As the beginning of school approaches, I am starting to get really anxious.

[sdd]

I still have 7 kids living in my house (3 are mine, 4 are my sister-in-law/brother-in-law's who are living with us until they "get on their feet").

I am really starting to get anxious about the upcoming school year. First of all, BIL/SIL's kids do NOT wash their hands. Nor will they make them. They use germ-x. I have asked them REPEATEDLY to have them wash their hands, especially after using the bathroom, but they refuse to make them.

Second of all, my kids did not have a sv last winter. (Yes, we got lucky!) My youngest t/u for various other reasons and seemed to have a very mild sv once, but that was it. No noro. So, I am expecting a big whammy this winter.

I cannot even begin to imagine how horrible it would be to have 7 kids passing noro around this house. And 4 adults! On top of that, their kids v a LOT when they are sick.

I guess I am just venting. I really want them out of my house, but he quit the only source of income he had since they moved in with us 4 months ago. So, they don't have any way to get their own place.

I'm going to lose my mind!

[NicManri]

I hope you have a big house! That is a lot of people. Have they been making steps toward getting back on their feet or are they just living off of you? If they haven't, I would sit them down and tell them they need to start and if they don't they arnt going to be able to live with you much longer. I would also asked them to please respect your rules on hand washing, as there are a ton of people sharing one space and germs could spread easily.

[Dairyfreelife]

I hope you have a big house! That is a lot of people. Have they been making steps toward getting back on their feet or are they just living off of you? If they haven't, I would sit them down and tell them they need to start and if they don't they arnt going to be able to live with you much longer. I would also asked them to please respect your rules on hand washing, as there are a ton of people sharing one space and germs could spread easily.

Agree. It's best they wash their hands beyond germs. Using germ-x and similar is not good. Antibacterial soaps and sanitizer are part of the reason for the increase in so-called superbugs. So, it's vital they start to wash their hands and only use germ-x and similar when out and without a way to wash their hands. It's not and never was meant to be used inside of regular soap and warm water. Nothing beats clean, warm water and regular soap when it comes to cleaning hands. Not to mention germ-x only kills germs. It doesn't actually wash hands. Regardless, elementary school teachers have all students wash their hands after using the bathroom and before meals and after blowing nose. There's not any reason or excuse that the children don't know how if they have been to school before.
It's important though that if you have a simple rule like washing hands after using the bathroom and before meals that your inlaws abide by them. They are in your room and your space and disrupting your lives, so they need to adapt or move out. It's not a complicated rule and one I would have also. After using the bathroom, after coming home from school or shopping/putting up groceries, and before meals, hands are to be washed. That's just trying to prevent bad bugs from coming in. And it's beyond stomach viruses. It prevents colds, flus, strep, and many other bad bugs that make their rounds.
Good luck and hope things get better.

[sdd]

Oh no...they haven't been to school before. They are homeschooled. So they are here all. day. long. every. day. Except for when they go to things at church or to homeschool group outings ( which is where they usually pick up germs).

[surfer777]

Shoots, that's a ton of kids in the house! I agree with dairyfreelife...If it were my house and I had guests, I'd explicitly make rules known. I'd stop asking them to wash their hands and flat out tell them that while they're living in YOUR house, they'll abide by your rules, which means everyone needs to start washing their hands. No exceptions, because you're opening up your home to them. They are the ones who need some help right now, so the least they can do is abide by your house rules.

If it helps at all...I made it through college living with hideously unsanitary roommates without having a stomach virus or noro...if you can get your new housemates to get their butts in gear and wash their hands, you'll probably be fine!