What Would You Do? - Neptune,NJ

I would do as you did and give my opinion, that her kids need to bathe more often.....then.......I would let her raise her own children!

My kids, ages 7, 5 and 2 only shower every other day....is that enough for you? ;)

I think that you need to sit her down and be a little forceful. Tell her that her kids not only look dirty but smell. And that it's not that she's doing anything wrong but soon (very soon) her kids are going to be made fun of for being the smelly/dirty kids in school. Tell her that she needs to begin a routine with them so that they can learn how to take care of themselves as they get older. And the 9 year old can certainly shower by himself. And a 3 year old can bathe every other day. She can even put him in the shower with her and hose him off. Not to be gross - butts smell - they need to get washed.

Is it laziness? Is she dirty? Does she bathe regularly? If she doesn't, you might have a lost cause.

There isn't a bathing law- having said that you may have a better chance at this conversation if you go from the kids' perspective. Essentially, she doesn't want her kids to get teased for being the "smelly kid" and as they get older it will get worse.

Find out the (real) reason why they aren't bathing every night. My toddler gets a complete bath e-o-night due to his extremely dry skin, but gets a "wipe down" every night, including washing his hands and face before bed. I would suggest having them do something like that instead b/c there may be another (financial) reason?

If she lets it go too long, the school social worker will say something and then she risks having Child Services involved b/c it could be considered neglect or inadequate guardianship.

I'm in the minority here but since you've already said something it sounds like more than once, I think you should mind your own business. If you're worried about your children getting sick from interacting with her kids, then you have more reason to pursue. Otherwise, I'd let it go. There may be things you do or don't do w/ your children that she really disagrees with. None of us are perfect mothers.

My recommendation is that you delve in a little deeper. Can you be more DIRECT with her and ask her where she learned that children only need to be bathed once a week? My parents were a bit like this as they came from German farming communities where weekly baths were the norm. And if you smell many Europeans, I think many still practice this.

Her lack attitude is not healthy and I'd be curious to know how she came about developing such an opinion. It's like why brush my teeth, they'll just get dirty again. And yet research has proven that brushing 2x day is best for our gums/teeth, etc. Or why cut my nails, they'll just get long again. Clearly not a logical thought process. Or why eat, I'll just get hungry again....on and on...

If you have known her for so long, you of all people should be able to sit and discuss openly and honestly with her. How do her boys feel about being so dirty? Their hormones have not kicked in yet, but these habits stick with us. So unless she wants him/them shunned by all pubescent girls and boys, she needs to teach him better hygiene practices.

Also, the 9 yr. old is old enough to help the 3 yr. old in the bath. Perhaps she can train the 9 yr. to assist with that responsibility and they can start in every other night, or 2x week, say once on the weekend, once during the week.

And then be honest with her about how you see it as unhealthy for children to be so unkempt and you would appreciate sweeter smelling friends to play with.

EDIT - I had a somewhat similar situation years ago with my oldest daughter. There was a neighbor girl who came over ALL the time to play - literally every day after school. In the 2nd grade she was a latchkey kid. Parents were divorced. Mom worked. Older brother hung out with friends. After I figured out how filthy she was, I made a big deal about her washing up when she entered the house. I took her straight to the bathroom where she had to wash her hands and face and she had to leave her shoes at the front door. She wasn't singled out, as my daughter did the same after school. I swear it cuts down on viruses/colds passed around at school. So hopefully you can have a positive influence when they are over.

I don't think there is a bathing law! Maybe there should be. LOL
What if you tell her how her son may be perceived if he is dirty every day? Other kids might make fun of him, shun him for only that reason. I find that disturbing, and I'm like you--my 7 yo gets bathed every night other than once in a blue moon when we will wait til morning or skip "a" day.

I have a four year old and only let her have a bath/shower about once a week, maybe twice. But I have also taught her to wash her hands every time she uses the restroom, helps cook dinner, or is done with a messy activity. She also washes her face with a damp washcloth in the morning. And I let her use wet wipes to clean herself after having a bowel movement.

For myself I do bathe daily, I find it hard to wake up fully in the mornings if I don't. My daughter does not and she does not stink from from it. I keep my home extremely clean and wash our bedding once a week. We also wear fresh clean clothes everyday and pajamas every night. I only wash the pajamas once a week though, with the bedding.

