The sad thing is we know that giving a child too many antibiotics can be a problem later on. Their bodies become immune to them and they are no longer effective. Our society is quick to demand antibiotics for every malady, even a cold, so that the child gets "better" and the parent can go on to do their own thing. My pediatrician rarely will subscribe antibiotics, unless it's an ear infection or it's an infection that is not viral. And he will only prescribe if he first does an exam, you cannot call and request. My children can throw off infections much faster than other's because they have a strong immune system because they have not been loaded down with anitbiotics. This is really scary, because a new strain of flu or germ is going to harm many children who have been overloaded with antibiotics will not have a strong immune system to throw it off.
You are absolutely correct. at almost 7, my daughter has only been prescribed antibiotics once in her life, when she was about 18months. Like your children, she is quite able to shake of quickly whatever ails her.
Doctors nowadays are getting more and more reluctant to give out antibiotics. Recently, I got very ill, and they didn't give me antibiotics until I had tried two different series of steroids first. I was given antibiotics once the steroids failed to solve the problem, but they didn't take care of it either. I was sick for two and a half months.
When I was a kid, I had pneumonia and bronchitis a lot. Ear infections as well. I practically grew up on penicillin, amoxycillin, etc. Antibiotics are pretty much useless to me anymore. I am proof of what giving a kid antibiotics like candy can do to the kid's future health.
Internet 'doctors' prescribing antibiotics to kids without being able to even conduct an examination is so far beyond irresponsible that it is pathetic. That these parents not only allow it, but actually think that it is a good thing is indicative of some really bad parenting.