The 2 second rule

[BOB]

Now I always thought this was the 10 second rule. But apparantley where you grew up has alot to do with whether it's 2 seconds or 10 seconds... The more feral (well ok country) the place you grew up the longer you give it...

so which do you use?

Me, I'm a kinda depends on the floor type parent. 10 seconds usually, longer at home, some places out its a definate NONO!!

[Kitikova]

Depends who's looking and how much I really really want it....

[MadMel]

At home it can be the 10 minute rule for all I care

Out anywhere else, no way.

[milasmum]

We knew it as the 3 second rule but at home its "meh its fine" even outdoors like grass is ok...anywhere public "NO SECOND"

[Obsi]

so you're saying if I have a 10 second rule I lived somewhere "feral" compared to someone with a 2 second rule? I think that's somewhat offensive actually.

So what, you'd actually time it and if it was there for 4 or 11 seconds it was not ok? Does it not depend on how fast the bacteria walk/run where you live?

I only heard about a "second rule" from friends at school (where it could be 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds or even 30 seconds {so they lived in a pigpen did they?})... so I say any of those, just whatever comes out first, since the actual time frame is irrelevant...(not only do people not actually time their seconds, but it doesn't make a difference if it's left there for 3 seconds or 5).

My rule of thumb, if it's just been dropped (eg not been there for days) and its not covered in "floor crud" when you pick it up (and it's not out in public, or off the toilet floor, or landed in a pile of dog poo or something, etc.) then it's probably fine to eat. Kids lick shoes and all manner of reloving things.... a bit of floor related stuff is hardly going to kill them (within reason of course)


Five-second rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Wems]

Damn I must be the feralest pig around

Pretty much I don't give a shit at home or out...........Unless it is really bad of course

I have seen what my kids put in their mouths, so damn a bit of food on the ground sure isn't going to kill them

[Obsi]

well, just between you, me and the lamppost, my "so long as it's not covered in floor crud" rule means if it's not covered in floor crud after you've blown on it or in some cases wiped it off (depending on the food) hahahaha

I had to laugh when MiniObsi was about 18months and she picked something up off the floor, blew on it, and then ate it hahaha

I have seen what my kids put in their mouths, so damn a bit of food on the ground sure isn't going to kill them

I kinda figure after I found her playing in the cat litter box as if it was a sandpit... *shudder* that an old chip on the floor is nothing LOL

I do like that phrase from the link - "Promptly picked up is not considered fallen" I think I'll live by that

[Vicky]

I saw some show on TV ( ithink it was whats good for you) and they actually tested it. it depends on what is droped and where. obviously a really dirty environment is no good but somethings (biscuits i think) were ok for 10 mins plus on an average floor.

so yeah depends on what it is

[angelskies]

actually mythbusters tested it and it didn't matter if it was picked up immediately or left there for 10 seconds either way it was fairly foul. *blurgh* we had the 10 second rule and nope not feral nor country lol

[Kizzzah]

i always thought it was the 5 second rule LOL... but then i dnt eat off the floor regardless haha

[monicat]

I pretty much agree with Obsi - if it doesn't have too much cast hair/sand on it - it's fine.

And same as Wems too - Charlotte will eat handfuls of dirt out of the garden, food which is stuck to the highchair from god knows when, whatever she finds that even looks REMOTELY like food, so I figure a few more germs will be good for her immune system!!

[Leah]

We are also fairly relaxed about that. Like other PP I remember seeing an actual test on it and in normal environment (home) it was over 30 seconds before anything started on it. We inspect, brush off if needed and gp for it.

Out in public i.e. shopping centre NO WAY. Park on grass probably if not a sticky item then OK.

[BOB]

so you're saying if I have a 10 second rule I lived somewhere "feral" compared to someone with a 2 second rule? I think that's somewhat offensive actually.

So what, you'd actually time it and if it was there for 4 or 11 seconds it was not ok? Does it not depend on how fast the bacteria walk/run where you live?

I only heard about a "second rule" from friends at school (where it could be 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds or even 30 seconds {so they lived in a pigpen did they?})... so I say any of those, just whatever comes out first, since the actual time frame is irrelevant...(not only do people not actually time their seconds, but it doesn't make a difference if it's left there for 3 seconds or 5).

My rule of thumb, if it's just been dropped (eg not been there for days) and its not covered in "floor crud" when you pick it up (and it's not out in public, or off the toilet floor, or landed in a pile of dog poo or something, etc.) then it's probably fine to eat. Kids lick shoes and all manner of reloving things.... a bit of floor related stuff is hardly going to kill them (within reason of course)


Five-second rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

*hands Obsi a sense of humour*

[Gis]

I'm pretty relaxed about it all...DH blows on it as if that will magically make all germs disappear lol.
At home pretty much anything is fair game unless it's got hair or something on it...if DD drops a bikkie when we're out it gets another go. I figure there's more germs on our hands than would be on the floor anyway...DD never gets sick so we must be doing something ok.