Some of my choices are financially based, and some are personally based. I honestly cannot afford the cost to wash laundry every day for a different set of pajamas every night, nor the added towels everyday. I do about 4-5 loads a week at the laundry-mat which costs about 20 dollars, and I also have to load it up into a wagon and walk 12 blocks in the rain to get there. So I am extremely laundry conscious:) I myself use only 1-2 bath towels a week. But I can afford to buy a gallon of white vinegar every few months and scrub the heck out of my house every few days:) And I can afford to use a clean dish cloth every day in the kitchen, and fresh washcloths every day for our faces. I also mop just about every day, and use a fresh washcloth on a swiffer mop to do so. (It is very important to me to have a clean floor) I have learned what is important to me and what I can compromise on. If I had more income, I would probably be inclined to use a clean bath towel everyday because I would own a washing machine/dryer:) Also, time is a factor. To me, I value the little time I get in the evenings with my daughter to read and play with her instead of a daily bath routine. So I choose to let her bathe on the weekends, usually once on Friday for a play-based bath-time and then again on Sunday so I can wash and condition her hair.

I think how often a child bathes is a parent's choice. I personally don't think it is necessary to bathe a child everyday as long as their clothes and other daily habits are clean. It sounds like that the boys would benefit from knowing how to wash their faces more than anything else.

But what I am really trying to say that all of us as parents are doing the best we can with the situations we are in. We all have circumstances that affect our choices, and we all have different levels of abilities, personal preferences, etc.

Also-cleanliness can be deceptive. I have a relative who has an immaculate home and bathes every day and uses a fresh towel/clean clothes everyday...BUT she does not wash her hands before preparing food OR after using the restroom, even in a public restroom! THAT really grosses me out!

I would pull her aside and tell her politely that her children smell. I don't know if you have kids her age but you could even say you overheard other kids talking about him smelling. If she says they will just get dirty again, point out that while this is true, their butts and nether regions need to be washed or else they may get an infection!

This being said, I only bath my children every other day (everyday if they are super dirty or sticky) and know people who only bathe their kids 2-3 times a week.

I bathe my kids when they are dirty - usually that means every day for my 2 yo, and every couple for my 8 year old.
Some people just don't see dirt as a problem - and really it isnt - I hope there are never laws for how often you bathe your kids - I really don't bathe every day either, by the time everything is done, I usually don't have time, so I end up showering about 3 times a week.
As long as they are healthy and happy, well fed and loved I would back off - it's none of your business really!

If I was her friend and was that close to her, I'd just be straight up and say hey. You know, skipping a bath every now and then on a late night or when you haven't been out all day is one thing, we've all done it. But you're a parent and it's your responsibility to care for them, head to toe. You're embarrassing them and making others uncomfortable, not to mention it's a health concern. Buck up and clean your kids...if you don't know how or don't want to, ask for help!

I don't think there is a law regarding it and I don't know that I want my life as a parent legislated like that...but nevertheless, it's an issue and the school or child services or any other agency isn't going to be the one to help it, this is an issue for family and friends. There may be something deeper going on here and as her friend, you should do whatever you can to get to the bottom of it and ensure the well being of her and her kids.

Well, I don't know that bathing (or not!) your children only once a week would be "against the law" or that it would even be an issue for child services. If that is the only issue, I can't see the government getting involved. It seems you have already told her she needs to bathe the kids more and she isn't going to do it! I don't think there is anything else to do...when the kids get old enough to be emabarassed by it, they will bathe themselves more frequently! ps: my husband has more than one coworker who obviously don't bathe daily, so some adults have issues too...they were probably raised by parents like your friend!

Hmm, does she come from Europe? They are a lot less often bathers than Americans are.
I'm sure if the school thought the 9 year old was being neglected they would say or do something.
I'm sure you will get plenty of posts here that you can use to give to your friend. A 9 year old can start having body odor and that would not go over very well with peers.... and could cause some esteem problems for him when other kids start picking on him--- and that will happen in time if its not happening already.
Some people are not germaphobes, but not changing their clothes or washing their hands and face for a week at a time sure sounds bad to me.
I hope he's brushing his teeth (the 9 yr old).
This is distressing, wish I had a better answer for you.

I really don't understand why people respond so rudely to a question you were asking. If some people feel the need to be so rude in their responses, they should probably refrain.

However, those kids need to bathe more than once a week. Every other day is not going to give her a huge water bill. She may be going through personal things and miss a night here or there, but in American culture, personal hygiene is a big thing. It sounds like you just need to have a serious conversation with her. I wouldn't let her shrug it off, well to the best of your ability. Just tell her that you think it's really important for her to keep her kinds clean and healthy. Every other day is good, but once a week is not.

