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Home schooling can be challenging in many ways. And one of the biggest challenges is keeping your home school atmosphere healthy for your students. Here are 6 steps to take that will insure your health and the health of your students.

1. Designate a Consistent Space for Study-Using a desk or table that is set aside for school materials confines germ laced materials that are brought in from the library, outside classes (for gym, dance or art), public and private schools (if you have other children who attend these), and even other home schooled children to a surface in the house other than the kitchen or dining room.

Separating school surfaces from eating areas allows study areas to stay set up, makes it easier to wipe down surfaces where germs are most likely to collect, and less likely for germs to be ingested from surfaces where food is handled or eaten.

2. Make Hand Washing A Habit--Always wash hands when moving from one activity to another. There is no down side to continually reducing the number of germs. Hand washing is still one of the best ways to eliminate germs that can enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Keep small, refillable bottles of hand sanitizer in book bags, pocket books, and the car to use when soap and water are not available.

3. Keep Tissues On Hand-Take this suggestion literally. Pocket size packages of tissues on hand keep germs off of hands when dealing with a runny nose, cough, or sneeze. Tissues also stop the tiny water globules from traveling and invading someone other person's body through inhalation or ingestion.

4. Keep Common Surfaces Clean--Spaces and objects that are used frequently should be wiped be sanitizing wipes. These include computer keyboards, door knobs, desks, chairs and tables. This is a particularly important if you and other home school parents share the teaching responsibility and pool children together during the week.

5. Say Yes to the Flu Shot-Because home schooled children are in contact with fewer people, their immune systems may not be as rugged as those children who are in the company of hundreds of children each day. Getting the flu shot gives your child a better chance of avoiding the flu altogether, or suffering a milder case of it than they would without the shot.

Adults who are in constant contact should also get the flu to protect themselves as well as the children.

6. Filter the Air With A Medical Grade Air Purifier--Constant filtration means removing airborne viruses, bacteria, and other pollutants that can contribute to poor air quality and poor health. Airborne pollutants such as dust, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold and mildew spores, bacteria and viruses can keep your student from feeling fit and interfere with the educational success that you are working so hard to achieve.

These pollutants are also one of the most frequent means that bacteria and viruses use to spread. They attach to the bigger pollutants and then wait to be ingested or inhaled, and wreak havoc on their new victim.

By removing the large airborne pollutants, you dramatically reduce the number airborne bacteria and viruses that are in your home, while making your home a great place to learn.