Smelly comfort toy

[KatrinaW]

A bit of advice please, as a general rule I do not allow toys from home to be brought in, however two of my mindees have comfort toys which I allow, one being a large old tattered teddy bear (I mean LARGE) and not meaning to be cruel but it STINKS. The parents have mentioned not being able to wash it as it distresses their daughter, however, it is hard to put up with it being in my home 9hrs a day and when my husband comes in from work he says the smell hits him and I have had other parents comment on the smell as well.

It either needs a wash or to not be brought in anymore...how would you go about sensitively approaching the subject? I do not want them to think I am calling them smelly etc (although if it makes my house smell...)

Any advice appreciated.

[Bushpig]

Hi there, I allow toys from home, and a couple of them are comfort toys, one being an old soft toy that is thankfully regularly washed!

I think you are well within your rights to ask them to clean the teddy for health and safety reasons in your own home. Childminders have certain standards to uphold, and your setting being non-smelly, clean and safe is some of them. It must be so unhealthy for the child to be holding it too! Those soft toys get filthy very quickly. They need to just tell their daughter teddy needs a bath, like she baths. Her not bringing it any more would be far more distressing I would have thought.

[Pipsqueak]

Febreeze!!!

Not sure but I think I would have to just mention to the parents that I think its time teddy had an airing/washing - if not for hygiene purposes.

A good way if its possible is to bag it with some bicarb of soda, shake it all up and freeze it, brush it of in the morning and hang ted on the line.
Think parents are going to have to attempt a wash and dry during the nighttime when daughter won't notice ted is gone.

Sorry thats probably not much help but if its being commented on by hubs at the end of the day and by other parents its affecting your business and your homelife,

[katickles]

Could you not tell a tiny "fib"?

Say daughter spilt something on it & it will need washing???

[Chimps Childminding]

Could you not tell a tiny "fib"?

Say daughter spilt something on it & it will need washing???

I have done this before, with a child's blanket - I said she had dropped it in a puddle whilst out for a walk!!!

[Spangles]

If it was that bad I would really have to do something drastic.

I'd drop juice down it or 'accidentally' drop it in mud or something so it HAD to be washed. I'd do it first thing and just have my mind set that there would be tantrums and cope with it for a few hours.

I would have to sort it out I'm afraid!

[LOOPYLISA]

My dd had and still has a "smelly teddy" although i did used to wash it, were now down to a hand sized piece now so no chance it would prob get lost in the machine!, i would def say something got spit on it my neice has a blanket but thankfully mum does wash it!!!!!!!!!!

[fionamal]

My dd has a teddy that she loves but I sneak it away once shes asleep and stick it in the washing machine so its all ready for her waking in the morning. Shes now 5 so understands that it has to be washed but when she was small used to have tantrums when she saw it going round the machine and even worse when I pegged it out on the line to dry.

[louise]

My Ds has a huge duck. He gets in a state about it having a bath. I cant get it done at night as it has to hang on the line to dry as its so thick. Now i can only get away with it being washed if i have said about duck having a bath a few times. My mum managed to get it washed with out problems when she looked after him. So you might not have a problem. Just do what everyone else has said and say it got dirty.

Good luck Lou

[son77]

I would wash it too, drop it in a big puddle or something so the lo can see he's dirty then stick it in the wash!

[Alibali]

Wash it! I'm sure lo won't make as much fuss with you as they would at home, and parents will probably be delighted

[angeldelight]

Sorry but I would just wash it

I am in the same situation and I wash it every week

I think its really unfair to expect you to put up with the smell and really why should you ?

Good luck

Angel xxx

[littletreasures]

I would stick it in the wash before going to toddler group or something so their busy doing something else.

I used to have to do that with my son. He knew his cuddly didn't go out with us after he lost the first one.