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can a 5th grader teacher tell students to bring deodorant or shower twices
dlrcoates September 2, 2011
lastnight my 10yr old son let me know that he needs to bring deodorant to school or take 2 showers 1 at night and 1 in the morning.My son take a showers before bed, he doesn't have bo it's summer yes he sweats it smell, so does my 6yr old. When kids play or have PE they are going to sweat and smell, but they may not have BO, need advice I'm i wrong? For being upset, I want to talk to principle, I love my kids school.HELP!!
jahdess September 2, 2011
Hi,
I teach high school children and sometimes we have to tell students about their hygiene, not because we are trying to be mean, but for the child's sake. Its better that your son to walk with deodorant for those rough times, instead of having other students calling him smelly and stinky. Don't take it personal, but know that its for your son's own good. No one wants to be the smelly kid or even worse, the smelly adult.73156
TeacherParent September 2, 2011
I taught 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade for many years. In February of the 5th grade year, we would give our students deodorant... Fortunately our local hospital did it for us and made it part of a 'growing up' presentation at the hospital but when we came back to school, I told my students, "use it."
Kids seem to be growing up earlier than in the past but by 7th grade, it's most often long past the time they needed to have started with deodorant. 5th grade in my experience may be early but our thinking was - better sooner than later because other kids will tell them when they smell them and Middle Schoolers are early adolescents - they will start to smell.
I'm so sorry to be that seeming blunt. I never told a student to take two showers, but I heartily recommended every February that they start to use that deodorant. I would ask "Raise your hand if you brush your teeth every morning and evening. Raise your hand if you shower or bath regularly." All hands went up for both of those and actually the kids had a very good time with it, looking around the room, and seeing who raised their hand last....
In a winter in a classroom with 20 plus early adolescents in it, the room can get ... funky. And they take gym twice a week to boot and they don't shower after gym. A 5th grader who gets sweaty will smell and by whatever name you want to call it, it doesn't smell well.
One day we had a Saturday conference at our school. We have several buildings and did not identify the conference building as a 'middle school' versus the high school building which is right next door. We have no names on the buildings but as soon as some people entered our building's foyer they said, "This is a Middle School, right?" "How did you know - you haven't stepped out of the foyer yet." "It smells like one."
All that said, schools increasingly recognize that deodorant is cultural - not every culture uses deodorant and that might be why your school is trying to put forth a two times a day shower policy. It was a special problem and a special situation when our international students became Middle Schoolers and how to handle the deodorant issue. 73157
dlrcoates September 2, 2011
When he 1st told me about the deoorant it make sense, for him to put it on in the morning from school. I have 4 boys 2 are 13, 10, and one 6, we brought deodorant for the older boys in 7th, the are still getting used to wearing it. They smell like BO this year in 8th more then last year. It would be good for him start getting used to it early, but he dosen't smell like BO at anytime, he does sweats if he's play or when walk home from school. I pick them up from school last week him and his little brother they both were very sweating and they smell like sweat, but I didn't smell BO on him, my husband can smell the boys body odor better then I can and my 10yr old dosen't smell like body odor. I know that they have PE right from they get out of school and it summer time. I guess I'm trying to determine weather or not if the teacher smell sweat or dirt and or both. Because when the teacher tells them to take 2 showers that different, deodorant prevent body odor. And I feel that the teacher should have send a letter home or talk about it at back to school night. Because the teacher told the whole class that some of the student needed deodorant or 2 showers. I feel that it is a good ideas for kids to start early to learn about deodorant and their body changing.73158
ShellyLB September 2, 2011
I think heigene is an important topic to be taught at home and should be done w/ respect and in private when done at school if it needs to be dicussed individually.
However, nobody seems to realize how important it is to use natural, non pore clogging deoderants. It's important for the body to sweat to rid itself of toxins. If you do not have an alkalyzed system then there will be an odor. If you use regular deoderants then it may help w/ the odor but it will clog the lymph system over time and can cause many different illness later in life. It's important to use a deoderant that won't clog. There are Hydrosols w/ essential oils that are good or some that use natural salts. I'm still trying to find the perfect one myself but I think it's something people should be aware of. It's probably not something your Doctor will tell you. It's more of a holistic type of thing.73159
sifurick September 2, 2011
As a teacher I find it quite distasteful that I have to inform their children that deodorant is an essential part of personal hygiene . That should be the parents responsibility. It embarrasses me and also the child . When you talk to the principle make sure you mention you would like to relinquish other parental responsibility . I was wondering are you embarrassed for the child or yourself.73160
MissTeacher September 2, 2011
Hey "sifurick", don't be a jerk. And by the way, just so you aren't teaching your students incorrectly, it's "principal", not "principle".73163
dlrcoates September 2, 2011
I'm not embarrassed, because I know my son is clean he sweat when he's playing, running, and outside. He's doesn't have BO, and I do teach my boys about personal hygiene. If you have boys you would know that they are sometimes lazy, so when they shower they think water will clean them. I check they afer they shower and teeth. I feel that it was wrong the way the teacher address the students. Thank you Miss Teacher 73166
scoobydoodle September 2, 2011
I teach to secondary students whom have special needs. As apart of the life skills curriculum, I teach personal maintenance skills. Each student is given a box with deoderant, toothbrush and paste, comb and brush, facial soap, etc... Every school day, students learn how to groom themselves (to the best of their abilities). I can tell by their facial expressions and gestures, that they feel better physically and emotionally. It is a great thing that we sweat (it is our body's way of cooling off. I believe that it is called Homeostasis). You are a great mom... . Your son is growing up into an amazing adult. Grooming (and yes, that means smelling nice), will give him great confidence. Keep it up the good work.73177
Not_Me_4_That1 September 3, 2011
I gotta tell you, Today's 10 y/o boys smell bad. Some of these children are starting to smell bad in 1st and 2nd grade these days. Especially smelly are meat eaters and most kids eat meat. It's just simply the way it is. I'm a grandma and I volunteer to read to kids in the lower grades. Kids love me so they like being really close to me and they smell awful - God love them. I'm not sure that I agree with the teacher's methodology in conveying her message but the kids do smell really bad MUCH earlier in today's world. They are hormonal much earlier. This is fact and if you doubt check with your pediatrician or an Endocrinologist as we did with our child. Please - Don't be in denial and make your kid suffer by being picked on by his peers. Get some deodorant from the health food store and teach your child to use it regularly... 73204
annettamakala September 4, 2011
Thats not right.Your not wrong at all id be upset also.talk to the principle.although it might be from gym .or any other physical activities.hes a boy he sweats
73247
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