That is a really good response, I agree! It is what's really going on.
When my DD was a toddler/preschooler she spent alot of time really enjoying mud puddles, regular puddles, wet sand in nice places - botanical gardens, nature centers, the beach...she was always filthy (in a good way). I always had a change of clothes in the car or just zipped her home with a beach towel on her booster seat.
I used to get really, really sick of people constantly telling me she shouldn't do this or ask why this didn't bother me. Sometimes I would act shocked like they knew something I didn't, like if the mud was radioactive or something, and would ask them. They would be taken aback. Sometimes I would smile and say, "it's okay, I have this really cool invention at home..." and they'd say "what is it?" and I'd reply "it's called a washing machine - they're soooo cool!" Sometimes I would just let their words hang there and not respond. But my favorite was, when someone would say "but she's SUCH a pretty little girl" I should not let her get so dirty, I would earnestly reply, "but what if she's meant to become a marine biologist? I would never be able to live with myself if I thwarted her!"
So on it goes. If your kids seem happy with how you are raising them and you feel like you're doing what's right for them, that should be good enough. But people who are looking in and have the nerve to judge are very tiresome.
