Monday, October 22, 2007

Top Story: The World is Out to Get Your Children

I apparently at some point e-subscribed to a parenting bulletin and boy, was that a mistake. I get this email this morning that proclaims, in big red evil letters: Top Story/Kids and Germs--How Worried Should You Be?

Apparently, I should be be bolting the doors and sending the girls to live in a clean room.

Why do "parenting" magazines and newsletters do this? Why do they take something fairly innocuous--dirt--and turn it into a dire killer? I understand the seriousness of teaching children proper handwashing. I understand the consequences of not following through with wound care, even if the cut looks shallow enough. But some women are absolutely neurotic, and these kinds of scary-scary headlines just send them over the edge.

"God made dirt, dirt don't hurt." Repeat three times, and go play outside.

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