Are we Normal???

[Colleen27]

I'm probably abnormally germ tolerant, but I don't bother with any of the above other than wiping off the area around my baby/toddler's plate. That one I do because I've worked in restaurants and that rag they use to wipe down tables is just ick. It is fine for adults who presumably can manage to keep their food on their plate, but for a little one I prefer their space to be a little cleaner just because of the odds of dropping food or silverware on the bare table.

I don't carry hand sanitizer, I make it a point not to buy antibacterial products, and as someone above said, I thought everyone walked barefoot in hotel rooms and laid on the comforter until the world of internet message boards opened my eyes.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Gross. I don't have babies, but isn't there something people can do to keep their child from germing up the table like that? Do you wipe the table up with an antiseptic wipe when you are leaving?

I never let my kids eat off the table in a restaurant since they are not very clean. And I couldn't let them eat off dishes since they tended to push them off the table so I did by the disposable plastic placements that stick to the table.

When I am on a plane, I do wipe down my tray table. Sometimes they have crumbs, stains, etc.

That's about the extent of my germ fighting. Otherwise, you need to build up the resistance! My kids are rarely sick!

 

[indimom]

I don't see anything wrong with it, but admit it's not my normal either.

I do think there is value in being exposed to germs at least a little bit. I have worked in a day care environment for 14 years. I've missed a grand total of two days of work in that time for illness (a stomach bug when I was pregnant with my son over 10 years ago). Haven't had a fever since college. I don't use germ-ex or other handgels. I do wash my hands regularly to prevent spreading germs to the other kids. But I attribute my health to being around germs constantly.

 

[tink20]

Did not read all the posts...so sorry if this has already been mentioned.

The menus probably have more germs than the table does. Did you wipe the menus off?

I wash hands, try to keep DS from putting hands or other things (pencils or toys) in his mouth, especially at the store or someplace like Disney, but thats about as far as I go!

 

[mickeysgal]

I didnt say we were germaphobic....I just don't like eating on a dirty table, dirty silverware, or sitting on dirty toilets.

Why in the world would you want to do something so gross????

Where does it stop? Do you pump your own gas? Do you have any money in your wallet? Do you drive a shared car? Do you use a public restroom and actually close/lock the stall door? Do you use an ATM machine? Do you fly in an airplane? Do you go on any Disney rides? Do you shop at the grocery store with a card or basket? Do you go to the movies and sit in a seat? Just because you can't "see" dirt on these items that are touched, doesn't mean that they're germ free either. Do you wipe all these things down before it's touched? I've seen people go nuts wiping down surfaces and it's fascinating to witness the personal war on germs to say the least.

Just the basics of washing hands when getting ready to eat and after using the bathroom is all that's needed. For all the other everyday germ encounters, that's what your immune system if for.

Personally I've never let my kids eat food directly off a table - whether it be at home or at a restaurant. I never understood that from a manners standpoint. Thats why there are things like dishes and table manners.

 

[Jazzybell]

Your Advanced Microbilogy class should also have taught you that we need some of the germs in our life to build our immune system. And that too much antibitoics and antibacterial stuff is not helping our systems.

This.

I wash my hands as needed and that's about it for me. Well, I do wash fruits/veggies before I eat them.

 

[miprender]

Just wondering if other families do the same things...
We went to dinner last Sunday, and I took out a baby wipe to wash off area on table that our 10 month old was eating from. When I was done, I looked at the wipe and it was black! So immediately I started passing out wipes to the other kids and to hubby and we went to scrubbing the table. I know we had to look strange to other people sitting around us but EWWWWW!!!

Also, Hubby ALWAYS inspects his silverware before eating out. If it looks dirty he will request clean forks, knives. We usually tell a fib and say "Oh it fell on the floor!" so they dont get offended...we dont want spit in our food...

Also, I freak when the kids have to use public restrooms....I line the seats with 5 inches of TP.....even been known to carry minature cans of lyseol.
And then after washing, I dont let kids touch the garbage lids to throw napkins away and we use clean napkins to open bathroom doors.

So does anyone else do these type of things? Or what is your quirks in public?

We used to be that way too. Once at Wendys we made sure everything was nice and clean only to turn around to see my DS licking the side of the seat

 

[Christine]

Where does it stop? Do you pump your own gas? Do you have any money in your wallet? Do you drive a shared car? Do you use a public restroom and actually close/lock the stall door? Do you use an ATM machine? Do you fly in an airplane? Do you go on any Disney rides? Do you shop at the grocery store with a card or basket? Do you go to the movies and sit in a seat? Just because you can't "see" dirt on these items that are touched, doesn't mean that they're germ free either. Do you wipe all these things down before it's touched? I've seen people go nuts wiping down surfaces and it's fascinating to witness the personal war on germs to say the least.

Just the basics of washing hands when getting ready to eat and after using the bathroom is all that's needed. For all the other everyday germ encounters, that's what your immune system if for.

Personally I've never let my kids eat food directly off a table - whether it be at home or at a restaurant. I never understood that from a manners standpoint. Thats why there are things like dishes and table manners.

Excellent points!

I find when people are being extra tidy about germs, there really is no logic to it. As you said, what about the menus? I think if you are worried about germs so much, it would be logical that it would apply to EVERYTHING. It's just funny to watch what they get freaked out about and what they think is okay.

We have a person at work who refuses to touch any surface with her bare hands. She walks around opening cabinets with paper towels, she works her way through the bathroom with paper towels in her hand careful to never touch a thing (she takes about 10 of them in the stall with her). Yet one day, I watched her take out prebagged lettuce (not the prewashed kind it was like a head of iceburg and some stalks of romaine. They were in the orginal packaging, never been opened. I watched her make a salad on a plate on the countertop. She never washed any of the lettuce or other veggies and some of it fell on our (very dirty) work countertops and she put it back on the salad. I was just shocked.

