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View Full Version : This is why Howie Mandel is a germaphobe ...



Fairy
01-03-2009, 05:12 PM
... and why I feel justified in not letting DS play in McD's or Chuckie Cheese or other of those type playlands, which we call "Toy Museums" (yes, ala Laurie Berkner's song). Warning, this is yucky.

We're in McD's today, and we rarely actually go into McD's. We drive thru here and there, but going in is very rare. But we went ice skating today for the first time, and I had to, ahem, buy him off afterward (that's another story). So, he asks to go into the play area, and I said, as usual, no, I'm sorry, they're just too germy. He asked, well, why do the other kids get to go. I said, cuz their parents don't agree that it's too germy. I think it is too germy, and I don't want you to get sick. We sat at the opposite end by the bathrooms so it would be out of sight (ish), and he basically accepted it and was happy with his purple pony toy, and we had a great time eating our food and being goofy.

Then, a boy about age 8 or 10 comes running by with his father close behind, and they're on their way to the bathroom. We're right next to the bathroom. He's not the first one to go pee since we've sat down. He is, however, the only one to go barefoot. Which meant he walked all the way thru the entire restaurant, past two doors with muddy prints next to them, and into a BATHROOM with no shoes or even socks on ala Britney Spears. His father didn't say boo, just followed him in.

Before I had the wherewithall to be grossed out, he runs back out adjusting his pants, going directly back to the toy museum. It was 20 seconds at best in the bathroom, and I promise you, he did not wash his hands. And I know this cuz we could clearly hear the water go on and off in there, as, like I said, there were others to use the men's bathroom before he did, and the water was turned on every time. Except this time.

The father came out about a minute later. And I had a look of disgust on my face, whcih he missed completely. DS did not, tho, and asked, "what's wrong, Mommy?" I told him that boy just used the bathroom barefoot and did not wash his hands. And now he's going back to the toy museum! And this is why I don't want you to play in those. Because people let their kids play in there with barefeet and hands that are full of very yucky germs, which you could then touch and get sick. And he said, "Yuck! That's yucky, Mommy!"

And that kid is gonna grow up with those same habits he has now, and that's why Howie Mandel won't touch anyone. Can't say I truly blame him.

BelleoftheBallFlagstaff
01-03-2009, 05:18 PM
I, too am a bit OCD, with germaphobe tendencies. Great example!

amandabea
01-03-2009, 05:31 PM
That is disgusting! I love your DS's response. I'm OCD with certain things and not so much with others, but those play pits are the worst.

I was dropping my almost 2 yo DD at daycare recently and there was something gooey on the table where they eat (probably syrup) and I said "eeww, don't touch it. That's yucky!". My DD replied with her own, "eeww, yucky, mommy". Then her teacher responded with, "oh, that's where she gets it" and proceeded to tell me that DD won't lie down on her nap mat (which gets a sheet from home put on it) if it has fuzz on it. They have to pick the fuzz off so it's not "yucky".

Nooknookmom
01-03-2009, 05:52 PM
Eeeeeeew! I too try not to let DD see the play area or it's a struggle.

I did go into our local playland once, got stuck in the Firetruck behind twins kids who were like 4, with the nanny who had not changed their poopy pull ups. To boot the Firetruck smelled like someone peed in it and kids had shoved their mc'd rappers & trash in all the nooks and crannies.

YUK!

Fairy
01-03-2009, 06:21 PM
Eeeeeeew! I too try not to let DD see the play area or it's a struggle.

I did go into our local playland once, got stuck in the Firetruck behind twins kids who were like 4, with the nanny who had not changed their poopy pull ups. To boot the Firetruck smelled like someone peed in it and kids had shoved their mc'd rappers & trash in all the nooks and crannies.

YUK!

Now this is a perspectie I've never experienced, and lemme tell ya, it's everything and MORE than I thoguht it would be. Ugh.

GlindaGoodWitch
01-03-2009, 09:56 PM
Oh gross. I am completely terrified of the day that DD will figure out Chuck E Cheese exists for exactly these reasons.

