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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was I being weird?

41 replies

alittlehelp · 02/01/2018 20:23

I've got anxiety issues about contamination which make it hard to have perspective on some household matters so would like a general opinion on whether I behaved irrationally/ unreasonably today.

We have had rats in our loft. Pest man came to deal with it. Walked through the house without removing shoes, which will presumably have been in lots of pesty places today. I've been on my own with two small children so haven't been able to hoover since.

I got my three year old to wear socks to go between the bathroom (after his bath) and his bedroom, so that he wouldn't be walking with bare feet on the rat-man-shoe-contaminated carpet and then getting into his bed (he climbs in at the pillow end so his feet touch where his face goes later, if that makes any sense at all).

Was that odd? I don't want to pass my issues on to him.

OP posts:
GinIsIn · 02/01/2018 20:26

Yes, that really is a bit odd. He’s not clubbing the rats with his shoe.

kaytee87 · 02/01/2018 20:27

It's a bit odd. As an aside my 17mo loves it when I hoover, he follows me around and tries to help 😆
A hoover wouldn't clean germs anyway Tbf.

thefugitive · 02/01/2018 20:27

I don't really follow the logic.

What does hoovering have to do with it? Can you hoover up rat-lurgy? Not meaning to be sarcastic, honestly, I just can't follow the pest-man shoes and hoover link..

Wineasaurous · 02/01/2018 20:28

Huh?

19lottie82 · 02/01/2018 20:28

I wouldn’t call you “weird” but it does seem like you have strong anxiety issues as you have described, and it’s not normal.

thefugitive · 02/01/2018 20:28

"I got my three year old to wear socks to go between the bathroom (after his bath) and his bedroom, so that he wouldn't be walking with bare feet on the rat-man-shoe-contaminated carpet and then getting into his bed (he climbs in at the pillow end so his feet touch where his face goes later, if that makes any sense at all).

Was that odd? I don't want to pass my issues on to him."

That rather depends on whether you told him to put socks on so he wouldn't get cold (fine).

Or told him to put socks on so he wouldn't get pest-man rat-lurgy all over the pillow.

mumonashoestring · 02/01/2018 20:29

I'm not sure you'll get useful responses on here OP - what you have is a phobia, which has no relation to rationality or logic. Rationally, there's a part of your brain that knows that the hoover isn't a magical decontamination cureall and you'd be hard pressed to name a contaminant that you'd be getting rid of by hoovering, but logic doesn't come into it does it?

Might it be more useful to consider what you could do to mitigate the anxiety?

LemonShark · 02/01/2018 20:29

YABU and you need professional help before you pass this onto your children.

Original poster
alittlehelp · 02/01/2018 20:29

I dunno, I'm just imagining bits of dust/general grimmage that have got rat wee on or something. That would get onto my carpet and then into my child's bed and then into his mouth and then make diseases happen. Now you've asked me to spell it out I guess I can see that it is a bit odd!

OP posts:
FlakeBook · 02/01/2018 20:30

I think it is a bit over-anxious, as is thinking you can't hoover when you're on your own with two dc. But as problems go, it's not major ;-)

LIZS · 02/01/2018 20:30

Yes overly concerned. If he were working indoors in a contaminated area he is likely to wear disposable overshoes and protective clothing if necessary. Why can't you hoover with dc around?

Original poster
alittlehelp · 02/01/2018 20:31

I've had professional help lemon. The only thing that's made a difference is meds which I can't take right now as bf. Maybe I need to find an alternative!

OP posts:
Original poster
alittlehelp · 02/01/2018 20:33

Re hoovering - I can't see the baby when hoovering the stairs, and wouldn't be able to hear him either over the hoover. Would that not be a bit risky?

OP posts:
Mumteadumpty · 02/01/2018 20:34

OP, I don't have any anxiety issues with contamination in general whatsoever, but I do have a thing about rats, so your actions on this occasion are not unreasonable at all in my eyes.

PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 02/01/2018 20:35

Yes, it is odd but I think most people can fixate on weird things (like rat piss covered dust). I personally can’t sleep with duvet/pillow/mattress labels near my head or the duvet cover poppers near my head. I also have to press the green man crossing button 20times (this is relatively new too so not even something I have always done)
So back to your OP, it’s odd but I wouldn’t dwell/stress on it Grin

Sorry for my rambling post Grin

LIZS · 02/01/2018 20:35

Put him in cot or playpen? Or do it while baby naps.

metalmum15 · 02/01/2018 20:37

It is a little strange, especially considering if the rats have been in your loft, they may have been in/on anything you have stored up there, more so than anything on the pest control mans shoes.

Re hoovering, most people hoover with a baby, it's only 10 minutes and they're safe enough in a cot or pushchair.

nevereverever83 · 02/01/2018 20:39

so he got into bed wearing the (apparently) "contaminated" socks?

kaytee87 · 02/01/2018 20:40

@alittlehelp I'd say most people hoover when they have a baby. Just put the baby in a bouncer and get the 3yo to 'help' you hoover.

sausagerollsrock · 02/01/2018 20:41

To a rational mind op, this is odd. But as a sufferer of OCD (diagnosed) I understand an irrational thought process. Try not to let your son know the real reason of why you made him put socks on. They will follow the behaviour.

TheFrendo · 02/01/2018 20:43

The pest controller is not going to tackle rates in his socks.

TheFrendo · 02/01/2018 20:44

Err, rats not rates. oops.

Original poster
alittlehelp · 02/01/2018 20:56

Ok thanks all. Very useful to know that I am being overly anxious. And that I can hoover with a baby!

OP posts:
Seriouslyjuicy · 02/01/2018 21:24

I am not over anxious about cleaning (hoover about once a fortnight) OR rats (have pet ones); and i dont think you are being particularly crazy about this.

FuckedUpPanda · 02/01/2018 23:08

I very much doubt he'd be allowed to remove his shoes while working in the house, we had British Gas repairing the boiler the other day and he was very apologetic as he repeatedly went out to the van then traipsed mud through the entire house but explained for health and safety reasons he couldn't remove his boots and they'd not been supplied with overshoes for months. I was thrilled.

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