As someone who grew up in the country where there are things like dirt, bugs and tadpoles, I never give it a second thought when my kids roll around in the grass, dig in piles of dirt, or chew on a stick they found outside.  Germs and dirt were never things we worried about growing up, so I guess I never acquired the proper fear of them.  So when I saw those shopping cart covers, I was totally taken aback.  How far we have come in this society of fear – now our kids can’t touch anything!

I could be wrong, but it seems to me kids are getting sick more often these days.  In daycares and schools, kids are being taught that other kids are dirty and they need to wash their hands before and after just about everything.  In grocery stores, the first thing you see now is a big dispenser of “sanitary wipes” to help prevent the spread of…humanity.

Diligent moms left and right come marching in with their sterile little shopping cart covers to protect little babies from any hint of dirt or germs.  Meanwhile, kids are getting sicker, and we are getting more and more afraid of interacting with anyone for fear of “getting something”.  I think this is going to have far-reaching implications long into the future.  We wonder why we are so disconnected from each other, but it is things like shopping cart covers, industrial size Purell and this terror when it comes to germs that are creating such a divide between people.

As for me and my kids, we will proudly touch those cart handles, play in the dirt and enjoy life - free from the fear of contagions.