Overprotected

     I read or heard somewhere recently that the incidence of all these crazy diseases and stuff with kids has gone up a ridiculous percentage in the past x amount of years. Yeah I know I'm full of details but I got the gist. Anyway it seems "they" did one of those so-called studies and found that kids today aren't building up the antibodies to all of these things like they used to. Well gee, is that really something that needed studying? It seems pretty obvious to me.
     Everyone, but especially parents, are extra paranoid about their kids getting sick, or catching something, or touching germs. There are hand sanitizers everywhere you go now. I'm not saying they're a bad thing, especially in flu season, but come on. Somehow people have survived without slathering on this alcoholic smelly slime 20 times a day. And anytime I have to search out a baby registry there is some kind of new "safety" product that is now a must have on the list! Sure, some are good and useful. Others are a waste of money. Do you really need a seat cover in your grocery cart to protect your child? And what are you really protecting them from? Building up immunities that will help them for the rest of their lives?
     Yes, we all have germs and leave them all over the place for other people. No, you don't know who pushed that shopping cart last and what may have been on their hands. If my hands don't stick to it, I figure it's ok and use it. I used to handle thousands of library items every day. These things were handed to me by other people. I didn't know where their hands were before they touched the books, but I knew I had to touch the book to return it no matter what. Sure every now and again you'd get something really gross and nasty. We had sanitizer and wipes around for that. But could I really take the time out in between every patron to wash off or sanitize my hands. I don't think so. The gross ones, of course you make the time.
     Maybe it's because I had two kids my first go round being a mom, but I never once sterilized a bottle. Sure I washed them out but sterilize, ummm no. And it's joked how parents(read moms) by the third kid don't make the effort to sanitze and make sure every little thing is perfectly clean for their fresh new baby. Well I never did it. Not for my first. Not for my fourth. If any of them spit their paci out on the dirty floor and a sink was not readily available I wiped it off on my pants, maybe gave it the spit cleaning and popped it back in their mouth. You know what? None of them died from it! I also rarely, if ever, pre-washed any of their brand new clothing. Isn't the point of something new feeling and or smelling like something new?
     I know you'll think I'm pretty crazy now but my kids, probably all of them at some time or another, sucked on the handle of the grocery cart. And they are all still here. Of course I put them in car seats as that one is a no brainer but the whole booster seat until their 8? Really? Let's just say that wasn't even in effect with my first kids so why should it be followed for my later ones. And bicycle helmets, yeah my kids have them, do I force them to wear them every time they ride? Nope. Jake will probably be the healtiest of them all. If he's got something to eat he really really really likes and drops a piece on the floor, no matter where we may be, he'll pick it up and eat it before I can tell him not too. He knows I'm going to, he's done it so often I've given up. I pretend not to see it anymore.
     I feel for parents of kids with these bad allergies and other lesser know issues, diseases they have to deal with. It's got to be so hard. But there's got to be a reason why they are so prevalent in our kids when as kids they barely exsisted. I'm not saying it's because we are so overprotective nowadays but I feel it definitely has not helped. I'm no scientist but I hope there's a concrete reason they can eventually give us.
     I've also heard that having a pet, be it cat, dog, bird, whatever helps lessen the incidence of allergies in kids. Maybe it's true, maybe its not. Again though it's living with dander and hair and acclimating to it. I let my kids get used to dust too as I don't dust the house regularly. I figure it can't hurt right? So far so good, no one has allergies here. I am certainly no Susie Homemaker but I will get on a tear and clorox the walls and everything else when the mood strikes, or someone is sick, or company is coming. And I do keep a can of clorox wipes in the car for when my hand does stick to that grocery cart handle.