Babies and Perfume?

I understand someone's "right" to wear perfume for whatever reason.

In your case....I'm with you. I have to leave a room if somone has on a lot of perfume because my allergies start acting up and I have even gotten sick to my stomach.

I have to be very careful about what perfume I wear because most of them bother my allergies.

I say stand your ground.....it is your child's health you are concerned about.

A.,
No, I don't think they should wear perfume, I know some women, especially my own mother, doesn't hardly go anywhere without spraying herself down. I wear it on special occasions. I think you should address the issue again this time with the teacher herself. Maybe she just doesn't realize how much she is putting on, I know my mom says she doesn't think it's that strong, but you can tell she's been through a room. You already went to the director, this time just go straight to the teacher, if I was the teacher, I would much rather have the mother come directly to me instead of feeling like she was going behind my back, I would feel like I was being attacked. I worked with this woman who lived with CATS, like 10+, this was in southern Texas, she couldn't afford AC and in the summer time she smelled really bad. She dressed very professional, her cats were her life. However, she smelled very bad. Other people would talk very bad about her, especially our boss. She was a very nice lady and I would have to tell her how bad she smelled, that was hard, but I know she appreciated me for being honest with her. She didn't think she smelled, she even told me she just bought the outfit. So if I was you, talk to the teacher, let her know how concerned you are about your son and his allergies. If she's with him all day, I'm sure she'll notice how better he gets when she doesn't wear the perfume.
God Bless

No, daycare teachers and directors should NOT wear perfume when caring for small children. This business is not about smelling pretty for big people buy caring for small infants and children who do not have a large immune system.

Check with your health department and see if there is something they can do.

I would bring it to the attention of the head director and explain to him/her that your child comes home smelling of a perfume and would this person care to pay for the medical bills of the illness caused by the perfume. Be firm about this part as it is you child. If you cannot get them to stop wearing perfume perhaps a move to another center is in order. Good luck with your request. The other S.

I'd check with the health department because I would think they're not supposed to wear children in this type of setting. Re. the "right" to wear perfume, they can put it on after work. If you work with heavy machinery, you don't wear jewelry cause it can get caught; if you work with children, you don't wear chemicals that can aggravate conditions.

If it's a health department issue, then you can blame the Health Dept - be the good guy in letting them know so they can do something about it before it becomes a problem and some other parent reports it :)

My daughter has RAD (pre-astham) and we were told by her pediatrician (when she was about 7-8 months) not to wear perfume, or colgne, around her, along with many others (no candle burning, etc). I would go straight to the teacher (like someone else suggested) and discus this issue with her. Explain to her your concerns, and see if that helps. As a teacher myself, I would rather a parent come to me with the concern, instead of going to my principal (in your case the director) kind of like going over your head. Anyway, I haven't worn perfume in almost 2 years now and haven't missed it at all. It's also been good that I had to stop for my daughter, as I have many students in my class that have allergies and asthma that could have been irritated as well. You may even recommend to her teacher that she try a lighter sent, or body splash instead of the heavy perfume. I found that body splashes (like the ones from Bath & Body works) are lighter and dissipate faster than perfumes and are less irritible.

1. No, I don't think daycare providers should be allowed to wear perfume. Perfume is also a trigger for childhood asthma. For this reason alone (whether they knowingly have anyone with asthma or not), they shouldn't be wearing something that could cause an attack. In your son's case, he very likely could be allergic to the perfume and that too should be a reason for them to stop wearing it.

2. You're in an awkward situation, but I think you have to stand your ground on this one. I think you should go back to the director and have a frank conversation about it telling him/her directly that you want the perfume to stop. If you can find some documentation to back you up, that would be even better, but it's really a common sense issue. But for your son's health, I think you need to be firm and direct... and if necessary, willing to shop for new day care if they don't comply with your request.

If you know some of the other mothers and can discuss with them to get some other support, that might help too.

Good luck!! And I do hope they'll listen to you.

No they shouldn't. I think the best route would be talk to the director of the center again. If they are professional, they will handle the situation without giving your name. Explain your concerns again. If it continues and leaving that daycare isn't an option for you right now, I would go above her head to the next level, talk to her boss (you can call anonymously to get that information). My sister has worked daycare for over ten years. If the employee isn't listening to the director, she isn't going to listen to you.