Exposing My Children to Germs

Better now than once they start school.

It sucks now, but it will benefit you all in the long run. They are building a strong healthy immune system and immunities to a all this stuff.

You won't be protecting your kids by staying inside.
Just the opposite.
While it's crazy to hand them into the arms of someone vomitting with the flu, you can't protect them from germs. Germs are everywhere and unless people are exposed to them, they can't build up immunity.
If you have a lingering sickness, in my opinion, staying home with all the windows closed is worse than getting out.
We have been through the flu. My sister who lives 6 hours away and I haven't seen in months even has it, so we didn't share our germs.
It's going around. That's why there are so many cold and flu commercials on TV.
When we get sick, as weird as it may sound, I crack the windows, even at night, no matter how cold it is, to keep ventilation.
Keep your hands washed. Teach your kids not to touch their eyes or rub them.
Your husband is right. You can't live in a bubble.
Who would want to?

Hi A.,

I agree with the moms who have shared so far so I won't bother to repeat it. In addition, you might want to check out an article on this website:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t042500.asp

Oh... it does get BETTER!! There is light at the end of the tunnel. It seemed the same way for me when my kids were younger. (Someone always catching something whether it was strep, flu, nasty cold and cough) But now my kids are 9 years old and they SELDOM get sick. They have only missed one day of school this year and I just kept them out for precautionary measures. (Turns out their sniffles and tummy ache only last a couple of hours.)

Anyway... the website that I included is a great one for us moms!

I would talk to the gym daycare head and express your concerns. Ask her if they have a wellness policy. Mine used to turn away sick kids-no apologies either. Just "we cannot take a sick child and yours obviously is." Also ask them about how often they wipe down surfaces with anti bacterial. Should be at least weekly preferably daily. Other than that-don't change your routine. Kids do get sick-some more than others and some years will be worse than others. As they get older they don't get sick quite as much either. I don't heven think we made one trip to the ped this winter whereas we usually have at least 6 by now.

Unless you are planning on keeping you, your husband and your children in the sterilized house for the next month, it's irrelevant and you should keep going to the gym.
-If your husband leaves the house for work and doesn't sanitize BEFORE walking into the house- germs.
-Grocery store carts, cans, bags, doors... germs
-Mall... germs
- Preschool... GERMS

Have your children get plenty of sleep and wash their hands the "right way" frequently and make sure that you and hubby do the same. We both have gotten into the habit of washing our hands as soon as we walk in the door and have our little guy do the same.

Don't sit inside b/c you are afraid of germs for many many reasons- most importantly b/c it tells your children that public "germy" places are s/t to be afraid of when in fact you want to teach them about germ-prevention and good hygeine!

For me, I don't bother to try to avoid it.
I figure they're/we're going to get it at some point anyway, if it's going around. So I just get it over with.

That said, my kids don't go to daycare - we have a nanny, although they do have regular playgroups and classes at the park district that they go to. So they are exposed, but not hyper exposed like some other environments.

None of us get sick very easily, though. My 3 yr old has had less then 5 colds, and my 7mos old has had 1.

I try to keep them away from blatant germs. But for the rest, they're going to get it eventually. And if helps to build their little immune systems, that's good to me.

Unfortunately, you can't avoid germs totally. We make it a point to wash our hands A LOT, especially when we're out in public. I remember the early years when we also had the pre-school/gym nursery germ situation, my kids were getting sick a lot, too. We all basically caught everything that was going around for several years. But right around 1st grade, it suddenly stopped. Kids stopped getting sick, only the occasional cold here and there. I stopped catching stuff from them. Now that they're in 7th, 4th and 3rd grade, I actually can't remember the last time anyone stayed home because they were sick. I've been fine, too. So my theory is that they were sick all those early years and built up immunity, which helps they stay healthy now that they're older. Just a thought...

nothing worse than a houseful of sick kids. my younger (no longer a 'kid') has been prostrate on the couch for 5 days now with monster flu.
but i don't and haven't ever attempted to dodge germs by avoiding places. i do wash hands and practice common sense hygiene, but my kids have been out and about since they got home from the hospital and so have i.
i think your best defense is to beef up everybody's immune systems through excellent fresh food and supplements. at this time of year i'm always fussing and clucking around the guys to get them to take extra C and echinacea, and i use airborne if i'll be going somewhere particularly germy in winter. but remember that the gym is helping keep you HEALTHY, not a place to avoid, especially since you love and look forward to it. keep pumping those kids full of fresh juice, fruits, veggies and vitamins, and keep working out!
khairete
S.

