I'm thinking of giving my toddler a bowl of soot for breakfast that came from the fireplace
Isn't that abuse? Why would you feed your toddler a bowl of soot?
I am trying to save money on groceries
You are endangering the health of your child be feeding her dirty fireplace soot. You should contact your state resources because there are programs that can help you pay for groceries. You are abusing your child by not feeding her necessary, nutritious food.
Who cares! It's good for her to eat dirt.
It really isn't, a growing child needs a variety of foods and nutrients and dirt has none of those except harmful compounds. If you're tight on money, why not hit up a food back instead of harming your kid?