I recall my mother being a selective germophobe, to the point that it really impacted my childhood. I was not allowed to hold public stairway handrails because of germs, and consequently fell down the stairs a lot, with some pretty severe permanent scars. I was not allowed to eat at friends’ or relatives’ houses, which meant that I was not allowed to participate in family holidays. I wasn’t allowed to use bathrooms except at our house and at school, so I was chronically dehydrated.

Now that I’ve had my mother visit my own home, I realize that her germaphobia was more about being uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings. My mum doesn’t see what’s wrong with leaving used Kleenex on my dining table. Eeeeeeew.

Anyhow, I encourage my kids to use hand sanitizer, and we wash our hands a lot, but I don’t let germophobia curtail our activities, except when I suspect WE’RE the ones carrying germs. It sounds like you’ve achieved a good balance.

My kids? They know about germs. Jessica asked me to wash her blanket the other day after Melody cried into it, “because I don’t need Sissy’s germs. No, thank you!” Their school is pretty consistent with our home with their measures to reduce the sharing of germs.