by Becky Vieira posted in Parenting

My child sees his pediatrician for one of two reasons: he's either sick or it's a well exam. If he's sick I don't want to spread his germs to others. And if he's well I don't want him to get sick. Which is why I detest the germ-ridden toys in the waiting room.
I can?t fathom why they?re there. We?re talking about doctors. Actual medical doctors who know about germs and how they?re spread. Like on toys.
It seems like common sense to me. But common sense isn?t always common. Which is the only reason I can think of why a pediatrician?s office would have toys in the waiting room.
It was easy to keep my son away from the virus-carrying tempters before he could walk. I?d simply hold him on my lap as we waited. We?d look out the window or I?d point out a shiny object to distract him. Now that he?s mobile it?s a different experience. He wants those toys. Badly. Last week I had to hold him back while he screamed in a most dramatic fashion.
I even put out an SOS for advice on my Instagram page. There had to be a way to keep my son away from the waiting room toys while also avoiding a toddler meltdown. Suggestions from other moms included:

1. Bring toys from home

2. Keep my son in his stroller (sadly that?s not an option for us, thanks to the giant ?no strollers allowed in waiting room? sign that adorns the front door of our pediatrician?s office)

3. Make my own non-toxic cleaning solution and bring it with me

4. Have my son wear gloves
At t...