Same Clothes Day After Day

[texascare]

This may seem an odd queation but do any of you have kids that show up days in a row with the SAME clothes on? I have one 20 month old that
ALWAYS shows up in the same clothes. Yesterday was day 3. I always will drop a hint or say something to the dad ad he will say ya he likes this outfit. I think it is gross and the clothes smell. When mom picks up (dad always drops off) she is shocked to see what he is in and i told her yesterday that is it just plain nasty. We play outside he gets dirty he gets food on the clothes and after 3 days it smells! She agreed. I am at a loss as what to do. It probly isn't an issue it just bugs me! And the poor kid just smells. I have other parents commenting as well. Any suggestions?

[Blackcat31]

yes. I have a child (age 18 months) who wears only two different shirt and the same pair of pants every day. They seem clean so I think that DCM might be washing them each evening....I don't know.

With my family though I am pretty positive, that it is a cultural thing or related to their culture and personal upbringing.

Does the family seem as though they cannot afford anything more than what they have? Is the child clean? Are the parents clean and wearing nice/different clothing each day?

One thing I have learned in this business is not eveyrone places the same level of importance to the same issues I (or even most the general public) do or does.

I guess bottm line is unless the child is suffering in anyway from this, I would leave it alone. If there is cause for concern about neglect or anything reportable, I wouldn't let my personal feelings and or thoughts become judgmental towards the family for their choices.

[Small Town Provider]

I have a little guy that I've had since 10 months old and he is now 2.5. He always wears the same pants every day for a week and then a different pair the next week. Doesn't matter how much food or dirt are on them, same pants. I was going through my Ds clothes the other day to donate them and I asked her if she needed anything for her guy because I had some stuff that would fit him. She said she had tons of clothes from nephews and stuff...

[texascare]

Mom is a school teacher and dad just has a minimum wage job.
He looks dirty all the time. Mom gets mad about the clothes. Dad just is kinda a bum type person. Looks it and acts it. Kinda hard to explain. Hair down to his belt, looks dirty, wears trashy type clothes. Mom is very much a professional and they live in one of the best areas in the neighborhood and driver very nice cars. The child has the clothes, i think it is just a lazy issue on dads part...the child is just dirty.

[Blackcat31]

Mom is a school teacher and dad just has a minimum wage job.
He looks dirty all the time. Mom gets mad about the clothes. Dad just is kinda a bum type person. Looks it and acts it. Kinda hard to explain. Hair down to his belt, looks dirty, wears trashy type clothes. Mom is very much a professional and they live in one of the best areas in the neighborhood and driver very nice cars. The child has the clothes, i think it is just a lazy issue on dads part...the child is just dirty.

Gottcha! I bet mom is more "laid-back" than she is letting on as she wouldn't have married a dude who is so dirty, scruffy, lazy, laid back etc... if it was a priority to her...kwim?

I will also bet she "acts" mad about it because she thinks it is how she is suppose to act an dpeople will judge her if she isn't "mad" about it but I bet deep down she really doesn't care.

I suppose it just isn't really a priority to either of them. Don't know if you can really change that about them but if it is a concern for you others on the forum have said they have kept spare clothing on site to change the child into while they paly and get dirty and then re-dressed them to go home in. Others have even said they ahve taken the "dirty" child's clohting and washed them and some have even gone so far as bathing a child if htey felt the child or clothing wasn't as clean as they wanted.

I suppose you could handle this in a bunch of different ways and no way would be right or wrong (unless the parent said not to do something) it s all up to whatever you are comfy with.

I do know though, that sadly the kids that are dirtier than others get far less personal contact as far as hugs and kisses go when in most care situations and that breaks my heart that cleanliness is directly related to affection. I understand 100% but I am pretty sure kids don't.

(Totally NOT saying you aren't affectionate due to dirtiness....just rehashing some bad memories from my Head Start days..... )

[Willow]

I have a four year old that'll get on outfit kicks, but mom will wash the clothes nightly when he wants to wear the same thing over and over again.

What a tough thing to deal with, I have no clue how I'd approach having a kid actually come grubby and gross day after day....

[texascare]

oh I gotcha Blackcat! no offense taken. I feel bad for the child. He's very smart and adorable. I feel sorry for him. Some things people do just make me wonder sometimes! Like when you say they need sunscreen. We are in Texas and play oustide they give you a look like really? You want ME to bring MY child sunscreen??? kwim?

[My3cents]

When he gets there in the morning, have a spare of clean clothes, take off the grubby ones and put him in clean clothes, put his clothes back on for pick up. That way you can wash his clothes and know he is clean. Hit yard sales or good sales and don't ever let him go home in the clothes you provide. or.......ask the parents to have three sets of clean clothes for spares and just rotate him out of the dirty and right into the clean ones. Lots of work but it will give you peace of mind- Lazy parents

No it is not our job to go above and beyond but once in a while you get a kid that just needs more and if you WANT to do this for the child, do it. I have and would do this. It was just better then trying to milk a dry cow......I don't know if that is a good example or not.......butting my head up against a wall over and over again.

[busymommy0420]

I have a DCG almost 4 who doesn't get baths all week or if she does her hair is not being washed. Her parents are great and very loving but very busy and hard working. I do her hair daily and the next day her hair is the same as I did it the day before with some major "bed head" from her sleeping on it. Her Dad drops off so he does not attempt to do her hair at all. Part of my morning is to style all the children's hair in my program. The parents love that I do their children's hair. Most of the kids who come are in clean clothes...but they never match well . I do water play so I know DCG gets clean in the summer here at least. She is my little sweetie pie. lovethis