The giant bead maze at our doctors’ office.

Last night our daughter started getting a some red bumps on her face. They started on one cheek and traveled around her forward and down the other side. She didn’t seem to mind, but when they were still there this morning, I called the doctor and set her up with an appointment. But, this post isn’t about the actual problem — which the doctor thinks is the not-as-serious-as-it-sounds Fifth Disease and an ear infection — but instead the insanity that is a pediatricians’ waiting rooms.

Our doctors have always been great. Aside from one doc who left the practice shortly after we signed on, we have always had excellent care. Sure, they tend to run late, but what doctor’s office doesn’t? However, I do have one big complaint: the giant bead maze table in the middle of the waiting room.

She literally can’t stop herself from playing with this thing!

Now, look, I love bead mazes (even though it took me about 20 minutes to figure out what they’re actually called). I was a big fan as a child and still like sitting with my kids as they play with the smaller version we have in the playroom. But it’s inconceivable to me that doctors’ offices still have these things in their waiting rooms. Who knows better than medical professionals how easily germs can spread amongst people in an enclosed space like a waiting room? You then throw in the fact that you’re dealing with little kids who love playing and these things — which are like toddler and pre-schooler catnip — and it seems nearly impossible to keep the spread of germs to a minimum when an enormous bead maze is just sitting there, begging for tiny hands to push dozens of colored blocks wherever they can.

Worse yet? This one has beads going around the legs. You know what that translates into? Kids crawling on their hands and knees all over the floor of the waiting room! I don’t consider myself a germaphobe, but I am extra cautious when I’m in a place like that that’s just packed with potential sickness. Needless to say, I Purelled the heck out of both of us as soon as we got into the actual exam room.

I hate when people complain about things without offering a possible solution. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I can come up with one for pediatricians’ waiting rooms. On the plus side, these toys help calm the kiddos down before they see the doctors, but on the negative there’s the whole GERMS ARE EVERYWHERE thing.

What do you guys think? Am I being crazy about this or do you share my distrust of waiting room toys? Let me know in the comments!