No Germs
By bestboy19
@bestboy19 (5478)
United States
February 23, 2009 9:43pm CST
There was an article in our local paper about how children are having more allergies because they aren't building up an immunity to germs. Parents are being too protective and not allowing their children's immune system to build up a resistance to germs by not letting them get germs.
When I was growing up, it was nothing for us to play in dirt and mud, take our socks and shoes off in winter and walk around in the ditch if there was water in it, ride our bikes without wearing a helmet, play football, baseball, kick the can, dodge ball or any other ruff and tumble game we wanted to play. We were not overly protected and we were healthy.
Do you think parents today put too many restrictions of their children? Are we becoming a world of wimps and are we teaching our children to be wimps also?
2 responses
@oyenkai (4394)
• Philippines
8 Apr 09
I think that staying away from dirt is what's causing kids unhealthy disposition. It's more because everything is just more dirty all around us. The air is thicker and it poisons the body. When we were kids, I was also playing with dirt all the time and playing rough - however, I am aware that I was brought up very carefully when I was a toddler.
My mom always thinks badly of parents who brings month old babies outside to the streets where they are exposed to smoke and stuff - she says that at that stage, kids are weak and that affects their overall nurturing.
And what I think is affecting as in the worst manner is the lack of physical activities. All these computers, all these hand held devices, they give the parents excuse to keep their kids at home instead of playing outside. But then I go back to my previous argument, it's too dirty outside. And aside from that, the rise on kidnapping sure makes it harder to trust new neighbors.
Thanks for the response on my discussion!
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
8 Apr 09
My point is that parents are being overly protective and not allowing their children to build up an immunity to germs. Your body has a natural immune system, but it has to be built up. Today's parents are trying too hard to keep their children away from germs and that isn't letting their body's immune system build up a resistance to germs.
I agree with you about the lack of physical activity. I can't say I agree with your mother. When my oldest sister was born, our mother was very protective of her (people had germs), but when my twin and I were born, she wasn't so protective. We were out among the masses much earlier. Even though our sister was/is healthy, we were/are healthier.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
25 Feb 09
Thank you for responding. You are the only one, which makes me wonder if people didn't understand what I was saying or if they are the ones who are overly protective.
