Rain or Shine Mamma

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Cleanliness and Kids: Should You Let Them Eat Dirt?

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January 19, 2017 By Linda McGurk

When you think of kids, cleanliness may not be the first thing that comes to mind. After all, these are the creatures that rejoice in slobbery dog kisses straight on the mouth, find bath time overrated and, let’s be honest, rarely miss the chance to engage in a good booger-eating session. The list of gross things that children will engage in goes on, partly because they haven’t yet learned the social norms that prize cleanliness and hygiene above all, and partly because when you’re three years old, rubbing mud in your face is just a lot of fun.

Cleanliness and Kids: Should You Let Them Eat Dirt? Rain or Shine Mamma.

As parents, we often feel compelled to perform damage control, one pocket-sized hand sanitizer at a time. “Don’t touch that!”, “Spit that out!” and “Wash your hands,” have become the rallying cries for parents trying to protect their protégés from germs and social ostracization in the modern world. But what if a little dirt isn’t quite as bad for us as we think it is? What if some germs are actually good for us? And what if excessive cleanliness and antibiotics use is a bigger problem in the developed world than the fact that your kid stuck a finger in his mouth after going to the petting zoo?

In Are Your Kids Too Clean? Germs vs. Playing Outside, I argue that while improved sanitation, vaccines, antibiotics and pasteurization have saved millions of lives in the past century, we’ve made our children’s – and our own – lives a little too sanitary. I know that many other parents share the feeling that our children need less Chlorox and more soil microbes in their lives. The problem is that we don’t always know how to promote the good germs that keep us healthy, while at the same time protecting ourselves against harmful microbes that cause diseases.

Enter Let them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from an Oversanitized World by B. Brett Finlay and Marie-Claire Arrieta (2016, Algonquin Books). Not only does this book prove how our intestinal health has become collateral damage in the war against microbes, it also shows us how to limit the casualties by nourishing our microbiota, i.e. the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit our intestines. In the process, the authors argue, we can help protect our children against chronic illnesses like inflammatory bowel diseases, allergies, autoimmune diseases, autism, diabetes, and even obesity.

Researchers are just beginning to understand the many and complex ways our microbiota affect our and our children’s health, and this book doesn’t claim to have all the answers. But it does offer some interesting findings:

    • C-sections and antibiotics use during pregnancy or labor may contribute to a higher risk of obesity, allergies and asthma for the child later in life. To give the baby a diverse microbiota after birth, some hospitals will offer to “seed” it by swabbing the inside of the baby’s mouth with secretions from the mother’s vagina.
    • Breastmilk shapes the bacterial eco system of a baby’s gut and strengthens his or her immune system. Don’t think that feeding your baby formula is an inferior form of parenting, but if you do, consider complementing it with pediatric probiotics to make it more similar to breast milk.
    • If a pacifier falls on the ground while you’re out hiking, it’s perfectly fine to remove the visible dirt and give it back to your child, or just “clean” it by putting it in your own mouth first. In fact, this may help strengthen the child’s immune system.
    • Children should be outside often, and be allowed to go barefoot and get dirty. While hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent common infections, it doesn’t necessarily have to follow immediately after playing outdoors or with other children. When washing, avoid antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers – plain old soap and water does the same job without killing beneficial microbes.
    • Letting your dog interact closely with your kids – yes, even licking them – can decrease their risk of developing allergies and asthma.
    • Sandboxes have a higher concentration of microbes than other playground features, but the risk of contracting a disease from one is low, especially if you follow hygienic practices like hand washing afterwards.

So what about the question posed in the title of this post? Obviously you shouldn’t shove a bucket of dirt in a newborn’s mouth but, according to the authors, there’s no reason to freak out if your child happens to sample a little mud. “Do let your kid be a kid and interact with their world, and develop as kids have for the past million years. Let them eat dirt!” is their common sense advice.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Let Them Eat Dirt in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Kids and Cleanliness: Should You Let Them Eat Dirt? A new book explains why being too clean can cause more harm than good, and what to do about it. Rain or Shine Mamma.

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Filed Under: Inspiration, Outdoor Play, Parent with Nature, Play in Nature, Reviews 5 Comments

