Now hear this. Minnesota just passed a law making antibacterial soap illegal. I can hear the panicked voices of mothers on the east coast screeching in fear at the thought. “How will we keep our children safe from harm? The germs will whisk them away!!!”

Dirty Hands

To be honest, I was a bit surprised. I mean, how can you make something so simple and accessible to everyone illegal that quickly? It seems so basic. The basis for the new law apparently is due to the chemicals and the long-term harmful effects of not having any exposure to basic germs. In order to build a healthy immune system (brace for cheesy metaphor), you need to take your T-cells to the gym from time to time and expose them to a few germs to get a workout. This way they can be prepared for future germs.

So, all things being what they are, I agree with the idea behind the law, but maybe not taking the choice away from others.

When it comes to my boys, I've never been freaked out by dirty little hands. I always believed it was an acceptable side effect of them exploring the world. As long as they aren't picking up something that fell out of the south end of a north bound dog, I'm okay with it. It's a good way for them to build a healthy imune system. We still wash our hands before dinner, but there's no neurotic pre-surgery scrubbing going on.

Here's to looking forward to healthy futures.