My kids play in mud, and dirt, and sand. Especially wet sand. That's the best kind.

My kids play outside with no shoes on.

Then they storm into the house to grab a snack and track mud through the house like a elephant troupe.

And I say, Let Kids Get Dirty.

My kids get food on their face when they eat. Then they run off to play before I've had a chance to see the smudges everywhere. Or have had time to grab a wet wipe. And they'll play for an hour before I get a chance to say "WIPE YOUR FACE, BOY!"

Let kids get dirty.

Yes, my kids bathe. Almost every night. We have to because they get so damn dirty every day. But after bath time? They play. They play play play. And the dirt all comes right back.

I'm not going to tell them to stop playing in the dirt and mud. I'm not going to tell them to put shoes on and not feel the soft blades of grass through their toes as they run through the lawn and play tag. I'm not going to tell them not to get dirty.

That may make people uncomfortable. In fact, I know it does. I've had people tell me just how uncomfortable they are with it. Well eff that. These are happy kids. These are well cared for kids. They just get dirty.

We bathe, we wash our hands, we wash our faces. And it just comes right back. In fact, the only time I get worried is when my kids are so clean I can only assume they are up to deep trouble.

Let kids get dirty. Let kids be kids.