What to do about students with body odor!?!?

[RoyalTRider]

I never said that detesting the smell of BO is human nature- I said detesting unpleasant smells was human nature- hence why I did not bother to respond to the people who did not even read what I typed and blabbed on about it.

[RoyalTRider]

And to those who talk about how bathing reguarly, ect., is only new within the last couple of hundreds of years- that bears no relevance. Other rituals in histroy include killing people for what they believe in, shooting people for changing thier religion, and saying one gender is more human than the other. All of those things still go on, and when I speak against them, I sure do not hear, "Well that was done two hundreds years ago, so that is my argument for it." Halting actions such as the three aforementioned is what we call progress.

[RumpusRaiser]

Well,does the OP have other teenagers at the barn, perhaps a year or two older and therefore "cooler"? Get them to do the big sis routine - they helped me with my kid when she needed a nudge in the hygiene direction.

BTW, as a mother of an incredibly stinky 12 year old, all deodorants are not created equal - my daughter had to try a couple of different ones before we found one that worked with her chemistry - puberty is an interesting thing.

Good luck, but better from someone who cares about them rather than the mean mouths at school.

[Mav226]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> And to those who talk about how bathing reguarly, ect., is only new within the last couple of hundreds of years- that bears no relevance <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It is also only in the last few hundred years that people stopped transmiting diseases via lice and fleas. It is only in the last few hundred years that people began living past the age of 50. It is only in the past 300 years that the plague hasn't resurfaced when it had come around regularly before. Perhaps our increased sense of hygeine has nothing to do with these facts. But IMO, it can't hurt

[Prairie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>What about fart smells? Do those of you in favor of BO and all of its naturalness feel the same way about the fragrance of fart? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>




OMG, this is cracking me up!!!!!

[nhwr]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
I find something very ironic about part of this. People say how rude Americans are because of how we act towards customs in other countries, but those same people think they can come on over here and just do whatever they want.

This, as was said, IS America!! Therefore, the issue is NOT what is done in other counties ...here, it is accepted to wear deoderant <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow this sounds like something that should be covered under the Patriot Act. Let's get Ridge and Ashcroft on it!
Now, when entering the US, all foreigners will be photographed and sniifed

[neVar]

WOW what an incrediably LONG thread about this.

So i'll add to it-

MY advice- talk to the parents about it. Just like i would do if a girl needed a better bra etc. That way it can be 'purchased' for them with the conversation implying that they stink (or bounce etc etc)

[BelladonnaLily]

Let them know in one of the many diplomatic ways stated here on this thread. My husband is a farmer and sweats like a pig in the summer (it literally drips off of him at times). He wears deodorant. Sometimes he smells a bit "sweaty" but never have I smelled that offensive "BO" smell. There is a HUGE difference.

A co-worker that works outside does occassionally have that BO smell. Fortunately, he's rarely in the office. I personally don't give a hoot what they do in France, BO stinks.

I am told by my spa lady that waxing reduces the need for it as the hair follicles trap moisture and create the smell. Shaving doesn't do it as you still have hair under the skin.

If you are worried about the "deodorant causes breast cancer" hype, try some of the new deodorants sans aluminum. From what I understand, the aluminum is the alleged problem. I believe Secret makes one called Platinum?

[breezymeadow]

I posted way back in the beginning of this thread, but I totally agree here with the poster re: a confidential talk with parents - ASSUMING that the parents are of the type who are sensitive to this.

[Ghazzu]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BelladonnaLily:
My husband is a farmer and sweats like a pig <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Pigs don't sweat.
That's why they wallow in the mud--to cool off.

[spotted mustang]

you people crack me up.

Americans are scent-phobic?
Europeans have BO and don't use deodorant (which Europeans, if I may ask? Fins? Hungarians? Spaniards? All of them?)

where on earth do you people get these ridiculous cliches? Do you get all your education out of movies?

I've lived on both continents, and nope, Europeans aren't any smellier than Americans. No one likes extreme BO, because extreme BO is usually a sign of some sort of health problem. Everybody smells a little, but normal people don't smell extremely, even when sweaty or after exercising.

So...if these kids really stink so badly maybe you should send them off to a doctor.

[BelladonnaLily]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ghazzu:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BelladonnaLily:
My husband is a farmer and sweats like a pig <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Pigs don't sweat.
That's why they wallow in the mud--to cool off. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks so much for taking your time to type such invaluable information! Next time I'm tempted to swipe some Secret on a pig, I'll remember that!

[OLD A/O]

This is a tough call.

It is sort of like do you want to walk around all day with that piece of lettuce stuck in your teeth- or do you want someone to tell you about it?

[mrs.smith]

wow! Who knew a thread on B.O. would go on for 5 pages?

[Jewels]

Tell them at the end of class, ask them if they can stay behind a couple minutes. Then let em know. Yeah, they'll be embarrassed. Who wouldn't!? But they apprieciate it in the end! Cause if you don't do it, some girl/boy at school they have a crush on is gonna one day pipe up, "Ewww, "Bobby stinks!"...and it will hurt alot more coming from a peer then it will from you. And if your so worried about hurting their feelings, maybe talk to the parents?

And yeah, teens have self esteem problems, but when your depressed like me, your coach telling you that you stink is the least of your worries!

[Jewels]

I had great and wonderful things planned for my 500th post on COTH.....somehow I ended up writing about BO!

[faraway46]

What a great thread! I have the same problem with one rider but he's not in his pre-teens....more in his post-teens(kinda like 30 years past it.... an "over the hill" teenager like me ) and I still haven't gotten the courage to confront the "odor situation". If it's tough saying it to a teenager, imagine trying to persuade a guy in his 40s!! I prefer to indulge myself with perfume than to start "Operation Deoderant".

[Riverview]

I know where you are comming from, I have a couple "stinky" students too. I have hinted to them they need deoderant, and the other students have not so subtly hinted as well, most are nice saying things such as "here ***** do you need some deoderant?" which is usually politely refused. This one child in particular comes ot our summer camps an practically lives with us. I know for a fact that she takes showers and uses soap, but she still smells the same 5 mninutes after she exits the shower. I know sh has heard soem of the not so nice kids talking about her, and thought she make an effort to fix the problem. I think i will sit her parents down and talk to them, though they are very sensitive about stuff like that. If there is some reason why she is stinky they may want to find out what it is.
I know alot of kids go through a stinky faze...i did myself..shower once a week and put on deoderant when i felt like it! And most of th etime when i notice a particularly stinky kid I will have an older "cooler" rider offer them some deoderant...if that dosent work..they usually just grow out of it eventually!

[ise@ssl]

Grow out of it? Being dirty and smelling? If wishes were horses beggers would ride! Every travel on the subway?? It's filled with these people.

Tell them to use deoderant or don't come back - period. It's offensive - same as bad breath.

[UNCeventer]

It could even be a safety issue for the instructor. If the odor is bad enough to knock her over! lol-

Soooo DURAMAX, update us.....