I refuse to be the parent that says.......

Children getting dirty is a part of life. I am a preachers daughter and I am 39 yo so we did not have much to keep us occupied in the 70's like kids do today. Mud pies, sliding down hills on cardboard boxes and hanging from grapevines was the thing. I have no problem of children getting dirty. What really urkes me is when you see children in Wal-mart or the grocey store with dirty faces, dirty feet with no shoes and clothes. They did not ask for that. They rely on parents to keep them clean and safe. Other than that kids will be kids. Take pride in your kids. If you want to go around in dirty clothes and not brush your hair that is fine, but do not let your kids do that. By the way I am not jumping on you I bet your kids had a great time. Good for you, but I went to the store today and seen this and wanted to share. Did not mean to share during your discussion, but sometimes I get on a roll. Have you ever seen kids like this where you live?

Ahhhh...I've heard this story before... Check this discussion: http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2158048.aspx?p=2 called Different parenting styles. My opinion about this particular story ( not about you or anybody else) is already written there. I am really honored to meet the mother who outraged an entire school, lol. However, do not overreact with the dirt. Kid can get not exactly the message you want.

My kids are KIDS and I expect them to act like it :) I WANT to see dirt and messy hair and all when they are playing. I have 7 children and they are clean in public, but at home :::watch out dirt ::: I let people know when they ask me to watch their kids that I allow children to BE children and that usually means DIRT. Mine always play in the water and my 11 year old seem to have a sign on his body that says, I am a boy, please jump on if you are mud. :) Anyway, just my 2 cents worth.

I've taught quite a few kids over the years where the parents litteraly have heart attacks if their kids end up dirty. I worked in a daycare this past summer where the mother was very prissy herself and sent her daughter to school in rather nice clothing. And, as 2 year olds, those kids drool a lot, they have bad control over their fine muscles so she always ended up dirty. Whenever she slept, the hair bands would fall out of her hair and her mother would have a fit and complain each and every day that her daughter was messy and didn't look like she did when she brought her in. It got so bad her main teacher would quickly put her hair back up and try her best to make sure she stayed as clean as possible during the day so she did not complain. I really don't get it. Kids fall down, kids spill things. How else are they supposed to learn and grow and become independent individuals?

Most of the parents think that they are watching there kids regularly but in real they miss some things or the other. What i want to say is messing up is quit natural in that age and if you try to scold or stop they will do it more. But it doesnt mean that you encourage them will eating mud or other injurious chemicals. I suggest that if you want to be stop them the best way is to act like them and join play in rain, so that you can slowly divert them while eating such things.

I am still okay with kids getting dirty and all that stuff. But I would oppose to kids picking up things from the floor or putting dirty stuff in their mouth or chew them. I allow my daughter to get all dirty without any worry as after that I get her cleaned up with a good warm bath. So, I would say that I would not freak out on kids getting dirty but would freak out on kids eating dirty stuff.

My girls always play out in the rain, they often take their brollies tho the littelest is 3 and hates getting her hair wet they have a playhouse too if they want to shelter from it. The 3 year old hates being dirty i dont force the issue allow her to clean up when she wants (which can be a lot) the eldest is 5 and loves to get dirty, the dirtier the better as far as she is concerned I allow her too after all it all cleans off again!

I am with you. My kids are the muddy ones jumping in the puddles every time it rains. I am that Mom whose kids go home filthy from every party and love it. We just had one at the park where not only did they have water balloons, cake and jello eating contests (I started Jello but it continued to cake) and every parents favorite paint with your face. Yes I had them use pudding and butcher paper and they had to make prints of their faces. Luckily our friends are just like us and some of the Dads did everything with the kids as did myself and a few other Moms. We all love being messy.

I defintely don't freak out over my children getting dirty. I honestly think that part of childhood is to be able to explore the world in every way and if a child is not allowed to get dirty, then they are not getting to explore the world as much as they should be able to do. I let my kids play outside in the rain if there is not thunder or lightening. I've actually helped my oldest make a mud pie. I laugh when I have to spray them off outside because they've been digging holes in the dirt.

I would definitely let my children play outside and get dirty. In the rain? Maybe...only if they agreed to change out of their wet clothes and get in a warm bath afterwards, wouldn't want them catching colds now, would I? I read somewhere that the reason why so many children have asthma and other allergies is because they're NOT exposed to enough dirt and other germs when they're young and their immune systems are developing. Because their bodies have never come in contact with these germs before, they can't build up resistance to these bacterium...something that other children who are allowed to get dirty every so often do.

My kids play in the rain all the time! As long as there is no lightening, they are free to go! As far as getting dirty...if I were the type to freak out over that, I wouldn't have a sane bone in my body! They make mud pies quite often. I even help them out from time to time. Life is too short to obsess over a little dirt. God put it on the earth, we might as well play in it, right? Let kids be kids and have their fun in whatever ways they wish...as long as it is safe!

Its a part of growing up. I remember playing in the rain and jumping in mud puddles when I was a kid, and I loved it. I let my daughter have fun as long as she won't get seriously hurt doing it. How can some parents keep their kids away from dirt, its everywhere? Just throw on their play clothes and let them be creative. Thats how kids learn.