What you say about letting kids take small (but informed) risks and growing up psychologically stronger - applies equally to developing natural immunity to diseases. We 70-somethings played in mud puddles, dirt, storm sewers - we even shared THE SAME POP BOTTTLE!! - and thus we have avoided many of the diseases-du-jour now contracted by kids who are bathed in antibiotic soaps daily.
What you say about letting kids take small (but informed) risks and growing up psychologically stronger - applies equally to developing natural immunity to diseases. We 70-somethings played in mud puddles, dirt, storm sewers - we even shared THE SAME POP BOTTTLE!! - and thus we have avoided many of the diseases-du-jour now contracted by kids who are bathed in antibiotic soaps daily.
Yes, forgot about that. Our neighborhood had manhole covers you could lift up and crawl down into the storm sewers that then led to the creek we played in. They way they are constructed in our neighborhood, there are no manhole covers for access, so at least didn't have my kids getting as filthy as we did, but my daughter did like mud, and tree climbing. And wearing dresses & fingernail polish. She was a tomboy in pink, lol.
What you say about letting kids take small (but informed) risks and growing up psychologically stronger - applies equally to developing natural immunity to diseases. We 70-somethings played in mud puddles, dirt, storm sewers - we even shared THE SAME POP BOTTTLE!! - and thus we have avoided many of the diseases-du-jour now contracted by kids who are bathed in antibiotic soaps daily.
Yes, forgot about that. Our neighborhood had manhole covers you could lift up and crawl down into the storm sewers that then led to the creek we played in. They way they are constructed in our neighborhood, there are no manhole covers for access, so at least didn't have my kids getting as filthy as we did, but my daughter did like mud, and tree climbing. And wearing dresses & fingernail polish. She was a tomboy in pink, lol.