Wow. Once a week is not enough! My husband and I give our kids a bath every other night. Is your friend married? I am guessing she is divorced and is having a very hard time doing everything all by herself. She must be too tired to bathe them. If she is married, her husband needs to step in and help! To me, it sounds a little like neglect. I'm not sure if there is anything you can do, since you are good friends with her. It's not like you are going to call child protective services on her, so if you feel comfortable (which you said you do), you can sit her down and have a talk with her about it. I know you said she just shrugs her shoulders, so if she does it again, offer to come over once or twice a week and bathe her kids for her. Since you are so concerned (for good reason), it would be nice if you are willing to help her out for a while, until she gets on her feet and isn't so tired. However, her 9 y/o can bathe/shower himself!

Good grief.
Well, you already told her BLATANTLY about her kids' hygiene and her LACK of bathing them.
She STILL does not care.
How sad.

What do her own kids think? Do they 'like' being dirty????
I assume, a 9 year old CAN AND DOES know how to bathe or shower himself, by that age. My daughter just made 8, and she can go in the shower and turn it on well and shower herself.

Does she have a Husband? What does he think... of her and his dirty kids????

This is really... pathetic of the Mom. Really pathetic.

You already tried.
Ya can't make her keep her kids clean.
She is real lazy... and negligent.

HOPEFULLY she gives them clean underwear AND does the laundry???? I mean, clothes get dirty and smelly again... but normal people do do laundry... for clean underwear if anything.
Her "logic" is lacking.

SO... does SHE bathe regularly, HERSELF? I mean, she gets dirty and smelly again... so if she goes by her logic... she won't bathe or shower either. Ugh.

all the best,
Susan

I have read all the answers so far.
One thing that no one brought up is that, maybe,
your friend is depressed.
Maybe she's overwhelmed with other stuff,
that you may or may not know about.
So maybe her awareness of the kids' degree of cleanliness
is totally unimportant to her, because she's got other stuff
that's more urgent or frightening or disastrous to her.
????
If the 9-year-old is comfortable with you,
enjoys visiting in your home, perhaps you can take a little time
and have a private conversation with him.
Not go straight to the question but . . . . in general,
how are things? how is school? do you have friends in school?
etc.
and then, if it seems an easy transition,
maybe ask him if he has noticed that the other kids at school
look(smell) different than he does.
Ask him if he has any ideas about why this is?
If you suggest more frequent bathing,
don't suggest that he has done anything wrong.
Just point out that your child, and other children,
don't go as long as he (apparently) does between showers.
Ask him if he'd like to shower more often?
Maybe even ask him if he'd like to help his little brother shower, too.
I'm just brainstorming here.

We have very close family friends with two children, now 17 and 14. These folks are from England/Serbia (now citizens here), so perhaps culturally, there are differences in our case. (Not sure on that one, and no culture offense intended - just speculating that there may be differences - the Serbian portion of the family is also quite poor.) When the kids were little, like toddler to early elementary grades, they bathed twice per week. That always made me uncomfortable, even though the kids never looked particularly dirty, and never smelled. And their clothes were always clean. And I imagine, if they did get particularly dirty for some reason, their mother bathed them, but as a general rule, they bathed twice per week. A little different than your situation, because the kids weren't visably dirty. These are the kids of a priest, so perhaps, even though they didn't bathe daily, it was still important for them to present well. Now, as teenagers, naturally they bathe daily.

I bathe my son 'nearly' everyday. I'd prefer to do it everyday, but if he'd been in the pool, or if he really didn't go out of the house, I 'may' let him slide on occasion. But even on those days, he has to have his hands and face washed. But I think kids should be bathed far more regularly than once per week.

I know with my son, if he skipped a day, and he didn't get his bum totally clean with a bm, he does get sore. I can't imagine letting that go for a week. And the excuse that they'll just get dirty again absolutely doesn't fly. If this was my close friend that I felt comfortable talking to, I'd just tell her how I felt about it. And then, ultimately, it's up to her.

This really isn't fair to the kids. They will get teased in school and the school probably feels sorry for the kids. As they approach puberty it is going to get worse. You should have a serios talk w/ your friend...does she bathe? I bet so.

laws for how often you have to bathe your kids? I sure hope not! :) I cannot bathe all my kids every night- I have 5 of them. It would take forever! They get a bath twice a week(2 one night, one the next- two the next night-etc.) For a while we had them only taking 1 bath a week because our bathtub was broken- had a huge crack in it- but I make sure my kids wear clean clothes, change their underwear everyday, and wash up if they are dirty(face and hands).
I don't know what you can do to convince your friend- she didn't seem to welcome your "hints".
Good luck!
~C.

