Speaking of public toilets.....

9:49 AM Posted In , Edit This 2 Comments »
Where does everyone stand on germs? The whole world seems so germ-phobic these days, especially parents! I work in schools with young children. I wash my hands a lot. Not because im afraid of germs, but because im constantly covered in tempra paint and glue. In the past few years it has become increasingly common (and rule, not the exception honestly) to use hand sanitizer in schools periodically throughout the day rather than have 30 kids waiting in line to wash their hands 5 times a day. Many parents also tote hand sanitizer around for their kids. I keep some in my car in case of emergency but personally im just not a fan of the way it makes my hands feel. I'd rather wash them if I can. Then theres my mother in law. She forbids the boys (8 years old now) to use hand sanitizer and sends a letter to school every year notifying their teachers that they are to wash their hands in the sink when the others use hand sanitizer. She has the organic, go green mentality and feels that the chemicals in hand sanitizer can harm you (they cant use bug spray either, but if I keep going i'll get off on a tangent.)

So using hand sanitizer would be protecting you against something you had already come into contact with. Its similar I suppose to spraying down household surfaces with lysol, and that makes sense. Then there are people who dont come into contact with stuff in the first place. Do you hold your child above the toilet in public restrooms? Wipe down the silverwear when you go out to dinner? Do you use a shopping cart cover?

I have no fear of public restrooms provided you arent rolling around on the floor. Heck, I throw the paper towel away BEFORE I open the door! I dont even use toilet seat covers, and you know thats the cardinal sin. I dont wipe down shopping carts. I let kids play in the dirt. I dont feel like germs are going to take over the world. WITHOUT germs, we would die. Germs make the world go round, baby.

How do YOU feel?

Kids and public bathrooms

8:55 PM Edit This 1 Comment »
At what age did you let your kids go into public bathrooms by themselves? Was it different for boys vs. girls? What about the grocery store vs. a concert? For dads with daughters- how do you deal with potty breaks?