when you are right, you are right

so my friend (the amazing writer jeremy, whose gem of a blog should be read by everyone) have been talking lately regarding one of his posts (please click on the link to "Randomness from the third rock" link to the right and read "Some Children's People (Part One)")


i am in FULL agreement with him and we had been discussing this very thing for the last few weeks.

then, today, i look at the local newspaper and find this article:

"Dirt doesn't hurt?

Letting your children play in the dirt - and even eat some - may not be as bad for them as you might think.

In fact, it might even be healthy.

In her article "Babies Know: A Little Dirt is Good for You," Jane E. Brody of the New York Times wrote about the "hygiene hypothesis."

Basically, the theory suggests that we are too clean for our own good. Since we have a tendency to avoid dirt, which contains bacteria, viruses and worms, we are no longer able to fight off diseases and have become more prone to allergies, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

Brody quoted Mary Ruebush, a microbiology and immunology instructor and the author of "Why Dirt is Good: 5 Ways to Make Germs Your Friends." Ruebush wrote: "What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment. Not only does this allow for 'practice' of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored."

The article also quotes two doctors, who noted that children who grow up on farms are much less likely to develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.

These doctors also suggest it's good for kids to have pets so that they will be exposed to worms that can promote a healthy immune system."


there ya go people. let your kids be kids and eat some dirt. it's good for them!