Maybe she has a financial issue and can't pay a huge water bill. Why not buy some of those paintable soaps for her kids and let her know you bought them so they can get in the tub or shower every day and paint away, stressing playtime instead of cleanliness. They might not get totally clean but they'll have fun playing with the soap and water every day.

If you've known her for 20yrs, would she mind you wiping their faces the least. Also, cleanliness is really a touchy subject, and the most you can do is educate her about it and what could happen (gum disease if teeth not brushed, lice for hair, infections for cuts, etc), versus accusing her and joking around about them being nasty. She might see you and shrug at your always wanting to be clean. At least they do take a bath on Wednesdays - That apparently is her rule. There's really not much you can do other than have them wash their feet and/or hands if they come by you. Otherwise, it is really that M.'s choice to do that as nasty and disgusting as it might be to you. Even with family that can be a sensitive issue and sometimes we really don't know what is going on. Maybe they are trying to save water and electric bill.

i would tell her that bathing the kids once a week is not enough. probably the 9 yr old can take a shower himself, but the 3 year old no.
and then leave it at that. you can't raise someone else's kids. it's her way in this case. it would be great if you get her to understand, but what else can you do?

appeal to the oldest kid. tell him baths make him sexy for girls. this is what I used to tell my oldest. I only bath my 2 yr old every 2-3 night depending on the situation. if he is really dirty or whatever I will do it more often. when he gets older I will do it more often. but once a week sounds so gross.have the oldest bath the baby with him. if the 9 yr old has bathed himself and brags to you smell him and tell him he smells sexy. I used to do this with my oldest to make sure he bathed all parts of his body. at 9 they start caring what girls think. My oldest when I told him that his face would lite up and he would blush and be so proud of himself.

buy the kids some body paint and let them paint themselves which requires taking a bath. all kids think its fun to draw on themselves. My 2 yr old is fixing to get body paint cause he screams so much when its bath time. I am going to try to make it fun. last night in the bath I had to also bath cookie monster. buy them bathtub toys for the youngest and make them want to take a bath. good luck and these are my only suggestions.

I haven't read any responses yet, but how often does she bathe? We all get dirty again, but we still bath regularly. Since you are so open and friends for so long I would just be honest, no more joking about it. Your boys need bath at least every other day or so. I'm sure the older one will get picked on at school for being the smelly one. Then I would talk to the boys, buy them each some bubble bath and say have fun with it, every night.

Okay well good I'm not the only one that insist my girls get a bath each and every single day! I know I am OCD too and even if they did nothing I make them wash off every single day because I am a huge germaphobe as well! Your friend is going to have a big issue on her hands when those boys start reaching puberty and they will hopefully take the inititive themselves to take care of their smelly selves. If you have already said something to her then I don't see what more you could do-maybe start buying her some soap and washcloths for x-mas, birthdays, etc. but be prepared she may eventually get her feelings hurt. Have you expressed this to her with all jokes aside to let her know you are serious? Ew...that makes me want to go and scrub down in the shower just thinking about it-its just gross to me. Does she take a shower every day or just once a week as well....as a woman that is very gross in my opinion. Can't do it-I even have to shave my legs every day otherwise I still feel "dirty".

The 9 yo is old enough to hop in the shower. Maybe you can talk to him directly? Otherwise maybe take the approach with the mom that it's time they start learning how to on their own so she doesn't have to do it for them. My son is 8 and we say, go take a shower, and he does. Its as simple as that. I hope she gets a clue quickly, she is only hurting her kids. good luck.

If she isn't keeping them clean, what else isn't she doing for them. That is
neglect and laziness. Family service needs to be contacted and you could
tell her so, so maybe she just might shape up.

Updated

If she isn't keeping them clean, what else isn't she doing for them. That is
neglect and laziness. Family service needs to be contacted and you could
tell her so, so maybe she just might shape up.

