to be annoyed that DH tells the children not to hold bannisters due to germs

[rac321]

We were in a hotel and DS (aged 3) and DD (aged 5) were walking down the stairs holding the bannister. DH tells them to take their hands off the bannister as it's not clean. There was no visible dirt but he was worried about DS and DD getting germs on their hands by holding a public bannister. To me this seems madness as surely they are better holding on to a bannister than falling down stairs. But DH says I should be more concerned about them getting germs on their hands and putting their hands in their mouths and getting sick.
We both think the other is wrong - opinions pls

Your Dh is BU. Do the children go to the park,open doors, go to school or nursery? All germ ridden places.

You are right. Is easier to wash hands than fix a broken leg.

There is no reason why banisters would be any germier than any other item. Does DH keep them in gloves the whole of the time they are out? How do they manage at school?

You are right.
He is wrong.

Germs are good! I sat next to a paediatrician once on a plane who said all our children would be healthier if they ate one meal per week off the floor. I am currently in India with a toddler and am not stopping him touching stuff here either. Though I am definitely not letting him eat his food off the floor either!!

It is important for balance skills to sometimes walk down stairs without holding on...slightly off topic I realise and depends what the stairs are like whether it is a good idea

Too many eithers, sorry

I agree with you. Your dh is bonkers (so is mine, he used to tell the kids not to hold on to anything when traveling on the tube…). It is good for their immune systems to be exposed to germs anyway.

What about if you use anti bac gel on their hands? Would your DH then allow them to touch the bannister?

I get where your dh is coming from as I can't hold banisters either but I do tell/encourage the kids to. It's my hang up and I don't want them hurting themselves or picking up on my hang up. My dh does get cross with me not holding on, especially as I'm pretty crap on stairs but I can't really help it.

Your DD is at school. Does your DH tell her not to touch anything at school? It is one BIG breeding ground for germies!

Does DH fumigate himself and his clothes before touching the dc whenever he's been out of the house? If not, how does he reconcile himself with the fact that they will pick up dreaded germs from him?

What is he going to do in the rest of the hotel? Aren't the children allowed to open doors, touch the chairs they sit on, touch the cutlery and crockery?

There's no point trying to avoid every germ but going to the other end and being completely indiscriminate about it isn't really sensible either.

There are some banisters I'd want my kids to avoid touching, as I would, but lots I wouldn't try to stop them touching.

Thanks for your messages. We all go to the park and the children go to school / playgroups, so I'm not sure why bannisters should be a big deal. He won't let the children touch other things like lampposts, but I'm not bothered about that and can see why with dogs etc. Glad it's not just me. He would let them hold bannisters if we put gel on afterwards, but it seems a mad thing to do and I worry it may give the children hang-ups.

He is BVU! Telling small children not to hold the bannister is very stupid. If he's that bothered he can anti-bac them afterwards.

I'm with both of you.

My DSis doesn't touch bannisters, and I try not to, and hand wash a lot. I also try to discourage DC from putting fingers in their mouths or up their noses.

First thing we all do (DC included) when we get in to the house is to wash our hands, and I am always a bit shocked when DC friends come to play and question washing their hands when they get back from school.

But I think your DC are a bit young not to hold on to the bannister. In your case, it would probably be better to hold on, but make sure they wash hands before eating.

He does sound like a germophobe! Nothing wrong with a few germs, good for the immune system and good defence for if they ever pick up anything serious.

I get where your dh is coming from, I did read somewhere escalators rails, banisters and the buttons on the bus to press to get off are particularly germy.

That being said I don't stop my dc from holding onto things I just have a rule about washing hands before eating.

Utterly ridiculous. He IBU. WTF is wrong with people? Can't they see that they are damaging their DC's immune systems by not exposing them to normal everyday germs? Not to mention the hang ups they are passing on. I really don't get it .

Your dh is being ridiculous.

You're right, of course. 'Is easier to wash hands than fix a broken leg.' - or neck.

Hold the bannisters, tell them not to put their hands in their mouths (leastwise not unless they've recently washed their hands).

He could use anti bac wipes on the banisters first then the DC could hold them going downstairs. Would that be a good compromise for him?

Does he not touch the banisters then? Does he wash his hands before touching DC in case he passes on germs to them and makes them sick?

Oh gosh this sounds just like my DH. He also changes his clothes if he gets within a couple metres of a dog or cat!

He can't surround his kids in a giant anti-bacterial wipe.

Everything has germs on. Aside from washing your hands regularly, you just have to live with it. It's what our immune systems are for.