A Mom Of Three Explains Why She Stopped Worrying About Germs

‘Tis the season for so many freaking germs! Though flu and RSV season is officially on the decline, according to the CDC, there are always those lingering viruses ready to strike, spreading through a family’s house like wildfire.

In the past four months, my family has had RSV, norovirus, COVID-19, and several other amazing flues and viruses that attach to my four-year-old with the strongest magnetic force. When she was younger, a streak of illness like that would have completely paralyzed me. However, after the umpteenth time at the doctor’s office, I’ve kind of just let them all roll off my back.

One mom of three went viral on TikTok after her sensible and unapologetic view of kids and germs, noting that she didn’t always use to be so relaxed about cold and flu season.

“I feel like the way that I've thought about germs has evolved from one kid to three children,” mom to three boys, Chandler Ashcraft began in a voiceover.

“When I just had one boy, I would take them out to an indoor place. I could see a direct correlation. I took them out, now they're sick. I guess I felt more cautious with one because it was so in my face.”

After giving birth to her second son, she started to become a bit more lax when it came to germ-fighting and avoiding certain places just in hopes of healthy children.

“And when I had two under two, my oldest began going to a parents' day out program. He was around more kids two days a week. I also would take them to my gym where there's childcare. All the time, we're still going out to places like this in between,” she explained.

After her third child, Ashcraft decided not to let the fear of sick kids stop her from living and taking the kids out to indoor places. She went on to explain her rationale.

“I have healthy kids that are going to get sick sometimes. They're going to catch something from other kids. They're going to catch something from a play place. They're going to be sick, recover, and then we'll get over,” she said.

“And now from my own experience, and friends and family, there's going to be seasons where everybody has sniffles, and it feels like it lasts for months.”

She continued: “Now with three and five years of experience leaving the house every single day, I know that the risk of getting sick can't keep us in our house ... I just feel like, in the early years, the more practice I had going out, and being like, ‘Oh, we didn't get sick.’ This gave me more perspective of like, sometimes we do get sick and sometimes we don't.”

Despite her ease about sick kids, she understands that pushing away those kinds of anxieties is easier said than done, especially being a new mom.

“So it's better for us to just remember to wash our hands while we're out, bring our Germ-X, do what we can without being neurotic about it,” she said.

“I know that's easier said than done if you feel a lot of anxiety around germs. I did too, especially with one [kid]. You start having multiples, you realize you actually cannot shield them from all of it. Equal parts freeing and terrifying, to be honest.”

Several TikTok users resonated with Ashcraft’s point, noting that sometimes the risk is worth the reward.

“This! Having a preemie when COVID-19 started really messed me up. But we have been getting out now and it's so good for all our mental health!” one user wrote.

“Thank you for acknowledging how hard the germs thing is ❤️this video was really nice to hear. I’m struggling,” another wrote.

Another echoed, “Such a good perspective. Thank you for this! I’m right there right now with one baby. So hard with the PP anxiety!”

“We’ve had the flu, Covid, etc. we stay home, disinfect and move on. I will drive myself crazy if I try to Clorox every surface my kids touch,” one user said.

Like Ashcraft said, hand washing, sanitizer, and encouraging kids to not touch their faces in public are all tried and true ways to help keep kids healthy throughout the winter months.