It Really Is Okay If They Get Dirty.

Lately Madeline has had a serious interest in, and fascination with, dirt - more specifically sand.  In fact, in her little mind, the more sand she can get all over her body and in her hair the better.  And seriously, we live in the desert of Saudi Arabia... sand is everywhere - in our backyard, our front yard, along the sidewalks of the streets, and at all the parks. Could I get her away from it even if I wanted to? Probably not.

She could literally spend hours and hours playing in it - building sand piles, covering her legs with it, sprinkling it on nearby plants, digging in it or filling her shoes to the brim with it. 

I became a bit of a germaphobe while attending nursing school and working in surgery.  Being in hospitals and seeing some of the infections patients get and being surrounded by coughing, feverish, snot-nosed people can affect a person.  Regularly using hand sanitizer and washing my hands after every little interaction became a normal part of my repertoire because we were taught how important it was NOT TO SPREAD INFECTION.  And in the hospital setting, this is still very, very true because you are surrounded with people who have low immunity and can't risk that exposure.

Since Madeline's birth, hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes have been readily available in my purse and in her diaper bag.  But is that really a good thing? Two totally different situations and environments don't always have the same rules.

So, of course, Madeline's new love affair with sand/dirt/rocks has forced me to really think about all of this in a new perspective.  Am I really being a good mom by being a germaphobe and raising her in an overhygenic environment?

I have be reflecting a lot on my childhood and the things I used to do.  I remember eating dirt!  One of my favorite things to do as I played was suck on rocks.  We even made mud stroganoff with grass and rocks in it.  I am now a perfectly healthy adult.  I survived. 

How is her immune system ever going to build up immunity to the bacteria out there if I don't let it have the chance to work?

So, IS IT OKAY IF SHE GETS DIRTY?

Research suggests that "exposing infants to germs may offer them greater protection from illnesses such as allergies and asthma later on in life.  A hypothesis known as the "hygeine hypothesis," which isn't new, holds less exposure to bacteria, viruses, and parasites early in life increases your child's chances of allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune diseases in adulthood." Basically, if kids aren't exposed to normal bacteria in their environment the immune system's response can turn inward on itself.  

In the book, Why Dirt is Good: 5 Ways To Make Germs Your Friends, Immunologist Mary Ruebush suggests:

1. Let your kids play in the dirt! " If your child isn't coming in dirty every day, they're not doing their job. They're not building their immunological army."

2. Wash using REGULAR soap, not an antibacterial soap. 

3. Keep your child's vaccinations up-to-date. "Vaccinations are an artificial way," Ruebush points out, "of exposing yourself and your child to things that may not be encountered naturally. It causes them to meet the germ without getting ill from it, so it's very important."

4. Take care of yourself and your children by making sure your family gets plenty of sleep, drinks a lot of fluid, eats well and avoids stress - playing the dirt has been known to reduce stress. An even better reason to go get that mud mask at the spa.

5. And last - USE COMMON SENSE.  Lately, in this swine flu, H1N1, SARS world we live in, people feel pressured to be germaphobes and to think they aren't a good parent if they aren't obssessive about cleanliness.  I'm not saying let junior suck on dog poop. But next time baby decides to test some kitty treats out of the cat's dish or decides that the chunk of ice cream she so deleriously loves - the one she just accidentally dropped on the floor - should be licked up? You don't scream with disgust and emotionally scar your child for life.  She's gonna be OKAY.  Really!