To turn down an invite to soft play because of germs?

[Skatingonthinice16]

Ds (7) has been invited to a soft play party, I don't want him to go because I think basically they are a complete germ fest but he obviously goes to school so is soft play any worse than that?
But then how often is soft play ever cleaned? Never? Someone I know took their child and their child went in the ball pool and got covered in poo. Who knows what lurks in the ball pool?! I'd hoped by 7 ds wouldn't ever have to go to soft play again. It's been about 2 years since we've been but my germ phobia didn't exist then so it didn't bother me.

Aibu to say no based on the fact I don't want us all to catch norovirus?

TBH I do think this is a bit OTT. All 6 of mine have enjoyed many soft plays over the years and we all survived.

Then again maybe our local one was especially clean and some are a lot worse? I don't know that much it. I definitely wouldn't want to have to deal with that poo story!

YABU. There's more likely to be germs and poo lurking in public toilets and you don't stop him using them do you? eat a peck of dirt before you die. Maybe get him to wash his hands when he leaves

Yes completely - they are cleaned mostly daily (the ones I know are anyway) and there's the same germs of not worse at school. Don't let your DS miss out.

I understand you can't help your germs phobia and I totally feel for you but it would be a shame if it prevented DS playing with his friends and having fun

Y would bu he is 7 worse case he gets cold or what ever but also has a great time.with his friends.
Personally I think it / je will be fine, they are cleaned, ball puts are emptied - the poo things was just bad luck.

Ours is closed on Mondays for the deep clean. I'm not sure they inspect and sterilise each ball in the put though

He's 7 not a baby, you need to chill out. Yes I'm sure there is probably grotty stuff in the ball pool but my DD has never come out with poo all over her and we go almost weekly. A few germs are good for the immune system.

You can get in touch with the place to ask how they keep things clean - check on their social media for any comments - even ask other people who have reviewed it if there were any problems a few days later?

I, once, as an adult sat and played with some kids at the edge of a ball pit and got very ill a couple of days later. Blamed the pool pit. When to the other end of the country to meet relatives and their young kids. Spent all afternoon playing with them. Got very ill a couple of days later. It wasnt the ball pit. It was the kids. Intergenerational Biological Warfare frankly.

The poo could have been another kid some 10 mins before your friend got covered in it. Cant do anything about that.

Check, and if there are no bad comments then take your DS. Also take lots of bacterial wipes and maybe even a change of clothes so that he is basically clean when he leaves the building.

Yabvvvvu and totally OTT. Its like being at school, and he's 7,not 17 months old!

Unless he has form for licking things he shouldn't then YABU. Let him go. Ensure he washed his hands proper with soap before eating.
He will be fine.
Soft play is grim though!

Yabu but I totally understand. I'm a complete germaphobe, especially when is comes to stomach virus'. But, DS loves soft play and he goes almost weekly with the CM. He's been going to soft play centres twice weekly for around 2 years and has had 2 episodes of norovirus, both were picked up from family members and not soft play. He'll be fine

They're more likely to get poo on them using the school toilets than at soft play so don't worry :)

I think you're being ridiculous and unreasonable.

Um yes I do stop him using public toilets...

Your children need a certain amount of exposure to germs to build healthy immune systems. Avoid the play areas because they are loud, smelly and unpleasant but not because they have germs.

Although he uses the school ones

And on the subject of school toilets, they are pretty bloody grim. Wee and poo on the floors and around and in the toilets. None of them seem to flush and I doubt much adequate hand washing goes on and then they touch each other, eat, share equipment.

Kids need exposure to bugs to get good immunity. Soft play is generally no better or worse than many things for this.

Just wash his hands before he eats or drinks anything afterwards and he'll be fine.

What do you do if you're out and he needs the toilet?

I make him go just before we leave the house and we don't generally go out for long so he's ok.
Occasionally if he absolutely has to go then he does but I make him wash his hands really well and then use a hospital grade anti bacterial spray which also kills norovirus...

You stop him using public toilets? Yabvvvu what on earth do you expect him to do if he needs the toilet?!

Yabu to stop him going to soft play. He's 7, he won't be licking stuff.

You're going to pass on your phobia to your son if you carry on like this, do you really want that for him?

Ok - you have gone from overly concerned parent to slightly abusive germ freak passing on a potential mental health problem. You are foisting your phobia onto him. You are attempting to control his bladder and giving him a complex about cleanliness, which in a child actual damages their immune system which will make them more liable to germ bugs in future which will then probably prompt even more aggressive cleaning regimes.

Take a step back and get some help with the phobia.

Op I mean this kindly, but I think you need to see your gp.

Do you not go out for day trips or longer than a couple of hours?

I agree, go get some help as you are going to pass this onto your kids.

Unfortunately he DOES still put everything in his mouth. We are waiting for a referral for an ASD diagnosis and he has sensory type issues and he does lick his hands a lot and also put everything in his mouth...like a toddler. It drives me mad!

No we don't go very far anymore.