We don't 'seek out germs.' Meaning, I don' t take my kids to indoor bounce places, chuck-e cheese, mcd's, gym etc (esp. during winter months). But we do go out, libraries, bookstores, yoghurt places, grocery etc. when we do, we use hand sanitizers upon exit, and I also always stress don't touch your face until we can get hands washed. My kids are careful with their personal hygiene, wash their hands constantly, and use hand gels.
So, for you, if you cannot go to the gym after hub's home, then I would find another way to exercise.

A.:

YUCK!! been there - done that!!!

I do expose my children to germs - I refuse to be the one who keeps my children sheltered and then when they are old enough to go out in the world on their own get sooo sick because they weren't exposed to stuff...seriously - i knew a W. who would WIPE EVERYTHING down when she went shopping with her children - they could get sick at the drop of a hat because their bodies were NEVER exposed to germs and when they were exposed - their little bodies went into hyper-drive!!! how sad!!!!

He may be bringing it home from the gym nursery - but it's OKAY!!! You are soooooo right in exposing them!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!

When bugs keep get passed around the house - I do this:
I get a bucket of HOT water, clorox bleach and a sponge or rag then I put on my gloves and wash EVERYTHING - door handles, walls, banisters, faucets, floors, spindles - ANYWHERE my kids touched - cleaned and within 24 hours - everyone is fine!

I agree, you can't shelter them, and working out is good for you (and a healthy mama is good for her kids, too).

However, I have heard some nightmare stories from friends who go to gyms with babysitting rooms or kids' play rooms (mine doesn't have one). They've talked about how gross those rooms can get, and the fact they sometimes are staffed by teens who, for instance, have no clue to take away that toy that a kid's stuffing in her mouth and wash the darned thing immediately. Or the play rooms have lots of third-hand soft stuffed animals -- breeding grounds for germs and hard to clean.

Other parents at your gym may thank you if you give it a good look and talk to management - as someone else posted, ask management to ensure the place is cleaned properly by the cleaning staff each night like the rest of the gym, that stuff is wiped down with disinfectant wipes at least occasionally, that toys are inspected for safety (broken parts, recalled toys) as well as cleanliness, and that they have a no-sick-kids policy that actually gets enforced. You'd be mad if a parent brought a sick kid to preschool, so why put up with people hauling sick kids to the gym? The gym situation may not affect your kids' illnesses, which of course could come from preschool too -- but it also can't hurt anyone and would benefit everyone.

Definately keep going to the gym! I also belong to a gym w/ a daycare. The moment I get my kids, I make them wash their hands, so you need to start doing this (if you don't already). That will help a lot!

Also, gym or no gym, wash their hands frequently! You might want to consider giving them probiotics, which can help keep them healthier. I agree with your husband - definately don't live in a bubble. Kids can catch germs anywhere.

Actually I think the preschool is probably the bigger culprit unless the gym nursery isn't cleaned. Other kids at either place are most likely where your children are getting their illnesses. I know it's a HUGE pain! I have a 2 and 4 year old, and when I was a SAHM it was a pain, and as a working outside of the home mother, it's also a huge pain! However, I'm a big believer in socialization of our children and getting some antibodies built up! It's better for them to be sick now than miss a ton of kindergarten or first grade. My oldest was sick with a cold and cough continuously once he started to a half day preschool 3 times a week at age one. His doctor even told me that he wasn't going to miss any kindergarten because he was getting it all out of the way then! I have since noticed a HUGE difference! He will be 5 next week, and every year he is sick less and less with colds, coughs, stomach bugs, etc. Those antibodies work! My youngest is now going through all of it, but I can even tell a difference between this year and last year -in a positive direction. Keep working out! Wash hands A LOT and use the anti-bacterial hand gels (I DO notice a difference when we use those and when we don't). Don't keep them inside because they'll get sick sooner or later anyway.

