childminders how would you approach this ?

[tappy]

I am a child minder and one of the wee girls i mind and have been minding for nearly 2 years now is 9 years old, the age when everything starts to happen and she is very sensitive. the last few weeks i have notice that she is smelling of sweat. i know she only gets bath once a week which is up to her mum and i know lots of other people do this to. but now she getting older i scared incase she get picked on . i have a daughter of my own at 9 and i know that if she didnt have a bath each night she would smell. my daughter has noticed it to and keeps saying it to me when girl away. i just say that i dont think her mum likes her to bath every night. i have got to know her parents and have always got on well i also look after little sis and she fine as she is 4

i dont know anyone who baths their children once a week. they must be filthy. even if i wash ds hands they still are dirty till he has a soak in the bath at night. you'd think her mum must smell it as she spends so much time with her.

no advice though sorry im crap at these things.

Maybe do a little themed project about the changes little girls face, like make a book/poster about the changes, which the girl in question could then take home.

I'm not suggesting the mum isn't doing her job but maybe if the girl was aware of the changes she could talk to her mum about it? I remember when I was young being teased at school (not only because I had ginger hair and glasses!) but for BO which I was totally ashamed about but naive also and it took a while for me to be able to realise there was something that could be done (ie wear deo, do more frequent washing) and talk to my mum about it. My mum hadn't realised the extent of the problem or that I was being picked on for it.

Try kidshealth.org/kids or www.factsoflife.org.uk/html/puberty/physicalchanges6.htm

Hope this helps.

HI THANKS FOR COMMENTS MAY TRY DOING SHEET OR POSTER ABOUT IT. I ACTUALLY HINTED TO THE MUM SAYING THAT I COUDNT BELIEVE THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS SMELLING OF BO BEFORE SHE WENT IN THE BATH LAST NIGHT AND THAT ONLY 1 DAY. THE MUM SAYS THANK GOD I NOT GOT ALL THAT YET. I REALLY LIKE LITTLE GIRL , SHE IS QUIET AND I CANT BARE THE THOUGHT OF PEOPLE SPEAKING ABOUT HER AT SCHOOL.I CANT UNDERSTAND THE MUM AS I KNOW SHE HAS SHOWER EVERY DAY BEFORE SHE DROP KIDS OFF. I AGREE THAT I DIDNT THINK ANY 1 HAD BATH ONCE A WEEK BUT I HAVE BEEN AMAZED SINSE I STARTED ASKIN AND LOTS OF MUMS THINK IT IS NORMAL

i think you need to be honest and straight forward to the mum.
Tell her you know its a sensitive subject but as your dd is same age, you thought you would mention that her dd is smelling of body odour as shes getting to that age and you dont want her to be singled out because of it..say to her that you bought a roll on deo that was 2 for one and as you are explaining these things to YOUR dd at minute, would she like you to speak to her dd at same time and give her one of the deo's, then her and your dd can learn together??

i might try that but i actually havent felt the need for deodrant for my daughter as i feel at 9 a bath every night does the trick. last week i had wee girl for a sleep over in middle of week and she had a bath but i cant keep doiun that think i will tell haer mum as dont want her to get picked on

My dd1 is 7 and has a bath every morning and wears deoderant - she has to or she really smells and i don't want her being picked on, children devlope at different rates and they seem to be developing younger and younger these days?
I know i was at least 12 before i needed deodarent and 13/14 when i started shaving (and that was without telling my mum because she thought i was too young but i was being picked on as im very dark).

well you could always just 'say' you bought some for your dd at least then shell think your in the same boat as her?

I'd have a word with her Mother, if it's that bad surely she's noticed it herself?

Does the child change clothes or wear the same clothes all week?

she wears same clothes , i think this is why it is smelling so bad, as on a monday i dont smell anything. i know myself that i change my daughters clothes every day as i think she needs it. i do want to speak to the mum but i have known her 3 years now and looked after kids for 2 and i am totaly shocked at this, i have tryed hinting sayin i cant believe my daughter wants to wear deodrant no and i says im thinking bout it as i think she needs it some times and she says thamk god i not at that stage yet what more can i do