to let my baby lick the bin?

[minidisco]

My 10 month old crawled up to our kitchen bin this afternoon, and as it is mirrored she likes looking at herself in it. I was filming her talking to her reflection, as it was very cute! She then licked the bin a few times, and was giggling at the feel of the cold metal. I sent my dh the video, thinking he would find it funny and he's had a go at me! He said that the germs on it could seriously harm her, and that I am clueless. Obviously I don't intend on letting her make licking the bin a habbit, but was ibu to let her lick the bin?! I suspect after writing it down that I was!

Haha, I take it this is your dhs pfb? Like others have said, he needs to steel himself for the shit/slug/random object eating that's around the corner

Sounds gross but don't think it will do any harm. It's probably cleaner than surfaces people have walked on (where babies crawl then put hands in mouth)

Probably cleaner than things most babies and toddlers lick. Bus seats, public toilet floors, swings and slides, those communal toys in Gp waiting rooms etc

What's wrong with the outside of a bin? Your DH is being very silly, DC eat worse things.

Thought my 9mo had gone quiet earlier... He's teething so isn't very quiet lately... walked into the room to find him munching on the dogs hide bone... the soggy end that he'd just finished chewing.. he must of dropped it next to him in his haste to go for a walk with dp!!

Probably cleaner than things most babies and toddlers lick. Bus seats, public toilet floors, swings and slides, those communal toys in Gp waiting rooms etc

Bus seats and public toilet floors?! Wtf!

This is like a competition of which parent on here is the most easy going?!

public toilet floor as in, when you get caught short mid supermarket shop and have to take your 1 yo with you who might lick the floor while you're busy wiping your bum?!

My friend's DS followed her into the bathroom and 'chewed' the ceramic toilet pan when she wasn't looking.

I wouldn't worry about it but wouldn't encourage it. My eldest ds thought it was the best thing ever to crawl along the floor and lick the floor esp at local school toddler group in the school hall (boke)

DS2 (9mo) likes to lick the trolley handle every time we go shopping. almost 3yo DS1 has started copying him because he thinks it's hilarious (sigh)

DS2 will also have a lick of your shoes if he gets his hands on them. Flip flops seem to be his favourite - I've never seen a baby crawl so fast in his effort to get there before me!

Unless you festoon the outside of the bin in leftover dinner and used tea bags, the outside of the bin will probably be no more dirty than the floor, which your DH is presumably happy for LO to crawl all over. I hardly think she's going to start shinnying down the drainpipe trying to escape and find the nearest bin to lick, like a crack addict looking for his next fix.

My 3 yo has been known to drink out of the dogs water bowl and fetch the dogs ball in his mouth. Maybe I've got puppies....

It's not a badge of honour to show how cool and relaxed you are!

As for the dog licking/dog bowl drinking posts....vomit!

Yanbu, presumably your bin is as clean as any other surface in your house.

I'm sure she won't come to any harm but it is something which I would actively discourage, you don't want her to think that it's ok to lick bins. Urgh I feel sick just typing it

Ah I forgot shoes. What is it with crawlers and toddlers chewing shoes

Actually I clean my floors far more than I clean the outside of my bin

It's not something you want to encourage, but really, kids will do all kinds of disgusting things, and some parents will overreact. Friends of mine were religiously sterilising bottles whilst their crawling DS was playing with the dog and putting his hands in the dog food.

Babies and toddlers lick/chew things. End of.

Unless some of you have the time to helicopter over your children then they are occasionally going to lick things that are really quite gross. I highly doubt anyone is using it as a 'badge of honour', sometimes you just don't have enough eyes/hands/nerves and have to be a bit relaxed or you're going to explode with stress.

I still have to tell DS (nearly 4) to stop licking things. It's bloody embarrassing in Tesco chastising him for licking the trolley again. Or trying to eat those giant plastic ice cream models outside anywhere selling ice cream.

It's what kids do I'm afraid - all sorts of crap goes in their mouths - including shoes, gum found under a table and other such culinary delights haha
Wait until DC locate bum holes and poo bleurgh!

formerbabe I just wish I had eyes up my arse like you. Fancy just nipping for a piss or turning to wash the dishes. I wish I was as fucking perfect as you. No need to be so judgemental at all.

Mn baffles me. Ok for children to lick bins and the floors in public toilets but if a till worker licks their fingers before opening your carrier bag all hell breaks loose!

It's not ok stealth it just happens. I didn't go "oh it's ok DS we won't use your beaker anymore... Just share the dogs..." or "dp you know how ds2 is teething? Well he enjoys chewing the dogs bone so put it in the fridge and he can have it after his tea..."

Haha

With the crap that dd puts in her mouth, I would think that licking the bin is the least of her worries!!!

The outside of a bin isn't that dirty, it's not like you stuck her inside of it and let her have a rummage around in there and eat last nights vegetable peelings FFS. Massive overreaction from DH.

Crawling babies and toddlers lick far worse things. They lick and chew everything, it is IMPOSSIBLE to prevent them coming into contact with germs and really, why would you want to? It's super important for their growing immune systems that they do. As others have said, wait until it's supermarket trolleys, think of all the germs on them.

:o
I'll admit I hate bins. Hate the way people casually touch them, take stuff back out they've decided they still need etc.
Wish I could have a garbage disposal