MamaMolly
01-03-2009, 10:27 PM
Wanna good reason to NEVER put DC's paci into your mouth or back into theirs when it falls on the floor? I was kinda slack about this until one day when I was in a waiting room at a shipping company. It was a large room, lots of rows of chairs kind of like the DMV. There was a girl in there using a pair of nail clippers to cut the dry, scaly, fungusy (I'm guessing) skin off the sole of her foot. In large and small chunks.

Vomit, vomit, vomit. From that moment on I always ALWAYS wash DD's paci when it falls to the ground, and sometimes I just throw them out.
DD played in the Burgerking until I saw the roach run across the floor and under it. Never been back.

brittone2
01-03-2009, 10:46 PM
Okay, this whole thread has me feeling queasy.

Ewwwww.

Emmas Mom
01-03-2009, 10:52 PM
That makes me want to http://www.wdsection.com/community/images/smilies/puke.gif

alien_host
01-03-2009, 11:27 PM
That makes me want to http://www.wdsection.com/community/images/smilies/puke.gif

Ok the puking smiley is funny!

Ick, ick, ick. I'm a germaphobe, can't stand public restrooms and HATE taking my 3.5 year old into the bathroom. Yes I'm the one screaming at her "don't touch that!" as she attempts to lift the lid to the sanitary napkin trash can thing!

Fairy
01-04-2009, 12:07 AM
Yes I'm the one screaming at her "don't touch that!" as she attempts to lift the lid to the sanitary napkin trash can thing!

I am glad to see that my DS is in good company.

randomkid
01-04-2009, 12:23 AM
Ick, ick, ick. I'm a germaphobe, can't stand public restrooms and HATE taking my 3.5 year old into the bathroom. Yes I'm the one screaming at her "don't touch that!" as she attempts to lift the lid to the sanitary napkin trash can thing!

:yeahthat: I don't know how MANY times I have yelled at DD "don't touch that!" when she is trying to open the sanitary napkin disposal thing. She always asks why and I always say "because it's dirty!" How many times do we have to go through this? Now, she has started asking "What is that, Mommy?" before she attempts to touch it. At least I have warning now and can say "It's a garbage can, it's dirty, Don't touch it" without screaming in disgust - lol!

I have never let DD play in those play areas, so she doesn't even ask anymore. It's helpful that we don't go to McD's much since all she will eat there is the fries and a cheeseburger with ketchup only and no meat. So, yes, bread, ketchup and cheese. I just don't waste my money on that, KWIM?

DH did let her play in one once, I yelled at him afterward (obviously, I wasn't there) and he said he only let her in there briefly because he realized how gross it was. Guess what? She was sick a few days later! I swear, my stepdaughters played in those places about 10 years ago and they didn't seem so gross. Maybe it was because they weren't MY kids and I just went by what DH and their Mom allowed. But, it just seems like they weren't that bad back then.

american_mama
01-04-2009, 02:14 AM
I am not a germaphobe. I ate at a waffle restaurant - thinks lots of syrup- and saw a table that had tiny ants crawling on the edge. On our table, to be exact. I swept the ants away and did not leave. I am not proud of it.

I tell this story to support all the other non-germaphobes and to reassure others that at least they wouldn't stoop that low.

Fairy
01-04-2009, 03:14 AM
Hey, we've all got our limit. Your is beyond ants. S'ok. But I'll betcha ya wouldn't go into the men's bathroom barefoot and not wash your hands and then crawl around the playland, then eat finger food. That's my guess, anyway :D

egoldber
01-04-2009, 09:02 AM
I am not a germaphobe. I ate at a waffle restaurant - thinks lots of syrup- and saw a table that had tiny ants crawling on the edge. On our table, to be exact. I swept the ants away and did not leave. I am not proud of it.

I would have used a baby wipe. ;)

Twoboos
01-04-2009, 11:14 AM
This is just SO gross. BLECH. Of course the father thought this was OK!!! :hysterical:

PS - Fairy, I love the term "toy museum." Too Funny!!

mommylamb
01-04-2009, 01:12 PM
I'm also not a germaphobe, but the ants would have probably put me over the edge. Of course, my son's nose is constantly running these days, which may be because I'm not a germaphobe.