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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To send DS into school with unbrushed teeth and unwashed face?

30 replies

DryCounty79 · 13/06/2013 08:31

He is refusing to brush his teeth or wash his face. It's been 15 minutes and we have to leave now. He's nearly 7 and quite frankly I've had enough of this battle every ruddy morning.

OP posts:
sashh · 13/06/2013 08:33

go

minouminou · 13/06/2013 09:08

Eeesh! DS, seven in October, almost ended up going to school in just his skids and a sock this morning.

Original poster
DryCounty79 · 13/06/2013 09:22

Thank you! We just went, he was lucky I waited for him to put his shoes and socks on.

Minouminou, have you ever actually left the house with him half dressed?

OP posts:
DorisIsWaiting · 13/06/2013 09:29

DD2 (5 nearly 6) has been carried to the car in vest an pants when she messed about getting dressed (on more than one occasion). I then let dd1 walk into school as I do not see why she should be late because dd2 chooses to mess about. DD2 then had a couple of minutes to get dressed in the car (with friends walking past). Had she not done that she would have been taken into school as she was (I had already spoken with her teacher).

We still have some nonsense in the morning but nowhere near as bad as it used to be.

fossil971 · 13/06/2013 09:35

What is it with boys? Why is hygiene so threatening?

We have that battle every morning and have done ever since DS started school he's now in YR4 Blush. He has been banned from everything possible but just slips back every time. He's on a computer ban at the moment because of it. He spends way more effort resisting than it would be to JUST GET ON WITH IT. AArrrgh.

Pinkponiesrock · 13/06/2013 09:36

I'm so glad to read this and realise its not just my DS that is like this!

bulletwithbutterflywings · 13/06/2013 09:36

Did you take him? I would have done!

ThisWayForCrazy · 13/06/2013 09:39

It doesn't improve IME. DS1 is a minger, this has been going on since he was about 6. I go with natural consequences and if people think he's dirty/smelly then so be it. He doesn't seem to be bothered...

However, if he goes out to meet a girl he takes AGES to get ready and is freshly scrubbed and smelling gorge by the time he leaves!

micku5 · 13/06/2013 09:40

I've taken dd2 to school in her dressing gown. She refused to get out of the car when I walked dd1 in. We went home and she got dressed in a super quick time and has not done it since.

minouminou · 13/06/2013 09:44

No....because he knows I would follow it through.
He got dressed while wailing: "This is the worst day EVER! Mama, you make me sad ALL THE TIME!"

Original poster
DryCounty79 · 13/06/2013 09:45

I have used the threat of leaving the house/going to school undressed. But it seems to work, as I've not yet had to actually do it.
Although it nearly backfired this morning, he got quite excited about the idea of wearing his pajamas to school!

OP posts:
kc77 · 13/06/2013 11:17

My mum once walked/dragged me halfway down the street in my vest and knickers when I refused to get ready for school!

Scruffey · 13/06/2013 11:25

Oh yes just send him. It's more important to brush teeth at night than in the morning so I insist on night time brushing but don't stress if it isn't done in the mornings. I would quickly take a baby wipe to his mouth if there's any food round it, but otherwise forget about the morning face wash as well if it's a battle.

wankerchief · 13/06/2013 11:28

I have taken ds1 to school in his white top and pj bottoms . He was in year 1 and was having a strop, he flat out refused to get dressed, he then smirked at me and said 'guess who's gonna be late for work'

I calmly went and put his clothes in a bag picked him up threw him over my shoulder and walked to school a few doors down. I took him to his class put him down, very youdly told the teacher why he wasnt dressed and left. He was so embarrassed. Hes not done it again though, in in fact he gets ready nice and early

HarrietSchulenberg · 13/06/2013 11:33

Yes, ds1 had to go to school in his pyjamas for exactly that reason. He had PJs and shoes on and had to get dressed in the lobby where the coathooks are. In front of the rest of the class as they were hanging their stuff up.

Buchanon08 · 13/06/2013 11:34

I left my daughter (6yrs) at home this morning as she wasn't ready. I took my son in to school on time as I'm fed up with her always making him late and my husband drove her in when she was ready! Apparently she hurried up with her teeth, hair, socks etc...once I'd driven off and she really didn't like arriving at school once the gate was closed. I'm hoping she will move faster tomorrow morning!

specialsubject · 13/06/2013 11:38

lots of mum-power here and I am cheering for all of you!

trackies · 13/06/2013 11:44

yeah def go. I have the getting ready battle too.

Original poster
DryCounty79 · 13/06/2013 11:46

Thank you all for your replies! I'm so glad I'm not the only one (although sorry you all have the stress and hassle too).

Scruffey, I think I will take your advice and not make a big deal of it in the mornings.

Minouminou, They are so dramatic aren't they? Mine always says 'It's not fair' when he has to do anything. He regularly follows with 'I always have to do everything around here'. Although he may have picked that one up from me... Blush

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/06/2013 11:46

YADNBU, DryCountry - it won't do him any harm.

In a few years, he will hit puberty and he will discover girls - and in my experience as the mother of three boys, this is when they discover an interest in hygiene. Then your main problem is enough bathroom time for them all, and coping with the dense clouds of Lynx that will fill every nook and cranny of your house each morning. >

Lord alone knows what the manufacturers put in the stuff that makes it so pungent and so penetrating. I am sure that the neighbours know when the dses put their deodorant on!

Chivetalking · 13/06/2013 11:52

I had this twice over. I told them if I got to the school gate and found they hadn't washed they would be taken home to do it would therefore be late and it would be up to them to explain to the office and teacher why.

Solved it instantlyGrin

MiaowTheCat · 13/06/2013 13:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fillyjonk75 · 13/06/2013 13:41

DD2 went to nursery (pre-school) in her nightie once as she wouldn't get dressed or let me get her dressed. She only did it once. A reward chart has really helped and she does it 95% of the time all by herself now at 4 and a bit.

Also both DDs have cleaning teeth morning and evening as a current goal. Basically 5 smiley stickers on the chart for any one "target" means a star sticker and £1 extra pocket money. Refusal to do something carries a threat of taking a sticker away...but has never actually been needed other than as a threat.

DD1's (nearly 8) goals are Doing homework without being reminded, tidying up and being helpful, cleaning teeth, sharing with DD2.

She also has a separate chart for piano practice - box to tick for ten minutes practice every day. If every day is ticked MIL puts an extra pound in a separate piggy bank at her house.

DD2's are Getting dressed by herself, tidying up and being helpful, cleaning teeth, sharing with DD2.

Scholes34 · 13/06/2013 13:48

DH once went to work in his pyjama bottoms. That says a lot about DH.

Mother2many · 13/06/2013 15:24

wankerchief: LOVE IT!

Scholes: lololol

I follow through with it too...as they need to learn.

Even unbrushed teeth will cause bad breath, and it isn't pleasant to have someone comment on it...

I don't do rewards for doing what should be done, period... It's part of life.

Learn the consequence...

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