Steer Clear of the Germaphobe Family??

[KingstonMom]

I had an interview last week for a LO who is looking to start this summer. A few things about them raised a mini flag for me.
#1 My 21 month old son picked up her soother (from the outer, plastic part, not the squishy part) from the hall table where they had placed it and gave it the mom. She immediately pulled out baby wipes and proceeded to wipe it for 3 minutes!
#2 Their little one picked up a plastic toy on the floor and of course started mouthing it. (All my kids are out of this stage and do not put toys in their mouthes)
Dad grabs it from baby and tells mom, dont let her do that...blah blah blah (She is 8 months old btw...thats what babies do!)
#3 Mom and Dad applied hand sanitizer before and after they left. hmmm is this a hint?

I can just forsee issue like this every time they come to drop off or pick up and maybe a dck has a snotty nose, they may spray her with disinfectant!!
Our daycare is VERY clean and we are always told by interviewing parents that our place is by far the cleanest, neatest they have seen. I dont think they think our place (or my kid) is dirty, but they come off as the type that would give me a hard time at the first cold their LO gets. And she will get them. We have had a circulating cold for months here. All the dcks wash their hands w soap and water after potty and before and after meals/snacks.
The little baby (if we accept her) WILL be putting things in her mouth still probably and I will allow it, on certain teething toys as she will be teething still.
I just get put off by parents who encase their kids in bubbles and I feel as though I am going to POP that bubble in the first 10 minutes she comes to play with us!
Thoughts?

[Play and Learn]

Well, if your gut says no, then don't take them on. I trust my gut now...and I say no for ya!

Yes, they're germaphopes....can't stand people like that either. That kids going to grow up in a bubble, and get every single disease/virus that's going because her parents didn't let her build up an immune system. They're going to get a lovely wake-up call when she's in school f/t!

I can't believe that they used a wipe on a soother - that's just nastiness!

[mamaof4]

how did you not burst into hysterical laughter?

Personally, I would rather have germs than all of the chemicals in cleaning products. My gut is to pass on this family.

[playfelt]

There is no way I could have that family in care. On top of all the sanitizing, coddled children tend to take forever to learn to do things for themselves and that brings up another whole set of issues. The one who will be sick all the time is that baby and they will be catching every germ mom brings home from work and not able to fend it off because they have no immune system.

[Momof4]

I've had interviews with people almost as bad as that - are those cots vinyl? are all your toys plastic? what cleaning solutions do you use? My home is very clean and I keep the toys and children very clean and I do admit to handing my daycare children wet wipes before eating when we are out and haven't washed our hands to remove the germs from the toys at the park or library, but kids are going to pick up germs, that's life! I would agree that maybe you want to pass on this family. But let them know all your policies and ask them frank questions and be sure before you decide. What have you got to lose by laying it on the line.

[sunnydays]

Although I get where you're coming from, I will say that I asked some of those same questions when looking for a daycare for my son. I am not uptight or into coddling my kids at all and I am actually very relaxed about a lot of things. I believe in letting kids get dirty and try things for themselves, etc. However, I am concerned about things such as harsh cleaning products and lead contained in children's toys (especially cheap dollar store toys etc). I am far from fanatical about these things and my kids have lots of plastic toys as it is just too expensive to buy all natural wooden toys, but asking these questions was important for me to know what kind of environment my child would be in all day every day. I am just trying to give insight into why someone would ask these questions

I've had interviews with people almost as bad as that - are those cots vinyl? are all your toys plastic? what cleaning solutions do you use? My home is very clean and I keep the toys and children very clean and I do admit to handing my daycare children wet wipes before eating when we are out and haven't washed our hands to remove the germs from the toys at the park or library, but kids are going to pick up germs, that's life! I would agree that maybe you want to pass on this family. But let them know all your policies and ask them frank questions and be sure before you decide. What have you got to lose by laying it on the line.

[mom-in-alberta]

Yeeeeesh. Doubt that they will be happy with any multi-child care environment, if that's the case. Was that the only issue? Did you otherwise get a good feeling from them? If so, then this MAY be something you can work with.
I am guessing that they are first time parents, and a little uptight. A good friend of mine used to be like this with her first child. Over time, she eased up considerably. Any chance that you would feel comfortable discussing the issue with mom or dad?
If you got bad vibes in general, I wouldn't even touch this family. Like the gals above said: trust your gut!!!

[playfelt]

If they did come back and ask for a space I certainly would bring up my reservations concerning the germs. Use the idea that children not exposed to a certain amount of "dirt" do not develop a good immune system and are constantly getting sick which will be a hardship for both baby and parents. Even if they then get upset with you say at least you will have done the child a service by planting the bug to lighten up on the sanitizing.

I have also found though depending on the age the child is at the interview that what parents do when child is 6 months is different than when they start at a year in the sense that once the child is down on the floor and moving around they realize what we already know and that it is a hopeless cause and at least one person close to them also probably tells them. By the time the child starts care they expect clean but not to the degree at the interview. So there may be hope but it does have to be discussed as an issue and not just assumed.

[Crayola kiddies]

This is so true .... I have a friend who "disinfects" her child everytime she touches something... I purchased the child a toy for her first birthday and before she could touch it the mom had it soaking in sink of hot water ....this child gets every illness ...hand foot and mouth... H1n1.... Roseola...fifths...j ust to name a few.... This child has multiple food allergies ..... lactose intolerant...constip ation problems ....asthma...I say give the kid some dirt ; ). I'm not sure I would touch this family (literally)