Why Is This?

[Sqad]

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/hygiene-poverty-schools_uk_5b27b938e4b056b2263c4841?guccounter=1

Why do children need ,bubble baths, deodorants and perfumes to stop offensive odours?
These apparently are being given out by teachers to stop the child being ostracised and bullied for smelling.All they need is soap and water before they come to school.
I was brought up in a "poor area" parents were working class and grandad a labourer, but there was always Carbolic Soap to wash and prepare one for school.
I never had or did't need fancy smelling toiletry and certainly soap and water did the trick.
Welfare State? Snowflakes?" Life is better now?

[ummmm]

Depends on their age. Teenagers can be quite smelly even when the bathe daily. They need deodorant.

[Kromovaracun]

Because children are disgusting.

[ummmm]

I hope you're being sarky, Krom.

[Sqad]

LOL.....that is another story Kromo.

[cassa333]

Soap and water would do the trick and be less costly than fancy toiletries for sure.

No matter how poverty stricken you are in this country a pack of four bars of soap is only about £1.25 so even if you get through one bar a week that’s just £1.25 a month on not being smelly. However washing powder is a bit more expensive but you can pick up the cheap range. It might not be as fancy as the big name brands but it does the trick.

My children’s school does however provide some personal items to girls on a regular basis. They put an order into the local food bank who supply sanitary wear for girls and also supply toiletries as well. So perhaps other schools should contact the food banks as well.

It doesn’t address the issue of poverty though.

[Kromovaracun]

Actually having now read the link I can see why that was a bit distateful. Apologies.

[cassa333]

Ummmm, you are so right. My two teenagers are smelly when they get out the bath.

Perhaps I should let them have water and soap to go with it...

[Sqad]

cassa....good post and i would agree, BUT 60 years ago, these "handouts"were not necessary,O.K there was always one smelly family in the class, but half a century on, the word poverty seems to be redefined as teachers now have to sub the pupils for these toiletries due to "poverty."
What has happened?

[ummmm]

Sqad - I remember our PE teacher advising us on hygiene because some kids stank. I don't think it was lack of soap and water, it's a lack of deodorant. Teenagers sweat.

Our family planning clinic used to give free sanitary wear to girls. I don't know if they still do that.

[B00]

Children can and do start to need deodorant from a fairly early age. Mini Boo was about 8 or 9 when I needed to start buying it for her.

I'm not sure why people who have been quoted in the article are saying it's expensive though. My local poundshop (these are everywhere!) sells toiletries from as little as a quid per item. In fact, no brand, equally as good as, deodorant is sold two for a quid!

That being said, if the teachers say there's a need for these items to be doled out to children, then that's obviously the case, it serves no purpose for them to lie about it. I just find it disgraceful that parents are failing to shell out a few quid to stop their child being singled out in school.

[youngmafbog]

It would be interesting to see actual numbers on this and also why the parents cannot 'afford' the said items.

I think times have probably moved on from the carbolic soap days Sqad where there was probably an acceptance of the pong growing throughout the day so long as you arrived fresh. In addition probably no one was wearing deodorant so nobody noticed.

[ummmm]

B00....but not everyone can get to a pound shop.

[andy-hughes]

ummmm - // I don't think it was lack of soap and water, it's a lack of deodorant. Teenagers sweat. //

We all do - but sweat does not smell.

What causes the odour is the bacteria which breed in stale perspiration - and that is alleviated by regular and thorough bathing.

[ummmm]

I know what causes BO.

[andy-hughes]

ummmm - // I know what causes BO. //

Then you know it's not 'lack of deoderant' - as you posted.

[B00]

With respect ummmm, if my child hums I'd make an effort to get to one, or at the very least ask someone else who can get to them, to get those items for me.

I'll reiterate, there really is no escuse.

[youngmafbog]

Perhaps the parents are "humming" too so dont notice? Maybe SS should be checking these out and providing some friendly advice?

[ummmm]

I would too, B00, I was just thinking if someone couldn't afford deodorant how will they afford the bus fair into town?

[Old_Geezer]

It's not the school's responsibility. We have a welfare state, someone should be looking into why either a) insufficient is being provided to the/some poor that they can wash neither themselves nor clothes, or b) what the money provided for washing etc. is being spent on.

[andy-hughes]

BOO - // I just find it disgraceful that parents are failing to shell out a few quid to stop their child being singled out in school. //

I think it is important to look at the wider picture here.

We are dealing with inner-city parents and children, and basic rules of care and support simply don't apply.

We are talking about parents who probably have little personal hygiene themselves, and parents who will be unable to grasp the connection between sending their children into school in a clean condition, and avoiding them being bullied.

If you asked most of these parents if they understood that not bathing their children, and not sending them in clean clothes was leading to them being bullied, they would look at you as though you were speaking Venusian - they simply don't understand these concepts.