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If you've ever spent any time at all around kids, or have kids, or really even just were a kid at one point in your life, then you know that children, especially little ones, can be pretty disgusting.
For babies and toddlers, sticking objects in their mouth is often the preferred method of learning about the world, and anything is fair game. Especially at a place of learning.
Since libraries tend to offer lots of activities for little ones to foster that learning (and, let's be honest, to give their parents and caregivers a little break), books, toys, and anything else within reach is fair game to shove in their mouth.
Even for the older kids who should know better.
That's why the Oregon City Library came up with a masterful way of trying to contain the mess and germs: a bucket for licked items.
Twitter user Alex Halpern shared a photo of the lick bucket, which says: "Uh oh. Did your kid lick something? Put it in this Lick Bucket and give to a librarian on your way out." Then, in smaller print it adds: "Seriously, don't worry about it. This is normal kid behavior, it happens all the time, and we have plenty of wipes on hand."
This is some A+ librarianing, @ORCityLibrary. https://t.co/saCQTGwxyo— Alex Halpern (@Alex Halpern) 1514334389.0
The library, which clearly has a sense of humor, even tweeted back with a photoshopped version of Halpern's tweet, adding a baby goat (AKA a kid. Get it? Librarians are clever!):
@HalpernAlex Just couldn't resist. ;) #lickbucket #librarieslovekids #librarieslovechildren https://t.co/aSIrHPYWVc— Oregon City Library (@Oregon City Library) 1514406638.0
Some people were a bit puzzled by the need for a lick bucket:
@HalpernAlex @ORCityLibrary They have an entire bucket for...licked things... https://t.co/3eY8HubQg5— Jess Fisher (@Jess Fisher) 1514425825.0
@HalpernAlex @ORCityLibrary What happens if a child licks the lick bucket?— Dave Kapell (@Dave Kapell) 1514405580.0
Well, the photo made its way around Twitter, and eventually Chrissy Teigen stumbled upon it. Teigen, who has a young daughter, Luna, who is no doubt in the oral phase of life, didn't realize that kids lick things at public places as they get older.
She shared the photo, asking: "Kids lick things in libraries and other places? This is good to know. Luna...does not yet lick"
Kids lick things in libraries and other places? This is good to know. Luna...does not yet lick https://t.co/wZR3vHhZrJ— christine teigen (@christine teigen) 1514444347.0
People were happy to answer Teigen's question with a resounding "Yep!"
@chrissyteigen My son is 8 and I still catch him licking random things in public every now and again. The fact that… https://t.co/H96rF5OZqe— Lena (@Lena) 1514444748.0
@chrissyteigen I teach elementary school. Four times now, I've said, "Please don't lick the walls". To different c… https://t.co/l0OwJBypTf— Carrie #Enough (@Carrie #Enough) 1514469376.0
43% of a children's librarian's day is wiping down recently licked/chewed surfaces @FakeLibStats https://t.co/PX8tQigTAr— Madeline Jarvis (@Madeline Jarvis) 1514471528.0
@chrissyteigen I work in a library and can confirm this https://t.co/ijBfG52Sfr— Jordan Henderson (@Jordan Henderson) 1514444748.0
My son spends a large portion of his day with his mouth on windows or walls. Especially in the doctors waiting room… https://t.co/jToZy9Wrn5— Lord Biscuits (@Lord Biscuits) 1514453001.0
@chrissyteigen GIRL. https://t.co/rH0NknTps3— Mayra. (@Mayra.) 1514445533.0
It turns out that kids are just as disgusting as we all thought. Maybe even more so:
@chrissyteigen I was in line at Moe’s waiting to order my burrito once when I watched a little girl make out with a… https://t.co/lGWuapTG3G— Soylent Alfredo (@Soylent Alfredo) 1514472304.0
@chemicalwarhair @chrissyteigen I saw a little boy in a restaurant, with the entire top of the salt shaker in his m… https://t.co/sCndiOeRsT— Personal Chef Services, Orange County (@Personal Chef Services, Orange County) 1514489067.0
I have a friend whose kid used to lick the handrails in the stairwells in NYC subway stations. CHILDREN ARE DISGUST… https://t.co/CyXZUkZwdl— Jennifer K☕️🦄 (@Jennifer K☕️🦄) 1514445711.0
@chrissyteigen My son almost licked the pole in a London Underground train car. I never thought I’d say the words “… https://t.co/1iEdlg9fvY— Starr Capps (@Starr Capps) 1514465300.0
@chrissyteigen I was at the hospital once and a very frustrated dad was leading his young son into the ER, saying "… https://t.co/CyocMIzjEd— Jessica Ellis (@Jessica Ellis) 1514498912.0
@chrissyteigen When I worked in retail a lady brought her child in to try and return shoes she never bought in the… https://t.co/shElp45o7y— Katie🔮 (@Katie🔮) 1514450302.0
And the licking apparently doesn't always get out outgrown:
@chrissyteigen My son has graduated from licking things, to kissing his reflection in every shiny surface imaginable.— Jordan Newcomer (@Jordan Newcomer) 1514468468.0
@chrissyteigen Fun fact: it's not just kids.— Lousy Librarian (@Lousy Librarian) 1514471606.0
@chrissyteigen @chrissyteigen does the @washingtonmonument go in the bucket? https://t.co/DBdcm2dQ3r— Seth Kalin (@Seth Kalin) 1514445724.0
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