 

[pweyl36]

You do know urine is sterile, right? And yes, you do sound like a germaphobe.

I know I have read some where that in a public rest room the toilet seat is the cleanest. Because your butt is always covered.( unless you go comando)

 

[Eliza32]

Straight answer to a straight question...NO, you are not normal.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I have never even thought about any of those things to be honest. I'm not really afraid/concerned with any of that stuff.......I think I have a great immune system because I allow my body to deal with it naturally. (Maybe I'm not the normal one here..)

Interesting thread....now I need to go back and read all the responses.

 

[kimblebee]

I know I have read some where that in a public rest room the toilet seat is the cleanest. Because your butt is always covered.( unless you go comando)

On Penn and Tellers show B*****it they did tests on toilet seats and peoples derrieres. They had almost no germs on them at all. I don't get how toilet seats could be considered super germy unless there is pee on the seat and you don't clean it before you sit down

 

[dogluva]

I didnt say we were germaphobic....I just don't like eating on a dirty table, dirty silverware, or sitting on dirty toilets.

Why in the world would you want to do something so gross????

ok, sorry, didn't mean to offend. I just think that all that work and stress about germs and such, why bother going out to eat at all. I go out to relax not worry about silverware being clean or the state of the toilets.

I have six kids who only see the doctor when they have physicals or an outer ear infection from swimming. Although a clean person who makes her kids wash their hands after the bathroom and before eating (usually), I don't give germs a thought. This is the way we live our lives. I try not to have them eat food off the floor and basic stuff but I don't go out of my way to make a sterile environmnent for my kids or myself. It works for us, obviously since we are never sick (knock on wood). My kids are not babies either they are 22 to 7 years old. Never had any type of serious illness.

I guess I just don't get the whole hand sanitizer everytime you breathe thing.

 

[dogluva]

I can definitely agree,most surfaces we touch are loaded with germs,let alone the public restrooms,I always line the seat for my 4 yr old, who gets sick very easily and I don't let her touch anything in there ,if it gives you peace of mind,do what you have to!!!

Did you ever think maybe this is why she is always sick? Maybe she needs to build her immune system. Unless, of course, she has some immunity disease then you would have no choice.

I just find the ones who go out of the way to protect their children from germs who are the ones who pick everything up.

I have been teaching special ed for 20 years and can count on one hand and tell you how many times I have been actually sick. The times I was, was in my very first year before I built up my sytem to stand anything that came my way (and I mean everyting and anything). I have also never had a flu shot and have never had the flu. I don't think I could work in the job I do if I was overly paranoid about germs. Basic procautions, yes, but constantly fretting, not my idea of living my life.

 

[dogluva]

I would not let my child eat off the table and would request a new piece of silverware if something was on it. Neither of those things I find strange. I'm not too concerned about ds using the bathroom- he has the luxury of standing. DD will tell me if the bathroom is nasty and will find a new stall. She is really picky, too- once the toilets were stained because of the hard water and she thought they were all unflushed and didn't want to use any of them! I leanred along time ago not to be overly phobic about germs. DS dropped a piece of candy on the ground in a stop. Before I could say anything, he goblled it up. Nothing happened. That was 7 years ago!

My daughter put a piece of chewed gum she found on the sidewalk in her mouth. Of course I was grossed out and made her spit it out and screamed to never do it again but she is a healthy seven year old and never gets sick. I lost count of all the times my kids ate food off the ground (I don't encourage it, just don't freak out). They are all fine.

 

[disney1990]

I'm with you. Most people at my work are such germaphobes and they are constantly wiping things down. They are also always sick. I'm rarely get sick.

Absolutely agree. I lie on the bedspreads, walk on the hotel floor. If my silverware if dirty, I will request more. But, remember, that silverware has been through the dishwasher, so even the stuck on food is clean. LOL

DH and I very, very rarely get sick.

 

[C.Ann]

If we continue to be a society that is so concerned with every little germ that comes our way, it won't be long until we're dropping dead left and right from the common cold.. (And medical experts back this up..)

Should we have a "healthy" amount of concern? Yes.. But go overboard with it? No - not if we want to develop a strong immune system and have our children develop strong immune systems as well..

In this case, my child would have been eating off a plate - not the table..

I would return silverware if there was "obvious" food on it - not water spots..

Rest rooms are hit and miss.. If they are clean, I'm not concerned - in regards to using the seat.. If they're nasty, it calls for the "squat".. After washing my hands, I will shut off the water with a paper towel - and open the door to exit with a paper towel as well..

The only time of year that I'm extra cautious is flu season - because my health issues warrant it..

Otherwise, I'd say I'm "middle of the road" - or a bit less..

 

[Angelhalo]

Not my version of normal. But, we're all different

I will ask for new silverware if it is obviously dirty but no server has ever seemed to mind. I wouldn't worry about spit in my food from just wanting a clean fork.

Public restrooms don't bother me unless they are REALLY nasty with things smeared on the walls etc. Otherwise I'm fine. I don't use the paper seat covers because if the seat is wet, then it just goes through the seat cover. If the seat is wet, I grab some tissue and wipe it off and proceed to sit so that I won't pee on the seat for the next person.

I won't roll around on a hotel comforter but I will walk barefoot in the room.

I'm just not grossed out by much

 

[snarlingcoyote]

This thread reminds me I need to clean my mouse and keyboard ; ) .

I know. I feel the same way!

 

[SaraJayne]

I know I have read some where that in a public rest room the toilet seat is the cleanest. Because your butt is always covered.( unless you go comando)

I don't, but thanks for asking.