Comments

  1. Miriam says

    January 19, 2017 at 7:35 am

    Totally agree regarding dirt. Don’t agree about swabbing vagina nor putting pacifiers in parents’ mouths.
    Why?
    Why don’t children have a bad breath in the morning? Because they don’t have that bacteria that causes cavities in their mouth. Or at least they have less of them. They’ll get it at one point or another, from licking something or from sharing food with a friend. But delaying it is good for their teeth. So keep your own germs to yourself. Not to mention herpes. It’s quite common, not everyone has visible recurring episodes. But there’s no benefit of being exposed to herpes, especially not newborns, or babies. They might get it eventually, from you or others, but don’t inflict it on them. Same about vaginal swabs. There are STDs, some that you may not be aware of. If you checked yourself to all possible STDs and you have had none – go ahead and swab, if you want, but I’d rather not. And I think it’s better to put more energy into trying to breastfeed (and I know it’s hard), then swabbing your newborn with all your past relationships. Face it – life is different now – people also tend to have more sexual partners at the time that they have their children than what they used to 200 years ago. Not because “in the good old days everyone waited with sex until they got married” – that’s just a myth. Mostly because of contraceptives, delayed parenting.
    But eating dirt, some (non toxic) plants, grass, all that – go for it. Then again, there are pesticides and other harmful stuff on our lawns – so who knows?
    One thing is for sure – being stressed probably causes more damage than most virus and bacteria, present or missing.
    And another point – playing with dirt, with sand – is so relaxing, and helps fine motor skills (and gross motor skills), and helps develop social skills. So do get dirty!

    Reply
    • Linda McGurk says

      January 19, 2017 at 10:21 am

      Hi Miriam – Thanks for your comment; I’ll try to elaborate a little bit on some of the authors’ advice to address your concerns. A woman’s vagina contains a high number of microbes, and all babies that are born vaginally are automatically coated in their mother’s microbiota on their way through the birth canal. Many are exposed to the mother’s fecal matter at the birth as well. These microbes will then colonize the baby’s own gut, where they help with the digestion of breast milk and contribute to the development of the baby’s immature immune system. Seeding a baby born with C-section with secretions from the mother’s vagina is simply a way to mimic a natural process which they otherwise miss out on. I don’t know enough about microbiology to say whether it’s something the mother should be doing on her own, but the examples in the book refer to cases that were done under supervision at a hospital. More research is needed in this area, but a study on the procedure of seeding cited in the book showed very promising results. As far as the pacifier issue goes, you’re right that there may be an increased risk of the parents passing on cavity-inducing microbes, but it seems like this is mainly the case for parents who are prone to tooth decay. On the other hand, another small study showed that children whose parents cleaned their pacifiers by sucking on them were significantly less likely to develop allergies at ages 18 and 36 months. So there’s always more than one way to look at things:o)

      Reply
      • Miriam says

        January 21, 2017 at 3:59 pm

        Hi Linda,

        Thank you for your reply. I do not know the details of studies, but I did hear before that going through the birth canal is probably a good thing. But there are soooooo many factors involved. There might be different secretions during childbirth (why not? so many hormones are involved in the process). Do the babies need to be massaged with the vaginal secretions? Or should it be put into their mouths? From the way that you described it – it sounded like a ‘do-it-yourself” swab, so I’m glad to hear that you were referring to a practice done under medical guidance. Still, personally I wouldn’t have done that, if my daughter wasn’t born vaginally. And there are so many studies ahead. Life is so complex and creating a life involves sooo many systems of the body, and hormones, and what not. It’s not a simple thing of just ‘more bacteria’ is good and there are many differences except bacteria between vaginal and C sections. I wouldn’t just summarise them into “swab – and you get the same result”. Besides, some infections are quite brutal, if they are on the first months. And most of the immune system of the baby is formed already during pregnancy (antibodies passed through the placenta) – so it’s not like the vaginal canal plus breastfeeding are the ONLY sources for developing a good immune system.

        But once the babies start moving, at 6 months and later, walking at around 1 year – then infections are more ‘welcome’ and not as worrisome.

        Anyways – just happy that you clarified that it’s not a home made practice just for the heck of it.

        Regarding caries and saliva contact – there are different conclusions in different researches.

        There are probably many causes to allergies, many that we don’t know (that’s why so many suffer from them), and bacteria may be part of the answer or may not be. Maybe in 10 years we’ll find out it was a totally different reason, and that bacteria exposure just solved part of it, in an indirect way. Again, I personally wouldn’t use a vaginal swab, but I do think that dirt is good. From my personal experience, with only one child – she is very healthy, rarely sick, was breastfed for more than 3 years, and had a cat and was never in a sterile environment. But I’m sure that her health is not only due to the fact that our house is messy and I don’t get around to cleaning as often as I should, hahhahahaha

        Reply
  2. Jenny Goeppner says

    January 19, 2017 at 1:13 pm

    YES! and let them wrestle with the dog! I agree, we are over-sanitized. The sickest people I know are the cleanest. And it’s ok to leave a little dirt on your veggies…

    Reply
    • Linda McGurk says

      January 20, 2017 at 9:40 am

      There’s definitely plenty of dog wrestling going on at our house, lol…

      Reply

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A school in Sydney bans the children from using the playground before school, saying the decision was made to "support positive classroom behaviour and learning." But did anybody bother to actually look into the research on the benefits of outdoor play, both in terms of children's ability to focus and their academic performance...? The parents aren't happy about the decision and I understand why. ... See MoreSee Less

