Can you be too over protective with your children and avoiding germs?
@lilttownmommie (1473)
United States
January 18, 2007 11:12pm CST
When you have small children is there a such thing as being too over protective on trying to keep them away from germs and from getting sick? At what extent is too much?
My son will be 5 in March and I keep hand sanitizer in my purse and a tube of sanitizing wipes in my car, my husband says I am being too over protective because I make my son use them when we go to the park after he plays on the play ground, when we leave a store, leave the doctor's office, after he uses any public restroom (on top of washing his hands), after he bowls, or plays video games at an arcade. Right now I think my son may have pink eye (we are going to the dr tomorrow to find out) so I am constantly making him wash his hands. Am I being too over protective? Will I cause my son to have a germ phobia? I also have a 6 month old daughter who I am trying to care for and keep her from being sick.
4 responses
@abhiquest (579)
• India
20 Jan 07
I think body has its own mechanism by way of which it fights back germs and this immunity actually develops when the body fights back these germs. So we should not be too much worried about them. Being over cautious is actually going to affect our immunity levels. Our body has its own survival mechanisms.
Its like letting your child learn how to ride a bike. You wouldn't see any physical changes in him, but soon you will see him riding the bicycle. His body itself adapts and later he can even concentrate his minds on other things rather than just worrying about falling. In same way, let you son play with others and even soil himself. You might hamper his growth in many fields by being too much concerned about germs.
@lilttownmommie (1473)
• United States
20 Jan 07
one problem I have is my son has asthma, so he does not need to have the flu and colds are really hard on him, so with all the people who go out with the flu and colds I have to protect him from them, I dont want my son to die because I was allowing him to be a kid.
@missyd79 (3438)
• United States
19 Jan 07
i don't think your are being too over proctective, but some germs are good for kids. i hope that your son does not have pink eye because i went through that with my son and i ended up getting it as well even with washing my hands and everything.
1 person likes this
@lilttownmommie (1473)
• United States
20 Jan 07
we went to the dr today and found out that he does have pink eye, but so far all is good and no one else has it, but the doctor did say to make sure he doesn't rub it and wash ands frequently, but he said in a day or 2 it should have run its coarse and be gone. So I hope.
@fairytopia88 (175)
• Philippines
20 Jan 07
well i cant blame you all parents wants the best of their kids and being sick is the last thing we want our kids to have.
Base on my experience i also bring wipes wherever I go, my son is one year old and he is in the stage wherein he likes to touch stuff and put it on his mouth so i have to watch him every second. One day i notice him having some rashes on the face and neck so I had him checked by the doctor and the doctors finding is the rashes is due to some dirt that he touches and then place it inside his mouth. So I think being protective has a point after all.
But a friend of mine has another opinion regarding this matter, according to her that parents at times should expose their kids to dirt for them to be immune and for them not to get sick easily.
1 person likes this
@strawberrymudd (330)
• United States
19 Jan 07
I cant speak from personal parenting experience, but I have heard that if you keep a child away from all germs (i know, not possible) or many, then it could weaken their immune systems, because they aren't exposed to anything. I don't see why it's a problem if you make your son use the sanitizer after a playground or public restroom, or bowls, or plays video games or anything. But, if you were to do that in your own home all the time, I might rethink it. I think you're doing fine, personally, but I would make sure you don't go overboard!
1 person likes this
@lilttownmommie (1473)
• United States
19 Jan 07
I only make him use all the sanitizer when we are in public places and when we leave them, but at home I don't, I only make him wash his hands at home before he eats, when he goes to the potty, after he pets the cat and when he comes in from playing outside usually, but with his eye being how it is today I am making him wash them alot more because I feel like he is rubbing it but wont admit it to me and the last thing we need is a 6 month old with pink eye too, lol. Usually I am not insane with hand washing at home.
