more positive experience out of it – and you don’t need chemicals!
The lovely people over at goodbye NITS have a radical new theory that makes a lot of sense: why not change the drama of nit and lice treatment into an opportunity for parents and their children to bond, creating a peaceful parenting experience rather than a negative one?
…why not change the drama of nit and lice treatment into an opportunity for parents and their children to bond, creating a peaceful parenting experience rather than a negative one?
To take the drama out of treatment, they have created a wonderful free Parent Pack that you can download from their website HERE, or by clicking the image on the right.
Inside you will find all sorts of great information on how to deal with the little creepy crawlies, and you don’t even need any special products to get started (although the goodbye Nits product is ideally the one you would go for – the ingredients are all plant-based, minimally processed oils. This makes for a safe, 1oo% natural product).
The Parent Pack includes activities for kids to use at home, to help them learn a little more about what headlice are, how small they are, and how having them is not their fault. There’s also a checklist schedule for parents to stay on top of checking their child’s hair, so the eggs do not have a chance to start the cycle all over again. There’s even a handy info sheet on what to do when your child won’t sit still!
Start with the sheet called New to the Game of Headlice and Nits. You will immediately be reassured as you read about just how normal it is to not only get a case of the creeply crawlies, but also all your feelings around it. There’s a fair bit of shame and guilt involved, but after reading this you’ll be ready to get started with treating your child.
Involving your child is key to a better experience, so start with reading the Lettuce Boy’s Poem – I’d Rather Grow a Head of Lettuce (instead of a head of lice!). This will hopefully elicit a giggle and take a bit of a pressure off.
