To not want to take my kids to farms

[Lifeohlifeohhhlife]

Have a 5 month old and 3 Yr old.

I must admit I'm a bit of clean freak at home. Anyway I've never taken my kids to a farm. One of the first questions a Dr asked me at a and e when my baby was very ill was 'have they had any bbq food or been to any farms?!' and its kinda stuck with me..

Im sure I will take them eventually just really nervous while they are so young and vulnerable...... and would really like to take them sooner rather then later.

I know aibu but does anyone feel the same about all that animal poo and germs?! Happy for people to talk me out of this one or show some solidarity if you feel the same..

I've taken my kids since they were babies. I just made sure we all washed hands. In fact, they are 13 & 11 now and I've taken them at least three times a year every year. They have never been ill due to a visit to the farm.

When you go to a farm park there is usually hand washing facilities close to any animal encounters. I think you have to think about whether your anxieties will stop you from doing very normal things with your children. I grew up in the countryside so animals are very normal to me (although have no pets and probably never will as I don’t like animals that much).

Your 5m old won’t care or be missing out either way but 3 is a lovely age for that sort of trip.

Genuinely curious; do you take your children to the woods or the park? Plenty of animal and bird poo around, especially dog poo which is potentially dangerous, and germs on playground equipment and things.

Or is it just farms and farm animals?

And in answer to your question, yes, I take my DS to farms and he's fed little animals and at nursery they've had chicks and ducklings that he's held. He's never been seriously ill in his 4 years, fortunately.

Wow, I'm a farmer's daughter and now married to a farmer. Lived on farms all my life. I don't think you have anything to fear. My children love farm life.

I honestly thought this would be a moral issue rather than germs. In the nicest way I think you are making this a much bigger deal than it needs to be. Just watch them and make sure they wash their hands (farms usually have plenty of hand wash stations around).

Are you anxious about germs in general or is it just farms that are the issue? Your children need some exposure to germs to build an immune system otherwise they really will be vulnerable to illness. Children are rather hardy little things. My DC is forever bringing back colds from nursery they recover from in days which knock me and DH for six! Please let your children experience normal childhood activities.

@KatherineofGaunt yes they go everywhere else. It's just farm animals I seem to have an aversion too. Silly I know to me they just seem to pose more threat illness wise

It is a bit sad for your children if you allow your hangups about germs/dirt to limit their experiences in the world, yes. Farms are incredibly educational and entertaining for children. They can learn so much about how food is produced, how animals live and are looked after - great for building empathy with living creatures and a general sense of how the ecosystem and the planet works, and their own place within it. Mud and animal poo won't hurt them, as long as they wash their hands afterwards. We aren't meant to be raised in a sterile environment, insulated from all mess and protected from the other creatures that inhabit our world.

Plenty of children grow up on farms or with pets. You are worrying too much. I'm definitely with you in regard to dog or cat poo, but farms are fine! Just wash your hands afterwards.

@Sapphirejane its just farms. But these are the sort of reassuring messages I need to read! Thanks

I find this illogical. Animals are much cleaner than humans. I'd rather shovel cow shit than go across London on the tube. I'm fairly sure I was safer with the cows!

@Lifeohlifeohhhlife - I would argue softplay is a bigger risk than a farm where people are much more aware of hand washing etc. I understand this is probably not coming from a place of logic though, during the pandemic I became terrified of going into our local shopping centre but not about getting public transport into town, arguably a much bigger risk. I’ve had to really spend time talking to myself about being irrational.

@Sapphirejane i defo think mine is a pandemic bourne issue too. I never used to clean as much or anti bac at all before. I have relaxed a lot but after our scary trip to the hospital the farm thing has stuck with me

@Lifeohlifeohhhlife I understand that, this pandemic has done a number on most of us. Perhaps you could visit a farm with another adult you trust to be vigilant, have responsibility for one child each to ensure hand washing and take your own food to eat as a first step? Focus on pointing out the animals and their noises with your toddler. I will admit I only worked up the courage to visit our shopping centre yesterday for the first time since March 2020 but I felt a sense of relief at doing it.

One of my children is immunosuppressed and we visit the farm frequently. I'd much prefer to go to the farm than a soft play. He's caught hand foot and mouth and norovirus from soft play, but never anything from the farm.
They have hand washing facilities on site so as long as they wash their hands the risk is miniscule.

Do you eat meat ? If so you are being a bit daft !

Just wash their hands , if you are really bothered change all clothes and shoes before you get back in the car and shower when you get home ! Kids love farms !

Heard a doctor on the radio saying children need to be exposed to dirt/germs in a small way to build immunity. When you think of it farm children are not always sick and they are around animals. As already said once there is hand washing facilities all will be fine.

Was it salmonella the doctor was referring to? As long as you wash hands it really would be ok! Probably more risk handling chicken in the kitchen than visiting a farm!

I definitely don't think those huge factory farms are healthy where animals are not able to lead a natural life pumped full of steroids and antibiotics destined for processed foods like burgers and hotdogs where it's basically mechanically extracted pink slurry in casing.

But places where animals are free range and aren't crammed into metal crates their whole lives would be healthier places for sure.

In fact if you are too sterile you are likely to have DC who grow up full of allergies and asthma etc.

We need healthy bacteria for health and we need plenty of germs to build good immunity which is why DC who grow up with animals and the great outdoors tend to be far healthier than city dwellers with the pollution outside and inside the home with the fumes of toxic cleaning fluid like bleach etc.

@Vijia - The OP is talking about farms set up for children to visit, they tend to have a few of each animal and information about them. She’s not going to take her kids to a factory farm for a day out!

You’d be much better off at a park Farm than your local park. I currently manage 40 parks but was a farm manager previously. We don’t poo pick before we cut the grass, the mowers just go over and chop it into little pieces basically. Dog poo is quite harmful.

At soft play this week we left after a little boy was sick three times and his mum just cleaned it up with wet wipes.

The poo at a farm is much safer and you don’t rest come into contact with it anyway. There will be hand washing facilities. Exposure to microbes in the soil on places like farms are proven to strengthen children’s immune systems. I think it’s really important for children to appreciate farming and where there food comes from.

I would suggest that patting a goat then washing hands is probably quite safe. A bit of herbivore poo won't hurt them either.

Anywhere with other small children, not so much! They will catch/pass on everything going from their peers, because small dc are simply grotty little snot goblins, bless them.

Meh my daughter goes to nursery and that’s disgusting I. Comparison to a farm 😂😂 she’s brought norovirus home 2 times in 4 months, hand foot and mouth, etc etc

@Vijia its illegal to give animals steroids in the UK. I’ve never worked on a farm that gave regular antibiotics either.

Farms are healthier than schools.

I definitely don't think those huge factory farms are healthy where animals are not able to lead a natural life pumped full of steroids and antibiotics destined for processed foods like burgers and hotdogs where it's basically mechanically extracted pink slurry in casing.
I don't think many people take their toddlers on a tour of the factory farm / slaughterhouse 😂