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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to take my own toys?

157 replies

workinggally · 26/05/2011 11:42

I take my dc to quite a lot of baby groups but the toys at some of them I think are quite unhygienic. Never washed and in all the babies mouths. One of the leaders at one said she washed them once a term as though this was really frequent, I'm sure some of the others might be even less frequent.

I was a bit shocked at the situation the first times I went but everyone else seemed to think things were ok so I just went along with it.

Anyway now my dc is unwell which could be due to unhygienic toys. (Although of course he could have caught it somewhere else).

Anyway to put my mind at rest in the future would it be ok to take my own toys for dc to play with? We don't want to stop going altogether as we enjoy the songs/ socialising.

Have other people ever taken their own toys? Tbh a lot of the stuff at these groups is older/ less nice than what he has at home, so it seems a shame to be exposed to infection unecessarily.

OP posts:

QueenCee · 26/05/2011 12:14

Ummm... Why are you now worrying about peoples child care arrangements? Definately a wind up!

Hulababy · 26/05/2011 12:14

workinggally - how come you are suddenly deflected the thread' progress to how come some posters are online? Why is it relevant to your thread about toys?

Original poster

workinggally · 26/05/2011 12:14

Well they could play with the toys but then at the end I would retrieve them and sterilise them. Alternatively I could only remove them from my bag one by one and only my child would play with them.

OP posts:

TheVisitor · 26/05/2011 12:14

If your child does not have good exposure to germs then they will not build up a good immunity to them and will be ill MORE often, not less. It's been medically proven that a sterile environment does a child no favours at all, and they are more likely to suffer from asthma, stomach bugs etc. Google it. My kids are pretty much proof of this too - we've only ever had a tummy bug in the house once in 12 years, and that was picked up in a hospital ward.

valiumredhead · 26/05/2011 12:13

What do you think your child will catch from these dirty toys?

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 26/05/2011 12:13

It may come as a surprise but some children go to a very unsterile environment called S.C.H.O.O.L and they're still classed as parents

Anyways, i'm yawning off this now, it's such a ridiculous thread it must be a wind up

Honeydragon · 26/05/2011 12:13

Allow me to link here, just think of me as the ghost of your Mumsnet future

Longtalljosie · 26/05/2011 12:13

I remember my local children's centre telling me that they washed all the chewy toys after every playgroup. I don't know how it came up, I certainly didn't ask!

So I do think once a month is a bit minging. But in general, babies swapping toys is all good immune-system-boosting stuff...

SuePurblybilt · 26/05/2011 12:13

. Is it another hun invasion? Or does Matthew Wright want to be able to say that Mnetters want their babies to eat germs?

Hulababy · 26/05/2011 12:12

How would you stop the other children wanting your DC's toys?

Original poster

workinggally · 26/05/2011 12:12

Imagine you were at someone's house and they used a spoon, licked it clean, then gave it to you to use. Would you mind, would you be happy?

Everyone else happy as well?

OP posts:

Pandemoniaa · 26/05/2011 12:12

Please let this be a wind up.

If not, please don't leave the house until your pfb leaves for university. It's a dangerously germy world out there. I mean some of us share the same air, ffs!!!

Grabaspoon · 26/05/2011 12:11

I understand the hygiene issue and am lucky enough that the groups I use do clean the toys regularly.

The issue with taking your own toys are

having to share with the other children
forgetting toys when you leave
being seen as neurotic
arguments as children think they can play etc
the start of everyone bringing only their toys and the children only being allowed to play with their own toys etc (I know this won't happen but where does it end?)

Could you try out a different toddler group, discuss with the group leader and maybe take on a part ie putting a box of baby toys through the dishwasher at home etc

Original poster

workinggally · 26/05/2011 12:11

are some people always on mumsnet? just some people seem to always appear on my threads and I'm surprised. do they post constantly using iphones? what is happening to their children at these times? I have a relative to care for my child at the moment.

OP posts:

Laquitar · 26/05/2011 12:09

Sarah

QueenCee · 26/05/2011 12:08

Actually no... Germs are good! Improves their immune system.
I do think this is a wind up though. Forming your own sterile play group... That Is utterly bonkers!
My 7 month old DD is licking the carpet as I write this... A favorite past time of hers and she has never been ill... Weird yes, Ill no!!!

squeakytoy · 26/05/2011 12:08

Imagine you were at someone's house and they used a spoon, licked it clean, then gave it to you to use. Would you mind, would you be happy?

If it was a close friend, relative, then no it wouldnt actually bother me. I have never been precious about germs... and in 42 years have only had food poisoning twice, and never had flu.

Havent had a cold for about 3 years, and am rarely ill.

The only time I wash my hands is after going to the loo.

If someone has a compromise immune system which make them more susceptible to catching illnesses, then fair enough if they are more fastidious, but generally, if you are healthy then germs will not harm you.

We live in a society obsessed by everything being sterile, and companies exploiting this by flogging more and more products to the gullible.

SarahStratton · 26/05/2011 12:07

Please, could someone else confess they also opened this expecting it to be a swingers thread

Laquitar · 26/05/2011 12:06

How are you going to do it? Will you tell him every 2 minutes 'NO, NO dont touch that one! Here, this is the one you are allowed to touch!'

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 26/05/2011 12:06

Oh my dear lord, op kids need exposure to germs to build up their immune system, my niece and nephews mum has an attitude similar to yours and her kids are constantly ill. (they're 12 and 9 now and she's still constantly wiping things, it drives me potty)

OTOH, my two frequently had snails for breakfast and very rarely pick anything up

Hullygully · 26/05/2011 12:05

Another thing you could do is always offer to make the teas/coffees, then you can quickly pop the teddy toys in some boiling water while no one's looking.

Original poster

workinggally · 26/05/2011 12:05

I am not saying that by cleaning toys/ taking my own I can eliminate germs but surely eliminating some is better than eliminating none?

OP posts:

Dancergirl · 26/05/2011 12:04

OP - even if you do decide to take your own toys (mad):

a) you would be laughed at, and
b) all the other babies would play/bite/chew/slobber over them

Hullygully · 26/05/2011 12:02

I absolutely agree!

I solved this by taking a packet of antiseptic wipes and discreetly wiping the toys before my dc touched them. I'd also wipe their hands and mouths before and after too.

Original poster

workinggally · 26/05/2011 12:02

Imagine you were at someone's house and they used a spoon, licked it clean, then gave it to you to use. Would you mind, would you be happy?

OP posts:

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