Please Don't Kill the Dandelions!

Have you driven by a field this spring and enjoyed the bright yellow dandelion carpet? Or watched a toddler gleefully blow the powder puff of seeds into the air?  When did the dandelion become a weed that needed to be eradicated from our lawns at all costs?  What if we still had that childlike perception of its natural beauty as a wildflower?  Maybe we could save ourselves the cost, both financially and ecologically, of toxic lawn chemicals.  At my house, we have done just that.  Nothing goes on our lawn unless it's organic.  At the moment, that means nothing goes on our lawn at all.  But many of our neighbors still spray chemicals, polluting the ground water supply and exposing children and pets to the toxins, not to mention the wildlife.  When they were younger, I had our children stay in our yard on the days the neighbors' lawns were sprayed.  We have often had a pet guinea pig who would have loved nothing better than to munch on fresh dandelion leaves.  But it was too risky.  Now you might be wondering if we are one of those families whose lawn brings down property values.  Actually, not at all.  We keep it mown so the spent dandelion stalks are kept in check, and we enjoy our bright yellow wildflowers when they bloom.  What do you think?  I'd love to hear your feedback.