Saturday, November 19, 2011
Turns Out the 5 Second Rule is a Myth
Of course I wasn't proud of my behavior and I tried to hide it. I wanted to be one of those laid-back mothers whose husband's brag about how easy-going their wives are. In an attempt to hide my crazy, when strangers would hold the baby's hand, I would wait until they walked away before I cursed them and slathered my newborn's hand in Purrell. Why do strangers think it's okay to touch a baby's fingers anyway? Of course those fingers are going straight into a newborn's mouth, don't they get that??
By the time Little Buddy was born I had calmed down a lot. For example once, when he was tiny we were sitting on the back patio with just our little family. My husband yelled over to me that Little Buddy needed a pacifier. I threw it over to them and it landed on the cement before Little Buddy plucked it into his mouth. I didn't bat an eye.
My husband looked at me, raised his eyebrow and said, "Wow, you've changed. A lot."
I'm actually proud of how far I've come. I've basically been living by the 5 second rule. Every kid knows the 5 second rule. When you drop something, as long as it's not on the floor for longer than 5 seconds it's safe, right? I guess even when I write it, it sounds wrong, but we all want to believe it don't we? I've seen parents pick pacifiers up right off the floor of the grocery store and put it back into a baby's mouth. Clearly they believe in the 5 second rule. Unfortunately an Article on MSNBC came out last week that researched the theory and it turns out it's bogus. Germs jump to crackers and pacifiers right away. It doesn't take them 5 seconds to migrate. Bummer. I guess I'll have to go back to being crazy again. My husband will so sad.
Until now. An Article on MSNBC came out last week that discusses the 5 minute rule.
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I know exactly what you're talking about...I would always cringe inside too when people walk in from being out and about in the world and go to pick up your baby, brand new, without thinking to wash their hands! And kids will pick stuff up and put it in their mouths when we're not looking. We do our best, but I guess we could look at it as immunity boosters :/
ReplyDeleteMy oldest popped a cigarette butt from a restaurant floor into her mouth when she was about 2. Her breath reeked, but she was fine, which is more than I could say for myself.
ReplyDeleteWhat doesn't kill them makes them stronger.
ReplyDeleteAnd this coming from a former EXTREME GERM-A-PHOBE. What can I say...4 boys has cured me...mostly...sometimes.
I used to live by the five sec rule. I don't anymore but sometimes I want to go back to believing it works lol
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