Germaphobes...it's time to just chill out.

This has been on my mind a lot. The other day, after a random post I made on Facebook about my kids going to the play room at the gym, a commenter replied saying: "I'd be too freaked out about germs."

My sincerest apologies to the Germaphobes..and I feel I can call them this because most I know will openly tell you they are a germaphobe, but seriously? I think it's time to take a step back and just relax a bit.

I'm sure most Germaphobes think I am insane for taking my kids into public restrooms and also use them myself. Or for taking my kids to the play room at the gym, or indoor play facilities like Chuck E. Cheese and what not. Or children's museums or the zoo or the aquarium, amusement parks, arcades, etc where people put their grimy hands on things all day long. And oh the horror...we take our kids on an airplane!!!

But seriously....look at all we'd be missing out on if I let paranoia take over.

And I don't look at every human being as a cesspool of germs.

Yeah, everyone got real freaked out by swine flue and the other flus out there and all the other germs. (and I wholeheartedly believe the media is to blame for that) But I'm not gonna live my life in a bubble. I do my best to keep my kid's hands clean and we use hand sanitizer when we're out at places where a sink and soap and water are not easily accessible. Yeah, the kids still gets colds and viruses from time to time...that's all a part of life.

I know I read once that using too much antibacterial cleansers in your house will eventually make the germs immune to it. And actually houses that are a little bit dirty have healthier kids. The kids in immaculate homes never build the antibodies to fight off the common cold and other little viruses.

Some articles I found very interesting:

Life Style Lounge

The CDC

Care 2 Make a Difference (this one's the best!!)

I try my best to be aware of what's going on in the world...but sometimes we have to just turn a deaf ear and let our kids be kids and enjoy life.

Summer, divorce and some other random things...

Summer is officially here....which means my daughter is home for summer vacation. I never wanted to be one of those parents who one week into vacation is already asking how many days left till school starts. But I can identify......two kids all day annoying each other..... It's only been 4 official days...not counting the weekend- she would have been home anyway. So far it's been decent, aside from the times she comes and asks me to do this and that while I'm trying to get some work done. Does she not understand that her brother's nap time is my only time to get any work done? No, probably not. One more thing that makes working form home difficult! Hubby and I have talked and he understands that my writing is serious and I need to devote real time to it, especially once I start the editing process. It can't just sit...the work needs to get done. The sooner I do it, the sooner it will get published and start making me money!!!

Found out this morning that friends of ours are getting divorced...and it comes as a complete and utter shock. We don't see them as much as we'd like, maybe once a year or so. We had no idea they were having trouble. It's sad; we always thought they made such a good pair. We know the woman's family really well...like psuedo aunts and uncles, cousins. And the way I found out....not sure if I agree with the method. The husband posted it as an event on Facebook. He wrote a long detailed thing...it was well written and explained enough and for the most part, he did it in an unbiased way. Basically said...this is what's happening. Now I wonder if the wife knows he did this....not sure how I'd feel about my soon to be ex blabbing to everyone on Facebook. Though he did explain his reasoning- now everyone knows and he can avoid the awkwardness of telling everyone face to face and having to do that hundreds of times.

I'm pleased that I am (hopefully) back to my workout schedule!! My son seems to play better now so he allows me some uninterrupted time to exercise in the morning. I did some decent leg, thigh and ab exercises and did a bit of cardio. bad back be damned. I got out of my routine for like a month...longer actually, cause my back has been bothering me.....a lot. Well, I am just doing what I can and if it hurts my back I either work through it or do something that doesn't bother it as much. I read an article (after i already decided to workout through the pain, so I must have some kind of smarts here) and it said that you shouldn't stop exercising when you have back pain.

And my last gripe for the day...anyone with kids....boys....PLEASE tell me how to get my 17 month old son to stop chucking his food across the table when he doesn't want it anymore!