I have a ton of Halloween related pictures to post but I haven't download them off the camera yet, so I thought I'd mention this study I heard last week on the news. Maybe some of you saw it too.
One thing I have never been accused of is being too clean -- I have however had a picture of pig taped to my bedroom door while growing up -- thanks mom! Now, I am not dirty either. I like to think I have found a happy medium, at least that's what I tell myself.
Cord for years (probably due to his line of work) has been telling me that anti-bacterial soap isn't such a good idea because good bacteria are being killed as well. So when I recently heard of a new study encouraging kids to have pets and play in the dirt my ears perked up.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the prevalence of allergies and asthma has risen steadily. Some believe that hyper-cleanliness only makes it harder for kids to develop a good immunity system. Exposing children to dust and dirt could help fight off allergies and asthma.
I went looking for the news story I heard but couldn't find the exact one. But I did find several great articles like this one . I really liked how it says that "dirt is making a comeback -- good news for little boys" and this one talks about "gritty rats and mice living in sewers and farms seem to have healthier immune systems than their squeaky clean cousins that frolic in cushy antiseptic labs". That could be a whole new country mouse story.
I guess I was glad to hear that we should encourage our kids to get out and play. I think too many kids stay inside and play video games or are so over scheduled they don't have an opportunity to dig or play in the leaves or even the sandbox! So read the articles and tell me what you think. After all "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt". Right?
4 comments:
I was lucky to hear this when my kids were really little. So they have been the roll in the dirt and mud types of kids from the very beginning. And, they prove the study to be true (knock on wood) they don't have any allergies, and are rarely sick. YEA DIRT!
Yes this is good to hear. Sometimes I worry too much about leaving a store or doctors office with more than I bargained for. With my kids I've always encouraged digging in the earth because I think it's good for us to be part of nature but this whole "germ thing" gets me so confused. Some people are obsessed and they make me crazy.
thank goodness they have finally proven my theory of not cleaning as much as i should a good one!! my children will hopefully never have problems with asthma since i hate to dust! (usually i pay sarah to do it) ha!ha!
sarah's kindergarten teacher told me that her pediatrician (mind you her kids were in their late teens at the time) told her anti-bactirial is the worst becuase of that exact reason.
i am all for kids getting dirty as long as they keep the mud off my carpet! and honestly my kids don't get thier hair washed as much as they probably should, but i have also heard that dirty hair is the best deterrent for head lice! yay! score another one for my anti-cleaning campaign.
and btw i did get your sarcasm about the ride home in the other post! nobody's kids can be that good unless they are put under anesthesia!
Yes, I admit I can be too clean. I think I have a happy medium, but then again, don't we all? Last week they all played in a huge dirt pile in front of our house (they're doing something on the road). I was thinking how good I am to let them get dirty and enjoy it... that is, until they came in! Olivia walked in the house bringing half the pile with her. I think her shirt (not an old one) is going to DI. All in the name of fun! Oh well, they're making memories right?
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