General Chat

Jean,

I do agree with you. I have had conversations with friends and family today, saying exactly the same.

There is so much emphasis on sanitizing everything, people, surfaces, toilets etc. I don't think the young ones have any chance of building up a resistance to the bugs around today.

When I was young we played in dirt - made mud pies, played in the chicken huts at grandad's farm, handled the tiny chicks, gave the pig a good scratch and generally got filthy. We always came clean at the end of the day, and apart from ringworm once, I don't think we came to any harm.

I don't advocate not handwashing after the toilet, or keeping ourselves clean, but we all need 'a peck of dirt' or whatever the old saying was!

Off for a soak in some bubbles!

Elisabeth

Does anyone agree with me that children of today need to be allowed to play and get dirty? I suspect the e-coli outbreaks at farms which allow visits are as much caused by lack of immunity as any fault of the farm. Children have played with animals on farms and in zoos for as long as the human race has survived, and it is only now that we have problems. It is like the constant urging to use disinfectant on every kitchen surface. I think it is unnecessary. Soap and water are fine.