Comments on: Germs versus chemicals http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/ ...exploring the art and science of parenting Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:44:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Megan http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-4951 Megan Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:46:33 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-4951 As usual, I really appreciate your take on the issue. This is becoming more and more of an issue for me, and I like the idea of long term versus short term parenting. I am having to temper my enthusiasm for avoiding chemicals with some practical limits - like I can't ask my IL's to change their cleaning products. I like your approach of making the best choices in any situation. I have been reading Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living for some inspiration and a have fallen in love with vinegar for keeping my bathroom clean and shiny :) As usual, I really appreciate your take on the issue. This is becoming more and more of an issue for me, and I like the idea of long term versus short term parenting. I am having to temper my enthusiasm for avoiding chemicals with some practical limits – like I can’t ask my IL’s to change their cleaning products. I like your approach of making the best choices in any situation.
I have been reading Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living for some inspiration and a have fallen in love with vinegar for keeping my bathroom clean and shiny :)

]]> By: Safe or unsafe? | PhD in Parenting http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-1463 Safe or unsafe? | PhD in Parenting Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:00:13 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-1463 [...] not always convinced, however, that all of these chemicals are as safe as the government contends, especially when some of them disagree with each other, [...] [...] not always convinced, however, that all of these chemicals are as safe as the government contends, especially when some of them disagree with each other, [...]

]]> By: Safe or unsafe? « PhD in Parenting Blog http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-70 Safe or unsafe? « PhD in Parenting Blog Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:42:27 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-70 [...] not always convinced, however, that all of these chemicals are as safe as the government contends, especially when some of them disagree with each other, [...] [...] not always convinced, however, that all of these chemicals are as safe as the government contends, especially when some of them disagree with each other, [...]

]]> By: Short-term versus long-term parenting « PhD in Parenting Blog http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-69 Short-term versus long-term parenting « PhD in Parenting Blog Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:38:01 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-69 [...] 18, 2008 by phdinparenting When I wrote recently about germs versus chemicals, I raised the concept of short-term parenting versus long-term parenting and mentioned that I [...] [...] 18, 2008 by phdinparenting When I wrote recently about germs versus chemicals, I raised the concept of short-term parenting versus long-term parenting and mentioned that I [...]

]]> By: thea http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-68 thea Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:11:18 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-68 I like your blog and mostly share your opinions on parenting. I am a scientist and I do read a lot on child care. Unfortunately since I am a mother, I cannot be really objective with respect to the child rearing advice I read -- I am very much influenced by my experience with my child. A bit like your post on feeding pureed food to your grown up child (and the "I-never-thought-I-would-be-like-that" comment left after it), I try to protect my son from germs (hand washing and keeping him from prolonged contact with sick people as much as possible, without being paranoid and without using chemicals). I have never been a germphobe either, but despite being very healthy, having a wonderful pregnancy, breast-feeding until the age of one, never having smoked, etc., my son has been sick quite often since he turned three and a half months old (when the antibodies from the breast milk are not quite enough anymore): with one bronchitis and two ear-infections in the last 10 months. Yes, I know that boys are statistically more likely to get sick, and yes, the protection of breast-feeding against ear infections means less than 3 per year (!), but this knowledge is cold comfort for me. I tell myself that the simple colds he has very often only mean more sleepless nights and no hospital visits or anything serious, so yes, I have no real reason to complain. But I am more protective of him with respect to germs as I would have liked. I also remember seeing a study that too many respiratory infections can have long term effects on the health (asthma is an obvious one, but both asthma and the infections might have another cause, so correlation does not have to mean causality here). It's perhaps not as simple as "germs: OK", "chemicals: not", not even in a broad sense. It all depends on the child and the parent, and my opinion is certainly just that -- an opinion. I like your blog and mostly share your opinions on parenting. I am a scientist and I do read a lot on child care. Unfortunately since I am a mother, I cannot be really objective with respect to the child rearing advice I read — I am very much influenced by my experience with my child. A bit like your post on feeding pureed food to your grown up child (and the “I-never-thought-I-would-be-like-that” comment left after it), I try to protect my son from germs (hand washing and keeping him from prolonged contact with sick people as much as possible, without being paranoid and without using chemicals). I have never been a germphobe either, but despite being very healthy, having a wonderful pregnancy, breast-feeding until the age of one, never having smoked, etc., my son has been sick quite often since he turned three and a half months old (when the antibodies from the breast milk are not quite enough anymore): with one bronchitis and two ear-infections in the last 10 months. Yes, I know that boys are statistically more likely to get sick, and yes, the protection of breast-feeding against ear infections means less than 3 per year (!), but this knowledge is cold comfort for me. I tell myself that the simple colds he has very often only mean more sleepless nights and no hospital visits or anything serious, so yes, I have no real reason to complain. But I am more protective of him with respect to germs as I would have liked. I also remember seeing a study that too many respiratory infections can have long term effects on the health (asthma is an obvious one, but both asthma and the infections might have another cause, so correlation does not have to mean causality here). It’s perhaps not as simple as “germs: OK”, “chemicals: not”, not even in a broad sense. It all depends on the child and the parent, and my opinion is certainly just that — an opinion.

]]> By: Short-term versus long-term parenting « PhD in Parenting Blog http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-65 Short-term versus long-term parenting « PhD in Parenting Blog Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:41:05 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-65 [...] versus long-term parenting Jump to Comments When I wrote recently about germs versus chemicals, I raised the concept of short-term parenting versus long-term parenting and mentioned that I [...] [...] versus long-term parenting Jump to Comments When I wrote recently about germs versus chemicals, I raised the concept of short-term parenting versus long-term parenting and mentioned that I [...]

]]> By: No More Oreos « In Our Hands http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-66 No More Oreos « In Our Hands Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:43:12 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-66 [...] think it all boils down to what phdinparenting calls “short-term” vs. “long-term” parenting.  In the short-term, bribing [...] [...] think it all boils down to what phdinparenting calls “short-term” vs. “long-term” parenting.  In the short-term, bribing [...]

]]> By: plozano76 http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/06/13/germs-versus-chemicals/#comment-67 plozano76 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:41:20 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-67 I blame chemicals for the super-bugs we're now fighting (and don't get me started on antibiotics). It's all a vicious cycle: use chemicals, create resistant bacteria, get sick, take antibiotics, wipe out the good bacteria, get attacked again by even worse bacteria... Great point on short-term vs. long-term parenting! Now I'm off to check out the rest of your blog. :) I blame chemicals for the super-bugs we’re now fighting (and don’t get me started on antibiotics). It’s all a vicious cycle: use chemicals, create resistant bacteria, get sick, take antibiotics, wipe out the good bacteria, get attacked again by even worse bacteria…

Great point on short-term vs. long-term parenting!

Now I’m off to check out the rest of your blog. :)

]]>