Health Measures in Bahá'í children classes

I’m making again a new dissertation under my professional knowledge: health. With current pandemic of COVID-19, health measures under every activity will come under question by everyone after all this; kindergartens, schools or any child gathering are considered a brew for infections, Bahá’í children classes are no exception; we must be ahead of this.

This is an updated and translated version of something I talked about in my Spanish blog; it also could apply for any other Bahá’í activity (actually, any activity). This is my third part on my COVID-19 related articles.

 … in every aspect of life, purity and holiness, cleanliness and refinement, exalt the human condition and further the development of man’s inner reality. Even in the physical realm, cleanliness will conduce to spirituality, as the Holy Writings clearly state. And although bodily cleanliness is a physical thing, it hath, nevertheless, a powerful influence on the life of the spirit.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá  

Let’s be realistic in something: you can’t ask a child to do something if the conditions aren’t favorable for them. In other words, you can’t ask for the trash to be in place if there isn’t a clearly designed trashcan, in a place for all to see and easily accessible by everyone; you can’t ask them to wash their hands if there is no soap and water close; you can’t ask to keep the place clean if it wasn’t to begin with and foremost: You can’t ask things if you don’t them yourself!

1 – Making accessible what is required

As I stated before, there should be one of more trashcans, it doesn’t matter if it is an old container or a plastic bag hanging from a tree branch, everyone should be easily aware of its existence. No activity should be hold without one or with full trashcans.

Decorating the trash basket could easily be a class activity helping make more conscious of its use and increasing their willingness to use it.

There should always be water and soap. I wasn’t kidding before, I’m not kidding now, it doesn’t matter where you are holding your class, be it the garage, under a tree in a local green area this should always be under the prep for the class, and there shouldn’t be any excuse to this. With water I also mean water for drinking and for hygiene. Other things that could come handy are deposits and towels.

2 – Identify the moments hands must be washed

• Upon arrival
• Before and after going to the bathroom
• Before serving any snack
• Before prayers (face could be washed too)
• Before coloring or doing any manual craft
• After sneezing
• After touching a pet, food or toys

Not only this, also make sure to teach HOW to properly wash their hands, be sure to teach by doing it yourself as many times necessary, by example, washing in between fingers, nails and the back of your hand. Of course there are times when this moments overlap, like doing it upon arrival and right afterwards there is the prayer section, there should be no need to do double hand wash.

3 – How to clean yourself and how to handle cleaning utilities

Children should learn how to handle the faucet, learn than if they touch it with a dirty hand, wash their hands and then close the faucet they opened with their dirty hand they’re throwing away most of the cleaning they just did. Doing this properly needs some learning and this part my take a toll on children’s dexterity depending on the kind of faucet but encourage them to try; what I recommend most is using the elbows or back of the hand if it isn’t dirty. Of course, if the children are too young, be sure to open the faucet on their behalf (but explain why).


Children attending BCC should already know how to go to the bathroom by themselves, but girls should be reminded to clean themselves from front to back and not reusing the same wipe; this is important because it prevents dangerous bacteria to be dragged from the back to the genital area, bacteria that could cause urinary tract infections.

4 – What about alcohol gel?

Remember, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ask us to be as refined as possible, having said that, alcohol gel isn’t the most refined measure and in any way is a full replacement for water and soap. It only kills and percentage of bacteria, it doesn’t wash their corpses or anything associated to them (their toxins); this makes it pretty inferior.

It could only be used as a last resort; taking care children don’t ingest it and be sure for it to be at least 60% alcohol.

5 – Sick isolation

As a general rule, parents should deny their children when they are sick; but there’re times, when they don’t feel as bad, that they end going nonetheless: Don’t allow this. It may seem cruel, but one must remind the child that being good means being conscious she/he can harm the other that way. This also applies to the teacher him/herself.

Well, what if the class is done in a neighbor of low resources and all the children seem to be perpetually ill? I know how this can be; I suggest giving the first classes normally with the first recommendations from above, parallel to this keep talking to their parents as necessary; the increase in their hygiene (probably learned from your own class) should improve their health and then you can start applying this.

Also, there are some diseases that aren’t infectious; just be sure to know what it is and if there isn’t any harm for them to be in the class and make sure other kids don’t make fun of their condition.

6 – Cleaning and handling materials for the class.

All materials must be sanitized in-between classes, things as colors, scissors, glue bottles and such, must be cleaned with detergent or diluted bleach; not alcohol as they might put them in their mouths (which is why is pretty important for them to be clean). As for sheets, keep them in a secure space free from dust.
Every material must be handed with care, by cleaning your hands before giving coloring sheets or the colors themselves. Every child should wash their hands before doing any craft. If possible, it would be best if every child had their own set of tools otherwise keep a swipe with diluted bleach to clean them every time they shift hands mostly if the previous user sneezed, put it on his mouth or just spit out on it (some kids do that, I know too).

7 – On the subject of COVID-19

Ok, if isn't clear enough already: this pandemic is a game changer. New protocols or manners will be stablished, as of now the CDC made some statements specifically about this and schools. Of course, formal schools are one thing and bahá children classes are another, in a nutshell, aside from what I already stated before, toy that are difficult to clean should be shelved. Books or sheets have been deemed as not transmissible objects but we should alway take care that they dont't get dirty or overflowing with secretions from childs. 

One thing CDC recommends is checking the child temperature upon arrival, this will require a person able to handle the tool and the thermometer itself. This might not be possible for everyone of us and not really requiered for small number of childs, but will make the class safer so don't overlook it.
Again, don't forget everyone must wear facemasks.

7b – Maximum number of participants

As happy as we felt before when we handled classes with more than 10 children, this should be part of the past. With COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing would be a trend that must be applied for quite a while even most in schools (if not permanent from now on). Depending on our available space, a class should be reduced to 5 to 7 childs (numbers could vary as the CDC could issue a more viable estimation for this kind of gatherings).

On this same note, gatherings between classes could be arranged in the future but with much care in open spaces and in very limited numbers.

7c – COVID-19 Changes isolation

This is quite a headache, because this disease can be transmitted even if a person feels well. What this means is that every participant could be a danger to others. I hope Ruhí Institute is already taking this into account and changing the games and development of certain parts of every lesson because as of now, with no vaccine close enough, classes can’t be done with any physical interaction among kids. Not only that, even with my 8 years experience, I wouldn’t dare handle a 6 child group and hope they keep distance at all times; they would all need a previous training and even then it could be to risky. With this said, Bahá’í children classes would need a big overhaul to be done safely.
In case a child develops fever in middle of the class, he/she must be moved to a another well ventilated room and with someone watching over him. 

7d – Doing classes in duos with other teachers

This might become something that will definitily change. As of now, CDC says there shouldn't be any other adult in the room but the teacher him/herself, this mean auxiliary help or having junior youth or other persons giving a hand is no good. They could always help from another room, handing food or clean materials for the class. Or they also could be there via video call, whatever fits best under the condition of not sharing the room.
Also, another recommendation is not switching participants or teachers too often; if you're used to taking turns to be a teacher, please change this.

Final Words.
I know you’ll expect the children to have learned most of this things from their parents or their formal school, anyhow it’s our duty to continue fostering this conduct; and if they don’t have it, to create it.  COVID is going to make our core activities a whole lot more difficult, but remember, with love anything can be done and it shouldn’t be in any way a burden to carry this recommendations.

Quote from Selection from the writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá section 129.

Pictures: Pexels.com

References: 
Digital article from the CDC “Handwashing: Clean Hands SaveLives” and "Supplemental Guidance for Child Care"