You can't prevent getting this stuff. You can get germs from the grocery carts, the playground, the gym, the school, the local eatery...
Bring wipes everywhere. I used to wipe down the carts in the stores, the tables and chairs in the restaurants, their hands after every activity. I still put hand gel on my hands every time I get in my car after I've been somewhere.
Clean your car and their car seats now.
Wipe down every single door knob/handle you own.
Wash all of their toys.
When you go to the gym, wipe their hands when you pick them up.
Wipe their hands when you get them in their car seats. Don't let them touch anything in the car until they are cleaned up.
Make sure they wash hands before they eat - no matter if they are out or at home.
Make sure they wash their hands after potty -- every single time.
Hand washing is the best way to prevent illness.
Go - live your life, but be proactive...
Staying in does not guarantee that you won't get sick...
LBC

YOu cant' sterilize everything they come into contact with.
Just practice common sense hygiene.
Wash their hands before they come out of preschool or gym darycare
get PUrex and put it in the car
I would probably take a week off, get them back to healthy then go back.
Our news did a spot recently on grocery shopping carts. Major yuck. Get some sanitzer wipes too.
Spring is almost here when they an be outside more often. That'll help.

Talk to the kids about what germs are and how they can make us sick by entering our eyes, nose and mouth, and how important it is to wash our hands a lot, if if they can't, to use hand sanitizer (we call it hand wash). This will sound anal, but it works...since kids are always rubbing their eyes and faces (and this is mostly how they get sick) teach them to use the back of their hand or arm to do the rubbing. This will reduce a lot of the transmission. Of course, you can't stop another kid from coughing or sneezing on them; they should know to cough on the inside of their elbow instead of on their friend. Also, a healthy diet and proper sleep helps too. My daughter is 3, and we practice all of this; she's had 2 small colds in the last 12 months, and yes, is around lots of kids! Here's a fun link for learning about hand washing that you can do with the little ones.
http://www.oopkids.com/clean_hands.html

I have not read all the responses so forgive me if this has been said, also take it for what it is worth. I do not shelter my children from anything. I own no antibacterial whatever just for the sake of owning it. My children have eaten pea gravel and survived......

The last time one of them had a cold was two years ago. The last time one of them had a virus was over four. I believe the doctors who tell us that all those antibacterial products do is protect from the little bugs that go around. They do nothing for the monsters. Thing is the little bugs are the ones that show no symptoms but create the real protection from the monsters.

I'm in a similar situation. Child in school, other at gym daycare. We have been struck hard with illness too. But i figure it is better to build up their immunity now while they are young so they miss less school when they are older. Plus the gym is so important for you!!!

Sometimes it seems like one thing after another. But this will pass. Eventually the getting sick rate seems to settle down to only a few times a year if that much. Exposure to germs seems to build a resistance to them over time. Once the weather warms up, let them have a little sunshine (10 min a day unprotected is all that's needed for vitamin D), let them play in a sand pit or dirt pile, etc. Getting dirty is part of being a kid, and washing up is fun too. In the mean time, keep going to the gym.

You might consider giving you children at least 1,000 worth of vitamin D3 every day. It's really helpful during the "sick" season but we take it all year around.
C.

Even though it SUCKS for them to be sick so much when they are little, it will make them healthier when they are older. I was sick all...the...time as a kid. Once I was an adult, I only got a sinus infection or strep once a year. Now that we have kids and they bring all those germs home, I'm sick a little more often. Think of it this way - if they don't get it now, they'll get it later. Luckily, spring is on its way, so colds should start tapering off. We went through a rough patch in the fall when all of us just kept passing stuff around and it seemed like it never went away until after Christmas. If you want to take a break from the gym for a couple of weeks to see if it helps, you could. But don't give it up entirely. You need that to keep your sanity!