While I try (and the word here is TRY) to keep a zen tidy suburban home, I am so GRATEFUL that my 5 year old son has the opportunity to play 3 days per week after school at my friends' house where they have lots of animals including chickens and cats, a slow flowing shallow muddy creek behind their house and a less antiseptic country vibe where he can play in the dirt and get REAL MUDDY! Playing in the dirt and around animals is helping to grow his immune system and he has been very healthy! I think that we have done a disservice to our children's health with our emphasis on sterility and dirt paranoia. If their body doesn't ever come in contact with a microbe then it will freak out when they encounter a peanut butter sandwich! Just a thought!