It' sNot Snot, Mum.

Summer has truly bid us goodbye here and Winter is approaching with excessive speed.
I'm defintely a 40km  zone for those cold, wet mornings and shortened days.
Actually, if I could, I would declare myself a complete 0 km Winter free zone.
Ah, yes. walking around the joint in my own little sunny, warm bubble holds great appeal.
If that bubble were soundproof then I could ignore all those guilt evoking environmental types completely!!

Ok, ok. I know we need the rain, the globe is warming, the seas are rising, seasons are blurring.
I'm sorry. I just like to be warm - with dry feet.

Anyway, along with the glorious much prayed for rain, cold and wind come the bugs, the lurgies, the snots.

This week Magoo woke with a distinct nasal twang and a head full of snot.
He nearly lost said snot filled head when I explained that he was getting a cold and couldn't go to playgroup to wipe his snot all over the other toddlers, their Mums and their baby siblings.

"But wwhhhyyy no paycroop?" was played on repeat through breakfast, dressing and walking the dog.
Only the promise of a 'babytuna' broke the cycle and began a whole new angle for his relentless interrogation cute and constant barrage of questions.
(Like my logic? I won't take snotface to playgroup, but will let him sit in a coffee shop amongst people and consume a drink at their table. Moral - wipe every surface in the shopping centre if you ain't into sharing. Or avoid shopping centres entirely.)


Not a boogie to be seen.

 It crossed my mind, after fifty or so appeals from Magoo,  that we could just rock up to playgroup and play 'Swiper, no swiping' as I followed Magoo with a covert tissue in my sleeve for the morning.
But I like to think I'm a tad more considerate than that.

I've seen those children in the creche, daycare, play centre, school... with green oozing from orofices, leaving their slimy trails all over the place.
(Yet another advantage to my impenetrable Summer bubble of warmth concept.)
I'd like to think my Magoo is not that generous, bug sharing little one.
(Apart from the time yet another innocent teething rash happened to be, oh, um, slapcheek. Thanks for nothing Health Direct.)

From the moment your body plays host to another human being you become hyper aware of the coughing, sneezing, hacking, pus squeezing, rash scratching going on as you go about your business.

Then through the early weeks, pre puppy shots, you're on the lookout for anyone who's trying to scam an unworthy cuddle of your gorgeous healthy bundle while harbouring infectious conditions.

The next phase is the phone calls and texts back and forth with girlfriends on the morning of a planned play date. How runny? What temp? What colour's the snot? What do you think?...

As time goes on, restrictions lax and quarantine control can chill out a little.
Once I saw Magoo licking my tiles, the dog and eating off any surface available, I knew it was a losing battle.

I'm in the immunity boosting camp myself.
I'm particularly cautious when it comes to bubs or people I really like but within reason - let em at each other!
But, then, we rarely get sick in this household, so I have the luxury of such a view.
Apart from when I hit 'publish post' in a moment I'm betting.

However, I will not be responsible for knowingly infecting whole groups of unsuspecting families with any ailment and the ensuing sleep deprivation if I can help it.
(The great slapcheek episode was not a case of deliberate negligence. I swear.)
 And people, you can keep your gastro selves faaaar away from us, thank you very much.

So, where do you stand on this issue?

• Germs are everywhere anyway. Life as normal unless death is imminent?
• Face masks at one hundred paces?
• Somewhere in between the two?

Shar :-)