Wash your hands

I used to quarrel a lot with my parents whenever they ask me to wash up or change clothes after playing in the field. I understand the need to wash my feet so that I don't dirty the house, but my clothes? If I lied down on the grass, I'm with nature, and nature is clean and pure, why do I need to change clothes? I believe running in the sand at the beach cleans my feet better than any tap water can.

Anyway, the topic is about washing hands. I do wash my hands when I wanna eat, especially after doing quite a lot of house work. When I was helping mum with gardening in the past, even when I run in sports, or after a nice hike in a forest trail, I do not wash my hands before eating something. It is my belief that the current 'hygiene' business is doing our body more bad than good. By not washing hands and letting germs or bacterias or worm eggs (eewww...) get into the body, it tests our immune system and make it stronger, not weaker.

I'm bringing this up because of my kid. (Yes, KB, I'm bringing my kid into the blog again). He would have touched tons of things, the blanket, bedsheet, milk bottle, the crib, my wife's and my clothes, the coolant cap of my engine when I asked him hold it, any many more.... and then the fingers goes into the mouth for cleaning. I am totally alright with this, except for the coolant cap lah. It's good for him rather than having him suck chlorine all the time.

I have a colleague who ensured that everyone bathes when they come home, before touching the baby. While it's more hygienic this way, I think it's good to bring the outside environment into the house and in close contact with the baby. I have no scientific proof, but really, I think the more dangers babies are face with (not superbly dangerous lah, don't pulak let him fall down the stairs to teach him balance), the better they are in adapting to them as they grow up.