I think that's disgusting, personally, but you've already said something to her and she just doesn't care. The 9-year-old can definitely hop in the shower on his own, my 5-year-old does! He's going to start to get teased soon, if he hasn't already and that may solve the problem. But a law? Not that I've ever heard of :) And why are they wearing dirty clothing? That's also gross. She doesn't make them put fresh clothes on their dirty bodies? (hahaha)

.

this is a touchy issue to discuss with anyone, be ready for a fight and for her to take offense, I know I would even if it were true. I would talk to the kids to see how they feel about it as well if you have that kind of relationship with them. I don't even have a schedule for bath time, when he is dirty or gets into a mess or we have a specil something (pictures, party etc) then he goes into the tub. If she does not care about it but you do then toss the kids into the tub and have clean clothes at your house for them to wear she will get the hint.

I probably would not do anything. I am not OCD but I do bathe my kid daily - only exception is if he was home all day, depending on what we did I would skip a bath.

In middle school I had a friend who obviously did not bathe daily. I was confused by it, and me being the 12 year old with no internal filter I straight-up asked her and she told that is just the way her family taught her. I met her parents and could see that everyone was little lacking good hygeine habits. We ended up going to college together and noticed then that she changed her habits, probably because she was away from home and began noticing that her ways were different from most. We are still friends, and she is great person and I still feel a little bad that I confronted her about such a sensitive issue way back when.

I think it is likely a bad hygeine habit your friend picked up, perhaps from when she was being raised. Personally, there is nothing grosser than a man who cannot maintain good hygiene habits, and when I meet one I think to myself "what kind of momma raised you?" I am conscious of maintaining healthy hygeine but not everyone is that way. Some people don;t even brush their teeth every day! That is normal for them, but that does not make them bad people. I would try your best to accept your friends' preferences for maintaining her kids and just leave the whole issue alone. Not your fish to fry.

I don't even know where to begin (I am pretty OCD too....). I bathe my son every night unless we are home all day long and he hasn't been outside because of the weather or something....that is good feeling comfortable saying things to your friend but unless you truly fear for their lives or feel they are being neglected in some capacity, it's best not to interfere. If that is the case then CPS would be your contact. You can be up front with her and tell her that you don't feel comfortable being around her kids and them being at your house...she will most likely get mad but I would rather have a mad friend than a sick kid.

I am so upset at the idea that they do not have tooth brushes!!! Goodness...no words. I have been known to go easy on the baths during winter, my house is cold and drafty and they are not getting as dirty, but well I still kept my children clean with wipies and wash clothes and they still had 2 or 3 baths a week...just not nightly like in the summer! Anyone can get lice, it is not necessarily a "dirty" thing...

My kids get a bath or shower e-o-d unless they are particularly dirty and then they hop in the shower regardless of the routine. My littlest has dry skin and a touch of psoriasis and so e-o-d is really is as frequently as he can get a full dunking. Of course, they wash their hands and face several times a day.

But I definitely know where you are coming from! My nieces are filthy. They are with their mom most of the time and she is bored with the work of parenting and I guess assumes hygiene is totally up to them (they are 6, 9, and 13). The oldest went thru a truly horrifying filthy/smelly phase a few yrs ago. Seriously, you could smell her across the room. It was so painful because what could we do w/o hurting her feelings? Gramma tried to step in. My brother was so worried about her at this age (divorce was in full swing) he was paralyzed w/regard to doing anything that might damage her further. I gave her a basket of goodies for Christmas one year with soaps, shampoos, lotions, deoderant, perfume, etc. Thankfully, at 13, she really can handle the hygiene thing by herself even though her mother thinks never bathing or washing clothes is OK. But now the middle girl is entering the smelly phase and so we get to start all over again. My mom said she was so rank the last time she visited, she sent her straight into the shower and THREW OUT HER UNDERWEAR. Ish!

If your friend's kids are dirty to the point that they smell, I would not discuss it further. I might simply avoid hanging with the kids. If they are just generally grubby, carry wet wipes and make everyone wash their hands and faces while you are together. Your kids and hers so no feels picked on.

I was told every other day or even every 2 days was good bc the kids skin dries out. I wash my one and two year old every other day unless their skin looks a little dry then I wait an extra day or if they are super dirty it might be every day. My youngest has really dry skin so though I put tons of lotions and stuff on her nothing seems to help and I dont want her skin drying out to bad. I think once a week is a little to long but hey my kids get bathed like 3X a week... I also brush their teeth every day and clean them up all the time, but full on baths are usually every other day.

Hi Mama-

Honestly, in this case, I fall somewhere in the middle and really don't know what I would do.

