The Soccer Mom Blog logo

The Soccer Mom Blog

  • Family
    • Easy DIY & Craft Ideas
    • For The Home
    • Holiday Fun for Families
    • Houston Events for Kids & Family
    • Parenting Tips
    • Saving Money
    • Travel
  • Food
  • For Moms
    • Beauty Tips for Moms
    • Fitness & Healthy Lifestyle
    • Motherhood
    • Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
  • Kids Activities
    • Kids Activities and Crafts
    • How to Make Slime
    • Edible Slime
    • All Slime Recipes
  • Start a Blog
  • Work With Me
  • About
    • About Me
    • What’s New
  • SHOP
  • Privacy
Home » Family » Parenting Tips » The Best Immune System Booster for Kids is…Dirt?

September 7, 2018 · Updated February 17, 2021 · 1 Comment

The Best Immune System Booster for Kids is…Dirt?

Parenting Tips

Parents: Let ’em get dirty! Research shows that the best immune system booster for kids might just be dirt.

“A Little Dirt Builds the Immune System”

“I can barely watch you put those veggie chips back into my granddaughter’s bowl.”

Pretending to be scandalized, my mom averted her eyes as I scooped up a handful of veggies sticks that had fallen on the floor.

“A little dirt builds our immune system!” I said with a grin.

Wise words from a wise woman — my Granny (my mom’s mom) was never one to make a fuss over germs and dirt. This was (and is) one of her mottos that stuck with me, and that I’ve adopted as one of my own.

We visited my Granny and Grandad’s farm every weekend. There I spent hours with my cousins building forts out of sticks, swinging on grapevines, and just generally being wild, free, and dirty.

And I was almost never sick.

Today we are bombarded with antibacterial everything. 

However, new research shows what my Granny already knew — dirt isn’t always the enemy.

The argument for letting kids get dirty and how dirt builds kids' immunity.

The Hygiene Hypothesis: How Dirt Builds Kids’ Immunity

Yep, that’s actually a real thing.

More and more evidence backs what my Granny told us growing up. A little dirt does build the immune system.

When our bodies come in contact with germs and bacteria at an early age, our immune response is created and strengthened. Essentially, this is how our bodies learn how to fight off harmful microbes.

When kids’ exposure to germs are limited, they may not develop the same resistance to illness later in life.

Furthermore, the overuse of antibacterial products and antibiotics could be doing more harm than good. Destroying benevolent microbes that teach our bodies how to fight the “bad” bacteria leaves our children more vulnerable to disease.

The chemicals used in antibacterial products might also be dangerous in themselves. The FDA recently banned 19 chemicals commonly found in antibacterial soaps. Why? Scientists say that these compounds can disrupt our bodies hormones and cause muscle weakness — pretty nasty stuff.

How to Boost Kids’ Immune Systems

The answer might be the opposite of what you’d expect, or what you’ve previously been told:

  • Let your kids get dirty. Dirt may actually be the best immune system booster, or at least one of them!
  • Don’t panic when they crawl on the floor.
  • Stop slathering their hands in sanitizer every five minutes.
  • Don’t yank that chip out of their mouth if it hits the floor briefly.
  • Buy plain old hand soap. (It works just as well and probably costs less too).
  • And for the love of all things good — stop looking at antibiotics as the magic cure-all to every little sniffle and sneeze.

What About Bad Weather?

I’ll fully admit that as an adult, getting soaked in the pouring rain isn’t my idea of fun. But my kids LOVE to play in the rain! And on the rare occasion here in Texas, they go crazy for snow!

Kids CAN play outside safely in bad weather, if they’re properly dressed. Plus, there are so many benefits to outdoor play, aside from immunity building!

Your kids are going to get dirty whether you like it or not

Getting dirty is an essential part of childhood, kind of like your first bike wreck. It’s a lot less stressful if you learn to accept it.

For the record, I DO support regular hand washing.

There’s a difference between encouraging outdoor play and letting kids spread germs all over the place.

Related: For a fun way to teach kids about the spread of germs and healthy hand washing habits, try our Glitter Germy Hands Experiment!

However, I also think you’ve got to take a deep breath and relax a bit.

You’re not a bad parent if you abide by the “5-second rule” …or even the “10-second rule.” In fact, you might just be the good parent — you’re following the latest scientific advice.

You’re also following the age-old wisdom of our Depression-era generation. They are survivors and they might actually be wiser than the scientists.

After all, they had this figured out decades ago!

More of our most popular parenting posts:

If you've caught your kids eating boogers from time to time, you might wonder: are boogers good for you? Here's what the experts have to say...

Experts Say: Eating Boogers is Actually GOOD for Kids

 

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Stacey aka the Soccer Mom
Stacey aka the Soccer Mom
Stacey is the creator of The Soccer Mom Blog, a Houston Texas mom blog that focuses on positive living for women and families. She loves to share real food recipes, money-saving tips, parenting encouragement, kids activities, DIY tutorials, home hacks, fitness, and so much more! To get to know Stacey even better, click here.
Stacey aka the Soccer Mom
Latest posts by Stacey aka the Soccer Mom (see all)
  • 13 Best Healthy Smoothies - February 3, 2023
  • Healthy Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothie - February 2, 2023
  • DIY Everything Bagel Seasoning - January 31, 2023

Share this post:

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
Previous Post: « Instant Pot Pumpkin Apple Butter
Next Post: How Often Do You Really Need to Change Your Oil? »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alice Thompson says

    September 10, 2016 at 1:26 am

    Scary stuff on the anti-bacterial soaps … what was this stuff ever doing in them?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar


Hi there, my name is Stacey and I'm so glad you're here! I created this site to be a positive resource for moms and families. If it's your first time, I recommend that you click HERE to see what The Soccer Mom Blog is all about!
email facebook Pinterest Instagram twitter

Search the Blog:

Footer

Posts You Might Like

  • homemade ant killer
  • edible slime
  • how to make slime with contact solution
  • hair tourniquet

Popular Posts

  • Edible Pudding Slime – Only 3 Ingredients!
  • Homemade Dog Treats
  • “Love You to Pieces” DIY Valentine Wreath
  • Copy Cat Nutter Butter Recipe

The Soccer Mom Blog

  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Shop
  • Disclosure

The Soccer Mom Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Love the fonts you see? I found some of them here and you can too!

Copyright © 2023 · The Soccer Mom Blog · Design by Monique B Designs

77 shares