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📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚A few years ago, I did a poll in my social media channels to see what topic you’d like me to explore in my next book. One of them won by an overwhelming margin: the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv. Well, I heeded your call. I’m pleased to share that it’s now possible to pre-order The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day from just about any place that sells books! The Open-Air Life is for anybody who is longing to lead a simpler, happier and less hurried life. It shows you how to channel the power of nature connection to improve your physical and mental health, as well as your relationship with both other people and Mother Nature. Plus, you’ll learn a few party tricks, like lighting a campfire without matches and cleaning water on the go. At a time when more and more people are starting to appreciate why they should spend more time outside, this book will show you how, with a decidedly Nordic twist.I must say that I LOVE this dreamy cover that the designers at @penguinrandomhouse created. What do you think? Pre-order The Open-Air Life here to support local book stores: bookshop.org/a/79880/9780593420942 ... See MoreSee Less
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It’s TICK season…🕷 (I know that’s a spider emoji, but you get the idea😅)A lot of people freak out at the sight of these blood suckers and understandably so, considering the diseases they can harbor. But they too are a part of nature and if we want to keep venturing outside during the warmer months (I definitely do and I suspect you do too) we must come to terms with them.If you want to know more about tick prevention, I just wrote a pretty detailed post about it on my blog. Head over to rainorshinemamma.com to learn more and share this post with others who worry about ticks!👌🏻________________________#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #ticks #tickprevention ... See MoreSee Less
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I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal meeting, yes, but still…I take pride in being dependable and prompt, and I hate to be flakey. I’d like to think that it was because I got distracted when my daughter called from my mom’s house and said she was running a fever, but in reality I got sidetracked well before that. Weekends are my time to zone out from schedules, emails and social media, and spend more time outside, especially this time of the year. So I missed a meeting. But I gained a quiet paddle through pastel waters as the sun slowly descended below the spruces on the horizon. __________________________#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #sup #standuppaddle #sweden #sweden_photolovers #sweden_images ... See MoreSee Less
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There are a lot of good things about tech, but exc There are a lot of good things about tech, but excessive screen time is taking a toll on children’s physical and mental health today. Many apps and games have built-in mechanisms designed to make them highly addictive and children are even more susceptible to them than adults, since their brains are not fully developed🧠Screens are so ubiquitous in our lives today that it takes conscious effort to balance them with experiences IRL. 

For the past few years, our family has experimented with screen free or screen reduced Sundays. I’m not going to pretend that it’s easy. But if the goal is to increase quality family time outdoors and encourage the kind of creativity that arises from a healthy dose of boredom, it does work🌳

Some other tips to foster a healthy screen time culture in your family are:

✅ Learn how to use the parent controls on your kids’ devices and set age-appropriate limits.

✅ Have certain times or spaces that are always screen free, for example around the dinner table, in the bedrooms and so on, and be sure to be consistent. 

✅ Create a buy-in for the kids by letting them help plan screen free activities for the whole family.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to keeping screen time under control?
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That about sums it up, doesn’t it?☺️ This qu That about sums it up, doesn’t it?☺️ This quote is from Meet the Wild, a new picture book by Lindsay Kellar-Madsen of @the.madsen.littles. Inspired by the outdoor learning and play culture in Scandinavia, Lindsay wrote the book to invite children to explore nature all year round, regardless of the weather. 
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📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚 A few y 📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚

A few years ago, I did a poll in my social media channels to see what topic you’d like me to explore in my next book. One of them won by an overwhelming margin: the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv. Well, I heeded your call. I’m pleased to share that it’s now possible to pre-order The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day from just about any place that sells books! (Link in bio)

The Open-Air Life is for anybody who is longing to lead a simpler, happier and less hurried life. It shows you how to channel the power of nature connection to improve your physical and mental health, as well as your relationships with both other people and Mother Nature. Plus, you’ll learn a few party tricks, like lighting a campfire without matches and cleaning water on the go. At a time when more and more people are starting to appreciate why they should spend more time outside, this book will show you how, with a decidedly Nordic twist.

I must say that I LOVE this dreamy cover that the designers at @penguinrandomhouse created. What do you think? 

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I took my kids on an overnight paddling trip last I took my kids on an overnight paddling trip last weekend and it started out with sunshine and rainbows☀️🌈 Swipe to the last video to see how it ended➡️ 

We had set out to explore the northernmost island in our local lake and while we cruised up there with decent tailwinds, the wind picked up overnight. Going back the next day, we faced strong headwinds the entire time🌊 

For nearly three hours, we paddled in choppy waters, with waves sometimes so high that they splashed into the canoe. We had no choice but to paddle nonstop - if we stopped, we immediately started drifting backwards😩

The thing about being outdoors is that you’re never fully in control of all parameters - trips like these always involve a certain amount of risk. The weather can change quickly, and not always according to the forecast. What we can control is our reaction to the challenge, how we act on it and what we learn from it.

