Overheard this at the London Aquarium.... how do you feel?

[pupuce]

We took kids out to the Aquarium yesterday (we and 3.000.000 other parents !!!!) anyway when we got to the ray's tank, where you can touch them... my kids and other kids were gently stroking the rays (encouraged by the staff).
A mother said to her 6yo (?) child to get his hands off the water.... he didn't, she smacked his arm... (his dad said it's OK just roll your sleeves up).
Her point was that he couldn't wash his hands afterwards and then when he did dis-obey her (she continued telling him off) she said "don't put your hands in your mouth...."

Now me think... OTT mother.... can your child not go to the seaside and swim in sea.... nearly said it

What do you think ?

P.S. Rays were from the British seas.

I'd be more worried about the rays catching something from her son than the other way around.

suedonim - same reaction as busybee here too, LOL. Can you say what country you're living in or is that part of the mystery ?

I petted a giant ray thingy in the States. They felt fab !!!! Funny little mouth parts.

Poor you, Norah! Just got back from beach holiday where fish were swimming around our legs constantly. Had lovely paddles in lively rockpools and sat still and watched tiny crabs, sea anemones, sea snails etc. Everything (safe) got poked and touched...

Do think you're spoiling the fun a bit...

Actually I was told NOT to stroke the rays as they can pick up a disease from people touching them. Do they not say that any more? Maybe it was Newquay where they told us this - can't remember!

Ive heard what florence jsut said, in the one at Great Yarmouth they stopped it. I'm sure I rememebre a sink or something at the london aquarium, must be imagining it.

And the alcohol gel stuff is great, def not crazy at all. How do you wash your hands if you need to change a nappy in the car, or out for a long walk away from any changing facilities? Mine has leaked everywhere tho and I need to get some more.

I carry gel too, wipe tables, toilets, hands everthing with it, DH is worse than me.

Ok think I might upset everyone now but did you know alcohol becomes ineffective when it comes into contact with organic matter!!!! ie if your hands are visibly dirty. You'd be better off wiping them with a baby wipe first and then using your alcohol gel/spray. :) Just thought I'd get my bit in. As for the stingray, I don't think I'd worry too much about my children touching one. And like others have said if it was such an issue got to the nearest toilet and wash his hands there. Maybe there was more too it - fish phobia, you just don't know!

Yes I do tend to rinse off as much muck as possible first otherwise it just sort of blends together with the gel, lovely.

it wouldn't occur to me that live fish that the Aquarium said were ok to touch would be dangerous to touch. what about sushi? my mother carries antibacterial gel around with her and several other lives by a code of safety measures i have absolutely no intention of inflicting on my kids. for example she wanted me to call in at the local firestation to check that we had fitted dds car seat properly (pleeeaaaze). sounds like the lady in question, like my mother, was a sensor rather than an intuitive type: www.humanmetrics.com not that I'm at all judgemental or bored of watching history programs with dh and looking for idle gossip on mum's net..ahem...

Another possibility - some people with allergies to seafood can react to water from aquariums and fish foods etc.