Many children (and unfortunately adults too) simply run their hands under the water faucet in a rushed fashion and think their hands are clean. Not so. The CDC’s infection control experts advise taking a few extra seconds to insure that you are actually killing the germs.

That means thoroughly wetting the palms, wrists and back of the hands and applying soap (liquid, bar or powder). Vigorously rub the hands together, making a lather and scrubbing the entire hand. Don’t forget under the fingernails! Continue for 20 seconds. How long is that? You should be able to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice. And no you don’t have to sing it out loud. Thoroughly rinse the hands and dry them with a paper towel or air dryer, then use a paper towel to turn off the water (because it could have been contaminated when you turned it on).

When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, the CDC recommends applying the gel to the palm of one hand and then rubbing the hands together. Continue rubbing until all surfaces of the hands and fingers are completely dry.

Other important measures include cleaning and disinfecting (they are two different things) kitchen and bathroom countertops and other surfaces regularly to kill germs. Give the kids some disposable sanitary wipes and have them wipe down all door handles (inside and out) and light fixtures a few times a week – more often if someone already has a cold.