Mums admit they are ‘decontaminating’ their kids after school over coronavirus fears
AN AUSSIE mum admits that's shes turned into a "neurotic germ-phobic"since the coronavirus outbreak, and says that "decontaminating" her daughter after school has become their new norm.
Australian primary schools re-opened early May, after being closed for some time due to the coronovirus lockdown.
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But now, even with the virus relatively contained down under, and restrictions being entirely lifted, the mum admits to feeling uneasy about her daughter's "school germs" and washes her down the moment they walk in the door.
Writing for , Vanessa Stubbs asks: "Is anyone else putting their kid in the bath as soon as they walk in the door from school?!"
And explains: "I usher her in and strip her down - uniform goes in the wash, and a soapy bath is had before afternoon tea.
"This is just a normal Wednesday afternoon in the post-COVID world, " adding, "My child has become quite fond of this new normal, and enjoys getting into her pajamas before 4pm."
I have cleaned more steering wheels, light switches, door handles and school uniforms in the past three months than in the past three years
Vanessa Stubbs
Vanessa admits that the "pandemic has pushed me firmly over the edge," and despite always being partial to a clean and tidy house, she has now turned it up a notch.
She says: "I have cleaned more steering wheels, light switches, door handles and school uniforms in the past three months than in the past three years," but admits that it's not just her as she'd found other mums to be the same.
"One mum doesn't let her kids step a foot inside the house until they're in their undies," she explains, "and she wipes down the school bags and homework books, too."
Despite have adopted this new post-school germ "decontamination" ritual, though, Vanessa admits that shes well aware her behaviour is completely irrational.
She wrote: "If your kids have got the germs from school, they've got the germs, and no amount of bathing or hand sanitising is going to help.
"Plus, we're doing playdates and sleepovers and family get-togethers...and yet, somehow there is this deluded sense of control in keeping our houses and bodies clean. And our children safe.
"Because really, that's what all this cleaning is about, isn't it? We just want them to be safe."
The mum-of-one admitted that she'd started to ease up on the excessive cleaning but Australia is now experiencing a second wave in the state of Victoria which meant her "decontamination efforts ramped up again."
She concluded: "I long for the day when hand sanitiser is once again associated only with taking on long haul flights and overseas holiday, Corona is the beer we drink there, and I can stretch a uniform the whole week without washing it."
Don't we all.
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