[SB]

our seconds depends on how long it takes to pick up... a kid drops something and everyone screams "2 scond rule, 2 second rule!!!"
and the kid looks around vaguely and 2 seconds pass and we switch to "5 second rule, 5 second rule!!!!"
and the kid starts climbing down to get the thing and 5 seconds pass and someone yells "20 second rule, 20 second rule!!!"
and eventually... lol

I think it was the 2 second rule growing up, but meh whatever. No one would describe my parents as feral I, on the other hand, label my children feral with pride

Umm I heard that it depends on whether what you drop/where you drop it is wet or dry. Wet is 10 seconds and dry is like 2 minutes or something really surprising. I'm not very good with remembering details

[~Peta~]

At home everything is fair game. DD loves to throw her breakfast cereal (no milk) and biccies all over the floor, if I chucked them out every time they sat there for more than 10 seconds our grocery bill would be huge. I stopped being anal about food with her the day I found her crawling through the kitchen repeatedly stomping her hand on all the crumbs left by DS and then licking her hand. Her dry food can sit there for hours (days??), any wet food is cleaned up straight away.

If we are out then I usually toss it, just depends where we are. Though she has *sampled* another kid's vomit and didn't get sick from it and she licks playground equipment.

[Shannon]

God gave us stomach acids for a reason.

Unless it would crunch when chewed it's fine

[Candice]

The more feral (well ok country) the place you grew up the longer you give it...

hmmm this attitude really bugs me, sorry but that is a extremely unfair and unfounded generalization.

[*Tracee*]

I'm pretty laid back about this topic.
I'm pretty far removed from being a germ-a-phobe tho, germs are everywhere and there's nothing much we can do to avoid them. Heck, we need them in reality!

Only time I'll be on the kids about not eating something that's dropped is when the place is obviously unhealthy, so loos, shopping centre floors, gross dirty homes. That said, we don't often have a floor full of leftovers for the kids to pick up from

[melchpeppi]

I try to keep things very consistent and teach my kids that it really isnt that ok to eat food that they find on the ground that they didnt drop. If they dropped it well I just say 'QUUICCCCKKKK' . This only works from about 3yo on though - Taj has been eating the clay from our backyard for some time now. It must be really good because he would rather eat it than my cooking

I grew up in the city (inner subs Sydney) then onto the country for my highschool years and then early 20s to Bris, and it hasnt changed for me. (and Im not feral.. )

[*Tracee*]

I grew up in the city (inner subs Sydney) then onto the country for my highschool years and then early 20s to Bris, and it hasnt changed for me.

Really Mel, you mean you didn't change to be more feral when you moved to the country????

[Wems]

then onto the country for my highschool years.........(and Im not feral.. )

NOT feral............Impossible..... .........I am not believing you ..........I know where you lived

You wear sw..t..s in summer now that has to be feral

[elizabetty]

LOL Mel, maybe the "cardi's" during Summer is to make up for some of the country that rubbed off on you when you lived there and has nothing to do with living on the Southside I just can't let it die - .

[Obsi]

hmmm this attitude really bugs me, sorry but that is a extremely unfair and unfounded generalization.

glad I'm not the only one

[~karen~]

my take - feral comments aside (go feral cheryl!!!)

with ally we did the NO eating anything that touched the floor, sterilised everything (fully b/f mind you) until she was way too old, washed hands and face etc etc

theo - well he is *highly* attracted to the school bins - eww... and i guess the worst thing i saw him do germ wise was drink out of a puddle in a carpark (yay daddy!!!) and he is always eating things off our floor (a la peta above) - and i'd be more willing to allow him to eat something off the ground in the country than i would the inner city or a shopping centre

and ally's immune system aint the greatest - she gets chest infections every year that last a minimum of 8 weeks - sometimes the whole winter, she's high strung to boot - she's never had a long term gastro, never had diarrhoea but has vomited a few times - averaging one per year of life

and theo - well he gets infections - but they are usually short and sharp - miserable for 2 days with temps etc then right as rain; he's laid back unless he's teething and has only vomitted/diarrhoead due to diet/teething (ie reflux for vomiting and usually an overdose of sweet potato or a tooth erupting)

personally i've learned to relax over the past couple of years myself - if i'm cooking something i'll pick up from my kitchen floor a dropped vegetable as long as i know it's going to be heated adequately and yes doesn't have 3D additives

[Kitikova]

hmmm this attitude really bugs me, sorry but that is a extremely unfair and unfounded generalization.

I think it's called joking... Sometimes when using only text things written in jest are interpretted as offensive by others. I guess it's a bit like accepting all walks of parenting skills. We also need to be aware that different people find different things amusing.

I'm pretty sure the OP grew up in a small village and was more referring to the fact that there tends to be a more relaxed attitude to 'germs' etc - hence the higher number of seconds in the rule.

