Okay, the results from my little poll last week are in. One hundred percent of my reader's consider themselves to be balanced, not too worried about germs, and live by the Ten Second Rule.
Just to refresh our memory, that is the rule that if you drop food, you have ten seconds to pick it up and be okay with not getting germs. In fact, you can feel safe and comfortable that you can eat it, and do. That really applies in your own home and even property, mainly because we are all immune to our own germs in our own home and we know intimately how clean our homes are.
Places where the Ten Second Rule does not apply:
1) Anywhere there are animals, not in your home. Such as the zoo. This is very applicable in case you are eating a sack lunch with the kids at the zoo and they drop a potato chip. I do not know what animal walked by with a keeper after hours in that area and left something behind. Ten Second Rule does not apply there. Leave it for the next lemur who comes through to get.
Also applies to pet shops and animal shelters, but who is eating there?
2) The bathroom. I say this because kids don't understand this fine point. It is not cool at all to bring food in the bathroom, let alone drop it and apply the Ten Second Rule. This needs to be explained delicately to children.
3) Personally, for me the Ten Second Rule does not apply in our chicken coop. Again, who is eating out there?
I only say this because I could see my two year old, next summer with a popsicle in his mouth, walk out to the chicken coop with me, drop a chunk of his popsicle and pick it up and eat it. See why we have to teach our kids the exceptions?
What other Ten Second Rule exceptions can you think of?? I am sure there are a few more. But remember, we are not germ a phobic. We are reasonable. So before you think up one, make sure you aren't crossing over into the whole "must bleach, rinse with soap and water, then apply Purell" kind of thinking.
2 comments:
I couldn't figure out how to take the survey but I am definitely, unquestionably a germ-o-phobe. I already know I need a 12-step program. I can't even hardly eat inside fast food restaurants because they gross me out so bad. We almost always eat in the van. I carry hand sanitizer in the van and have the girls use it frequently. But I have to say, my kids are rarely sick.
I thought I was a germ-a-phobe until we went to India to pick up our daughter. She dropped many of her toys while we were traveling with her and we just gave them right back to her, and she's teething so everything goes into her mouth. I know, it's gross but we would've had to sanitize them with either bottled or boiling water and frankly, there was no time for that, she spent her first year in that country so I doubt that it mattered anyway.
Although, I am big on hand washing and sneezing and coughing into my sleeve instead of my hand. I hate when people cough in their hands and then hand you money, or shake your hand. Yuk!
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