Somewhere along the way I’ve come to dread and perhaps fear the five-letter word: GERMS. While I am not the tidiest person (my messy home is a testament to this), I noticed that in the past few years hand-sanitizer has become part of my daily regime. When using public restrooms I am the person grabbing a paper towel to avoid touching the door handles.

Maybe it’s the media’s coverage of the recent H1N1 breakout, or the avian flu of years past that has made me afraid of germs. Or maybe I’m just getting soft and paranoid as a parent.