Around this house at least 'feral' is a term of endearment

[BOB]

I think it's called joking... Sometimes when using only text things written in jest are interpretted as offensive by others. I guess it's a bit like accepting all walks of parenting skills. We also need to be aware that different people find different things amusing.

I'm pretty sure the OP grew up in a small village and was more referring to the fact that there tends to be a more relaxed attitude to 'germs' etc - hence the higher number of seconds in the rule.

Around this house at least 'feral' is a term of endearment

In case anyone missed it, this thread IS in FUN and GAMES!

(and as always linda knows what's on my mind! LOL)

[Wems]

You know what it is about the "country" people having a longer pick up time allowed

Country living is so much cleaner then city living so it can stay on the ground longer

[Obsi]

my sister lives in a disinfected home.... no shoes allowed, no mess let alone dust or crumbs or anything. She's one of those "excuse the mess" means there are 2 coffee mugs (rinsed) sitting unwashed on the draining board! I imagine she wouldn't allow any eating of dropped foods... I saw her go right off at one of her kids for touching the wheels of the stroller! (because it's "dirty") her kids have ALWAYS been sick. just colds and things, but it is really frequent that they are sick.

I'm sure a bit of grot is good for kids

[Wems]

I'm sure a bit of grot is good for kids

Oh yeah it is ...........I am sure they have even done studies and stuff on it and they are saying now we have everything with "germ killers" in it (handwash, soap, spray cleaners and the like) we are actually doing more harm then good

[BOB]

my sister lives in a disinfected home.... no shoes allowed, no mess let alone dust or crumbs or anything. She's one of those "excuse the mess" means there are 2 coffee mugs (rinsed) sitting unwashed on the draining board! I imagine she wouldn't allow any eating of dropped foods... I saw her go right off at one of her kids for touching the wheels of the stroller! (because it's "dirty") her kids have ALWAYS been sick. just colds and things, but it is really frequent that they are sick.

I'm sure a bit of grot is good for kids

I have a friend the same, disinfectant and antibacterial everything are her friends. She is so nuts about it, and every second week (no exgaeration here) her and the kids have tummy bugs, vommiting, diareha, or some other weird illness that kids don't usually get.

I acutally said to her the other day maybe she needed to just revert to soap and water for a while (yes shock horror you can wash your hands with just plain old soap and water) and see if it helps.

My feral two are always out with the dogs, eating dirt (and occasionaly other things) and we have never had a tummy bug in this house. (Except for me, but then that's probalby cos i don't eat dirt)

[~karen~]

oh yes - we don't have antimicrobial anything in this house
builds up resistance in the lil buggers - super bugs anyone???

[monicat]

Oh yeah it is ...........I am sure they have even done studies and stuff on it and they are saying now we have everything with "germ killers" in it (handwash, soap, spray cleaners and the like) we are actually doing more harm then good

Oh good - I don't use any of that stuff so Charlotte should be grotty and healthy

And I have to say the one mum in our playgroup who is germ phobic - constantly disinfecting everything, washing hand with antibacterial stuff etc seems to have the sickest kid out of all of us. Colds that our kids have for a few days last for a few weeks with him!

[Obsi]

When I was pregnant I'd read somewhere that kids were 80% more likely to have asthma if they came from a home without pets... and I've also heard that they did studies and found that the dirtier the carpet in the loungeroom was, the less instances of things like asthma.

So I use that as a reason for being a slob

I personally think that kinds need to build up a resistance to everyday life stuff, and that disinfecting everything and not letting them pat a dog because it's "dirty" etc. is preventing them from doing that... and will just cause more problems.

[robbo3]

PMSL.....well ours is more of a......QUICK pick it up!!!! .

If its a sticky lolly in a car park then NO (unless there is a bottle of water handy for rinsing and child is screaming for said lolly )....if its a biscuit on the grass or floor then heck why not.....at home I couldn't care less .

Hayley.....who spent her first 10 years in Singleton, and on her grandparents farm where stepping in a cow pat was said to help you grow bigger ....and eating straight from the vegetable field (including little bits of dirt) was the norm.

[Wems]

When I was pregnant I'd read somewhere that kids were 80% more likely to have asthma if they came from a home without pets... and I've also heard that they did studies and found that the dirtier the carpet in the loungeroom was, the less instances of things like asthma.

So I use that as a reason for being a slob

I personally think that kinds need to build up a resistance to everyday life stuff, and that disinfecting everything and not letting them pat a dog because it's "dirty" etc. is preventing them from doing that... and will just cause more problems.

Holy crap if the carpet one is true my great great great grandkids should still be safe from asthma then

[~*Bron*~]

my kids are so safe from asthma then! dang, i'm about to get the carpets cleaned, i wonder if that raises their risk again???

hayley, one of my fondest memories is the cow pat throwing comp i remember having with one of my sisters. there are only so many dry cow pats laying around, and well, a game can go on for a while