Mumsnet Talk

To those who are objecting to the phrase "almost homeless" would you prefer I said "dirty"? I didnt think it unreasonable to think a dirty person with grubby looking hands and clothes with holes in them might be homeless. I guess I added "almost" as I couldn't be sure. She could have just been an unclean wealthy person. I apologise to any homeless people. Some of you i am sure are very clean.

You sound thouroughly charming from your last post op, don't worry I'm sure your winning personality will keep the baby invaders away.

Perhaps you should ask to see someone's mortgage statement before they touch your child?

No doubt the OP will shortly be posting 'WHy o WHy is this country so unfriendly to children? Why are we not like Italy or Spain?????'

YABU, could say more, but I would not be able to stop! If you were to read it I might be brain washing you and then you would pass on nasty thoughts to your DS. Mind you, he grabbed her pen, did she call the Police? No, that would be over-reacting..... oh, hang on!

I love holding a baby's hand or stroking their hair. I do it a lot.

I am extremely clean though

My last post was slightly Tongue in cheek , slightly serious. I did mean the phrase 'homeless' probably was a bit unfair.

Hmmmm YANB totally U. I don't like people touching my children...they are not babies but my youngest is loved by grannies everywhere!

I'm don't know why I don't like it though, it's not because I'm overprotective or because of the germ thing. I just don't.

You could just leave the raincover on to guard against random almost homeless people .

Wow, how unpleasant! Firstly, having done a few volunteer shifts in homeless shelters may I please let you know that you can't tell whether someone is homeless from looking at them. Most homeless people wash just as frequently as those who have a home. They have to go to a lot more effort to do so, but they do. Plenty of dirty people live in big houses and plenty of clean people queue at the Sally Army for food.

Secondly avoiding common germs is not healthy. Just look at what happened to the Native Americans when the Europeans arrived in North America. Children need to meet common germs. I disagree with the suggestion to use antibacterial wipes on your baby's hands. Just bath once a day, and wipe off with water and baby soap if absolutely necessary.

I HATED anyone touching DD hands because she HATED it. She would always pull away and cry. It's not that she hates strangers though...she would do the same thing if I tried to hold her hands too.

Some babies are born with a strong sense of personal space it turns out...so on the basis alone I would say keep off!

You do realise that your child needs to build up a healthy immunity, and exposure to everyday germs and people who are possibly homeless is quite normal.. << THIS

I keep telling myself not to be uptight and just go with the flow

Keep repeating this to yourself.

What is it with all the weird threads lately?

Yabvu. What do you think he's gonna catch, ebola?

YANBU. I completely agree with you. Yuck. People should keep their hands to themselves. Really unhygienic.

Unless there are immune deficiency issues then yes, its a bit weird to avoid strangers who may hold your baby's hand.

When babies get to the age where they're at their cutest (think about 9-18 months) they are usually putting everything and anything in their mouths. It's probably more risky for the stranger than your baby tbh.

This is just something that has never occurred to me, even when my own were babies.

Bloody hell, if strangers tried to touch my baby uninvited I'd slap their hand away! Piss off away from my child!!! Germs or no germs.

StuntGirl not ebola, -homelessness.

Oh, and OP you are NOT being unreasonable and in all honesty I'm surprised that so many here don't mind strangers touching their children whenever and whereever they want.

You are being ridiculous Op.
There's germs around everywhere, the liklihood of your baby catching something from a woman with a pen? WTF.
It'll be a sad world when no one will be able to touch a baby's hand, maybe we should all only interact with people on the computer to avoid getting the plague, and never leave the house.

Er- we are talking about touching babies hands- not PAEDO mania....

YABU, sharing bacteria (both positive and negative) between humans is an essential part of being human - we all have billions of bacteria living on us most of them doing essential jobs - and they need to be shared around, it's almost certainly why there's an urge to touch babies to share that protectiveness.

YANBU not to like it, I had no problem with people talking to and interacting with DD when she was a baby, touching made me a bit when it was total strangers. I don't think it is OTT and hysterical to not want people you don't know who for all you know could have whooping cough, chickenpox or any other disease incubating in them which could be quite dangerous for a young baby.

My baby is asleep in the buggy now with a blanket over it. Nothing wierd just sleeps better in darkness.

YABabitU OP. Wipe his hands after. And don't ever take your baby to the ME/Africa as they LOVE to touch babies.

I had no problem with people talking to and interacting with DD when she was a baby

Very generous.

Aah yes peppermint, I had heard the WHO are thinking of reclassifying homelessness as a much greater disease threat. Gonna be bigger than bird flu, I tell ya.