I don't let them put their mouths directly on it, but I'm fine with them drinking out a drinking fountain. There is a woman at gymnastics who called them germ factories and screaming No in a tone I reserve for a child running out into the street when her dd was going to take a drink. Do you let your kids drink from drinking fountains?

Yes I let them. They never put their mouths on them. I guess other children might, but I never thought about it.

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Of course!!! Yes, I teach them to not touch it with their mouths, but they drink out of them. But I am definitely not a germaphobe!

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Yes, I do let them but I don't particularily like them. The germs do cross my mind but if they are very thirsty and it's there I wouldn't say no. I do tell them to keep their mouths off of it!!

No I even send water bottles with my kids to school. If you have seen what I have seen in the water fountains you wouldn't allow yours to either. I sub at the school and I have seen vomit, feces (yes s**t on four different occasions), and kids like to lick them. YUCK to all!!

I wasn't to bad about them drinking out of them until I saw this. I am sure it will scar my kids but when they are grown they can make their own decisions.

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yes and like what others have said- to try and not touch it.
There are germs everywhere and I do not want my kids to be so paranoid.

I always carry bottled water, but if we run out with no place nearby to get more, we don't have much of a choice. Plus DS uses them in school. However, I'm really leery of them, especially in the public parks, as those ones aren't kept as clean as, say, the ones in the mall.

But I'm always worried someone, especially teens or just some wacko, has done something nasty, or put something nasty down the spout. I've just heard nasty stories, like where to aim their pee. Ick!

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This is me. I don't like them but my daughter thinks that they are the coolest thing! What do you do, other than teach them not to touch and maybe say a little prayer that they don't catch anything!

No I don't. I always have bottled water with me so they have something to drink.

My DD also thinks public water fountains are the neatest things. She can barely pass one without taking a sip.

I'm immuno-suppressed so I can't touch them.

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