Germs and guilt

Posted: Tue, Feb 26 2008, 12:59 am Post subject: germs and guilt

So I was by my in laws for shabbos, and on sunday I decided to bring my son, who is a year and three quarters K"AH, over to the next door neighbors to play. The woman opens the door and goes "oh we would be so happy to have you over, but just to warn you: my kids just recovered from the flu on friday" so I thought ok, no big deal.they recovered already 2 days ago...so we went and played for about a half hour. Then when we got back to our apartment I washed his hands with soap thoroughly, to be on the safe side.
Now I'm suddenly feeling so guilty and like such an idiot.what the heck was I thinking? Hello? The flu is horrid, why did I risk my son chas vesholom getting it? Maybe there were germs floating around still...

As a lesson for next time, and to just get some insight from other experienced moms: what would you have done in the above scenario?

Silver Member Joined: Jul 24 2007 Posts: 762

I would have let my dd play there she had her shot and they were over it for 2 days you cant totally protect from germs they are all over

Posted: Tue, Feb 26 2008, 1:20 am Post subject: re: germs and guilt

Yeah I guess you are right..so why am I so anxious and worried about this? My son did not get the flu shot by the way...but the kids who we played with actually did have the shot and got the flu anyhow...!
PS I know you hon..from elementary school. Saw your pic on another thread...Guess who? Pm me if u know

Posted: Tue, Feb 26 2008, 1:45 am Post subject: re: germs and guilt

do we understand that the flu (influenza) is a very specific illness that is not the same as a typical stomach virus, or 24 hour bug type sickness?

anyway, I would have done the same thing as you with only a viral thing that was over 2 days ago. with the real flu, I'm not sure. dd had it once, pretty awful

Posted: Tue, Feb 26 2008, 4:25 am Post subject: re: germs and guilt

Guilt is totally non-productive!! and B"H he didn't get sick either.

Now, with that said and done - no, I wouldn't take my own toddler to play with sick kids - even just getting over it. (chicken-pox, by the way, would be something different to me.) so if you feel guilty about it, just tell yourself that if it happens again, next time you'll save yourself the guilt and not take him there.

That's called teshuva. Now that you've done that mitzva - get going on another one and forget about what was or what could have been.
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Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional. (I haven't finished growing up yet; I'm still a work in progress - until 120!)

Diamond Member Joined: Apr 16 2007 Posts: 2952

Posted: Tue, Feb 26 2008, 4:12 pm Post subject: Re: re: germs and guilt