Let's get dirty!

Totally agree -- I understand the position of the parent to want to keep their kids safe from bacteria that may be in dirt, but it's also important to realize that it's for their own good. Immunity and resistance starts early, and exposure is the most effective way build up resistance.

Hi Allison, I totally agree with your post, and I think it's really powerful to parallel physical health with mental health, and the importance of having meaningful and playful encounters with nature that isn't circumvented by the imposed need to sanitize everything. I totally agree that we need to have widespread outreach campaigns that help to debunk these myths, and that they should be done by public health officials (whom people tend to trust) and in places where people where encounter the signage easily, like parks!

Hi Allison, I agree we need to allow children to live in harmony with nature!

New parents get so many opinions thrown at them, from family, friends and even strangers. It's so hard to raise a kid, especially when there's so much misinformation about their health. Raising awareness of the health benefits of exposing children to everything the environment can throw at them builds more resilient kids.

I have heard a piece of news before, Japanese children are encouraged to play in the soil, the microorganisms and elements in the soil seem to be not harmful to the body but also good, maybe in the noisy city, people should put down some so-called hygiene habits, and get closer to the natural.

Great vision! In line with your idea about sanitizing practices being too extreme, I wonder if the continuing trend of hyper sanitation following COVID could be worrying in the long-term, or if it won't make a significant enough difference on immunity.

I love your view.

Parents nowadays spoil their children as if they want to raise them in a sterile environment. The starting point of this behavior is good, because the pain of childbirth is beyond thought, and after experiencing such pain, the idea of wanting to protect their children perfectly comes naturally.

I think proper protection is appropriate, and proper outdoor exercise is also appropriate, and a kind of balance needs to be carried out between the two, because the outdoor risk factors are more than the environment we grew up in as children, and indoor protection is not as boring as we like, times are changing, and children's lives need to change too.

Hi Allison!

First of all, I love your title.

Secondly, I couldn't agree more! I have so many great memories of playing outdoors and visiting Pacific Spirit Park. While this is pure speculation, I wonder if my experience "getting dirty" as a child has boosted my immune system. I rarely get sick and experienced little to no reaction to the COVID vaccines.

As you mentioned, interacting with different animals can benefit a child's immune system. Perhaps this could also be incorporated into your outreach campaign! Promotional materials about the health benefits of pets, including exposing your children to other pets, could be strategically located (i.e. next to a dog park) in urban areas.

Hi Allison, although I advocate a lot for cleanliness and sometimes might clean too much, I have a similar vision as you. I remember being little and collecting slugs and snails in the garden and playing with other insects in the dirt, making tiny houses in the mud and so many wonderful memories that kept me exploring in nature. I want the future generation to experience that to and experience the benefits such as a stronger immune system, less allergies and more. Thank you for sharing!

Hi Allison MacDonald, I found what you talked about to be very interesting and it made me wonder why there is such a culture of hyper sanitation. Perhaps more recently, it has been due to disease outbreaks like COVID-19 which has made more people overly cautious especially when ti comes to their loved ones. As nature evolves, it makes me wonder what direction the gut microbiome of humans will take.