Afternoon Swagsters,

Today we have a really germy question from a concerned mamma.

Dear Swag Gal,

It seems like my toddler son is always getting sick when I bring him to church. I feel like other parents are thoughtless/careless by bringing their obviously sick children to church and allowing them to play with the other children. My son typically gets the “Tuesday virus”, as our family has dubbed it, after visiting church on Sunday. Am I being oversensitive and/or overprotective by being irritated at parents for not keeping their sick kids at him and thus exposing my little guy? What would be an appropriate way of handing the situation? I don’t think it is fair that I should feel like I need to keep my healthy child at home because people are bringing their sick kids to church!

Sincerely,
Tuesday

Dear Tuesday,

I think we can all relate that children in social settings with other kids always seem more prone to frequent illnesses. However there are some ways to avoid this. Funny side note: It might be good for you kid to experience a small cold here and there, it will teach their body how to fight off simple viruses so when they are older they are rarely sick.

However, you could always volunteer as a Sunday school teacher and start or at least talk with the teachers and volunteers there and find out if below procedures are encouraged and followed:

1. A good antibacterial soap and/or spray is used to wipe down all counters, toys, tables, chairs and such before and after the kids enter the classroom.

2. The floors get mopped at least once a week with clean mop heads.
(Remember kids drop things and are constantly touching their faces.)

3. Follow the kids to the bathrooms and make sure they are washing their hands with soap and lukewarm water.

4. Incorporate 15 minutes of germ education in the kids classroom, make fun, educational games out protecting yourself against germs. Something like the head, shoulder, feet game but instead do hand, mouth, cough.

Also, find out what their sick-kid attendee agenda is and how they are encouraging kids to wash up between activities, especially before eating and after they’ve used the bathroom. If all of the above bullet points are taken care of, you should be okay, as difficult and expensive as a sick kid can be, just be thankful he is not a TEEN yet – wanting a new pair of designer jeans along with his doctor visits!

Oh and guess what: in our Shop&Earn section you can get your vitamins and probiotics up to 70% off at Drugstore.com and earn yourself some SB. Woah!

Stay healthy!

TSGal

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