| Are you still following your child around worrying that | | | | or video games. This is especially true during the |
| they might stain their clothes? Do you forbid playing | | | | school year. Imagine being seated in a chair while |
| outside because they might get dirty? Do you see | | | | experiencing growth and energy spurts! Getting loose |
| germs and infections in every step they take? Are | | | | outside home will help the child deal with that |
| you trying to keep away friendly dogs or cute | | | | pressure. |
| kittens because they might be disease carriers? | | | | Don't underestimate your kids' explorative skills. By |
| Do any of the sentences above represent your | | | | exploring -not the house of course- it discovers the |
| attitude towards your child? If yes, you must | | | | world. Exploration boosts the imagination as well as |
| reconsider. Depriving your child of physical contact | | | | creativity, social and physical skills. Well-developed |
| with the "Dirty, Outside World" is bad for its health. | | | | physical skills result in a healthy body. Creativity will |
| Sound unbelievable? How can something full of germs | | | | bring adaptability, and social skills will bring success and |
| be essential for a kid's development? | | | | mental health. All those will eventually turn an active |
| First of all, your child, in the delicate years between | | | | child, into a lively, successful healthy adult. |
| childhood and puberty, develops its immune system. | | | | Let friendly animals approach your child. They won't |
| The immune system is designed to defend the | | | | hurt it; they will be of benefit. By keeping animals |
| organism against millions of bacteria, microbes, | | | | away you teach your child to do the same. Have you |
| parasites, viruses and toxins. But it needs to be | | | | considered having a pet? Children raised with pets |
| trained; just us muscles need exercise to function | | | | show many benefits. Developing positive feelings |
| properly. In order to recognize harmful germs, it | | | | about pets can contribute to a child's self-esteem and |
| needs to meet them first. Then it creates an archive, | | | | self-confidence. Your child will develop trusting |
| where it is all installed. When the time comes for a | | | | relationships with others much easier. A good |
| fight, the immune system will be prepared because it | | | | relationship with a pet can also help in developing |
| knows the enemy. Pure exposure to various | | | | non-verbal communication, compassion, and empathy. |
| microorganisms and other environmental factors leads | | | | Finally, how important do you think memories are? |
| to pure immune resistance. That means, that the | | | | Memories are moments of our lives, forming our |
| child will be less susceptible to disease later in life. So, | | | | personality. What would you like your child to |
| don't exaggerate in hygiene matters. Let your child's | | | | remember from its childhood memories? Clean, |
| immune system harden, with the help of dirt. | | | | germ-free clothes? Or shiny days outside, filled with |
| Your child needs also to be active, run around and | | | | laughter and a sense of adventure? |
| feel happy playing outside. Worrying about stains will | | | | Are you still afraid of dirt? No need to be, after all, |
| make the child feel guilty about activities that make it | | | | dirt is health! So, let your child go and play outside, |
| happy. You cannot replace that happiness with clean | | | | loose in the dirt. Join in if you get jealous, you might |
| clothes, or with indoor inactive activities such us TV | | | | want to get a little dirty too! |