We are become a bunch of Wimps!

While at the Zoo I noticed hand sanitizer everywhere. Parents were chasing around their little ones yelling wash your hands, wash your hands. The zoo even has a portable sink outside the Children's Zoo in case you are contaminated by alpaca spit and can not make it 50 feet to the restrooms. WHAT!! I am surprised they do not have portable hand sanitizer wipes next to the statues of the tortoises and elephant that kids climbed on to wipe them down. When I was a child they did not have all of this at the zoo. We fed the elephants, picked our noses, touched goats than ate our lunch. I never heard of any of my friends dying from "creeping crud or jungle fever." We also did not have viruses resilient to antibiotics or the epidemic proportion of people with OCD. Now I have to admit I am a bit of a hypocrite because I am a slight germaphobe, do not even get me started about magazine in doctor's office or eating out of communal chip bowsl or bags! YUCK!!
In case you do not know how to wash your hand I have provided instructions:
* First wet your hands (make sure to use warm water) and apply liquid or clean bar soap—it does not have to be antibacterial soap.
* Next rub your hands vigorously together and scrub all surfaces (under finger nails, wrists, palms, back of hands, fingers)
* Continue for at least 10–15 seconds (time equals about two rounds of singing "Happy Birthday" in your head. It is the soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs.
* Rinse well and dry your hands. If possible, dry with a clean disposable paper towels.
* To prevent chapping and cracking, you can apply some lotion after drying hands (optional)

Hand washing information above comes from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the American Society for Microbiology

By the way, in case you are one of those over protective parents you can protect your children from irresponsible hand washers and buy a sign to attach to your baby carrier before you resort to enclosing your child in a bubble.