In our house, the kiddos get a bath every Tuesday because this is the day that the oldest (a 3YO girl) goes to gymnastics. I have a thing about the mats possibly being dirty - don't get me wrong, the place is very clean - but I get the willies. Then, they get one other bath during the week unless there is a really dirty activity (like the puddle walk we took the other day). At this young of an age, the kids do not sweat the same way that adults do and really do not need to be bathed every single day.

I do agree that hands and faces need to be cleaned and occassionally, there have been "hose downs" when there is no time for a full bath. Also, clothes should be clean. I can not understand why someone would cloth their children in dirty clothes.

Like I said, I am split. Not much help I know, but maybe there is a middle ground? You do admit to being a bit OCD, but she seems a bit lax.

Good luck.
~C.

How often does your friend bathe? Is her home filthy too? My kids bathe every day but once in a blue moon they might skip a night.

There aren't any laws about bathing but yuck for you to know this about her kids. Do they come over your home often?

Does it bother you or are you just grossed out by it? If it bothers you then the only time I would make it an issue is if they were coming over & would request that the kids bathe so you don't have to disinfect your house.

I'm don't suffer from OCD, but I always bathed or showered my kids every day. They always liked getting into bed fresh and clean and seemed to sleep better after some tub time. Even camping, I had them take a swim in the river to get rinsed off and used soap that was environmentally safe. Then I'd dry them off and put clean stuff on them for getting in the tent to sleep.
No...there are no laws that say a child has to be bathed a certain number of times per week, and, there shouldn't be, in my opinion. However, I do know exactly what you are saying about dirty kids. Little boys stink to high heaven if they play and get sweaty.
I had a friend whose son NEVER bathed. Once a month, maybe. He also refused to cut his fingernails and they had so much dirt under them, it was gross! She always said, "I prefer to pick my battles. He doesn't like bathing or showering so it's not worth fighting about." However, she and dad would fight about it because dad wanted him to wash and didn't really care that he didn't "like" it. She would tell dad it was the kid's choice and to leave him alone. I seriously didn't get it. He had no special needs or anything, in fact was in the GATE program at school. He just didn't want to bathe. Period.
I have another friend whose daughter went through a phase of not wanting to shower. She was in the 8th grade, had her periods, and she fought with her parents over showering. Well, she had always liked me cutting and fixing her hair all the time, especially for school pictures or dances and I just flat told her I wasn't touching her hair anymore if she didn't shower and keep her hair clean every day.
It worked.
You've already mentioned to your friend that in your opinion you think she should bathe her kids more. She's obviously not worried about it. In another couple years or so when her oldest REALLY starts stinking, she may change her mind about bath frequency.
What seems sad to me is that personal hygiene really doesn't take that much effort and kids who learn it early on just think it's the normal thing to do. In the days before indoor plumbing, water had to be hauled into the house, heated on the stove, baths were usually once a week and the whole family would use the same water. It didn't make them "dirty" people, it was just a logistical thing. These days, washing a little more often really isn't such a chore.
If I were you, and I'm not, I wouldn't really mention it to her again.
But, the holidays are coming and maybe you can get the boys some of their own personal bath products and toys. At 9, my son started a bunch of other little boys on the bath bandwagon when he started using Old Spice body wash. It smells so good and clean I even use it sometimes and it's not harsh on the skin. They sell gift sets that come with body scrubbers, etc.
They make all kinds of fun bath stuff for 3 year olds. If they receive it as gifts, the boys may want to use it more. It's worth a try.
The 9 year old is certainly old enough to bathe or shower by himself. I always took that time to finish loading up the dishwasher or get the last load of laundry out of the dryer.
I don't know. I certainly hear what you're saying because I had a friend that didn't worry about her son bathing either. There's not a lot you can really do about it.

Best wishes.

I agree with you 100%. I value cleanliness very much after all it is close to godliness!! It's important that my home is clean, and that we as a family are physically clean we all shower daily and my son gets a bath every night before bed. I cannot imagine it any other way. I was truly disgusted by your post about how your friend only bathes her children once a week!!!! Shame on her as a mother that is so unhealthy. I'm not trying to be gross or grahpic here but we wipe our butts after we poop do we not? Should we just not even bother because we're going to poop again tommorow??? I mean come on this is insane!! Do you eat off the same plate day after day without washing them because they will just eat off of them and get them dirty again?? I could go on and on....but I won't, I am disgusted though I hope you can get through to your friend because if her kids keep getting sent home from school with lice eventually somebody will be calling cps on her!