While none of us was happy about the situation, the girls did pull together and did an amazing job paddling💪🏻 And while they both vowed to never go paddling again, I told them that this will make a funny story later in life. They weren’t convinced at the time but I think they’ll come around eventually😅 

Do you have any stories of getting in over your head to share?😃
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Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know tha Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know that’s a spider emoji, but you get the idea😅) 

A lot of people freak out at the sight of these blood suckers and understandably so, considering the diseases they can harbor. But they too are a part of nature and if we want to keep venturing outside during the warmer months (I definitely do and I suspect you do too) we must come to terms with them.

If you want to know more about tick prevention, I just wrote a pretty detailed post about it on my blog. Head over to rainorshinemamma.com to learn and share this post with others who worry about ticks!👌🏻
________________________
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I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal me I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal meeting, yes, but still…I take pride in being dependable and prompt, and I hate to be flakey. 

I’d like to think that it was because I got distracted when my daughter called from my mom’s house and said she was running a fever, but in reality I got sidetracked well before that. Weekends are my time to zone out from schedules, emails and social media, and spend more time outside, especially this time of the year. 

So I missed a meeting. But I gained a quiet paddle through pastel waters as the sun slowly descended below the spruces on the horizon. An hour to myself to just be one with the lake, the light and the promise of the summer that still lies ahead☀️
__________________________
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This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wiet This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wietinghannah, you’re our winner!🎊

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Have you heard the term "ecohappiness"? If not, this is your chance to learn more! 

Author Sandi Schwartz and I have teamed up to give away a copy of her book "Finding Ecohappiness," an inspirational manifesto and practical guidebook for families to get outside and enjoy nature together. Packed with ideas for outdoor activities like animal yoga, forest bathing, sit spotting, float therapy and nature art, this book is definitely one to add to your collection📕 

How to enter👇🏼
✅ Like and save this post
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✅ Comment by completing this sentence: "To me, being in nature is..."

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Having scientific reasons and explanations for doi Having scientific reasons and explanations for doing things is good and there are any number of ways free climbing benefits our physical and mental health. But sometimes you’ve just got to trust your guts, feel all the feelings and enjoy the joyride🙌🏻🌳

What makes you feel joy in nature?
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I’m not going to lie - there are times when my c I’m not going to lie - there are times when my children’s dawdling drives me nuts. Like when they take 45 minutes to finish breakfast even though we’re running late . But I also envy their ability to be completely unhurried and present in the moment, and I realize that it’s a quality that I need to protect🐌

As parents, we need to make space for our children to play, get bored, dawdle, wander, wonder, create, sleep in, be wild and free and watch the clouds go by. Let them be where they are and not push them to achieve arbitrary milestones or condition them to think that a packed calendar is the key to success and happiness.

As always, Ginny of @1000hoursoutside is on point🙌🏻
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Did you know that camping for as little as two nig Did you know that camping for as little as two nights straight can help you reset your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep for several weeks afterwards? That's because the natural light helps the body regulate melatonin, a hormone that tells the body when it's time to get up and go, and when it's time to rest and recuperate🌗 

My melatonin levels weren't top of mind when @jeanetteosterman and I started our challenge to sleep outside at least once a month for a year. But I must say, I rarely sleep as soundly and feel as energetic as I do when I sleep under the skies.

Have you ever tried sleeping in a camping hammock? I bought my first one a few years ago and I ❤️ it!
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Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and fe Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and feel like you're constantly negotiating/fighting/fretting over your child's screen time👋🏼 

Well, you're not alone😰 

Since 2011, when mobile internet had its breakthrough, teens' and tweens' screen time has increased dramatically. At the same time, physical activity has decreased significantly. The WHO recommends that teenagers get at least one hour of physical activity every day, but in reality 85% of the girls and 78% of the boys globally don't meet the target.

Making outdoor activity a normal part of your daily routine can help  your tween or teen get the exercise and fresh air they need  and lay the foundation for lifelong healthy habits. I'm the first to admit that it isn't easy, but then again, nobody said parenting would be a cakewalk🤪

Hang in there and check out a few of the strategies that help me balance screen time with 'green time'. Do you have any tips to share?
______________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #parenting #parentingteens #parentingtweens #getoutside
“I’m not thrilled about looking older. But wha “I’m not thrilled about looking older. But what unsettles me the most about the 40s is the implication that I’m now a grown-up myself.”
- Pamela Druckerman

Forty-four laps around the sun today and I still find that the passing of time is one of life’s greatest mysteries.
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