clearly if CPS is involved you need to spend less time writting novels on public forums and more time cleaning your house and son. I get that he is 10, but 10 is not 16 or 18. it's 10, you are still sooo responsible for him and his hygene. If he were 16, 18 or 21 your post would make more since. At what point does a ten year old not need looking after. If he has a hygene problem and it is this bad, at this point you are responsible for it. A bath everyday, clean clothes, brushed teeth, combed hair and deoderant. How come you have not done this, esp if this has BEEN a problem.
Now that CPS is involved how can you question what to do... JUST DO WHAT THEY TOLD YOU.
If your kid stink, your house stinks and you have clutter coming out of your house then YOU DO HAVE an issue.... i feel like you are in denial about what is going on and you are avoiding the having to do anything. Clean your kid, clean your house. SIMPLE.
It seems like there's a lot giong on and you have an explanation for all of it. Outside cats should not make your house smell, they are outside. If you and fiance are smoking tobacco in the house, maybe you ought to take the pipe and ciggies outside. Get rid of the clutter. Stop making excuses
As for your son, when a kid is around puberty age, they need to shower daily. I know he is too old for you to bathe him or watch him shower, but at that age, some kids don't actually wash in the shower. If he is stinky despite showering, that's probably what happens. Is school or CPS saying that your son looks dirty, or just his clothes? Yes, kids get dirty at lunch and recess, and working in an elementary school, I see those kids and the ones who come to school in dirty clothes and reeking of cigarette smoke, you can tell the difference. Make sure your kid is showering and shampooing daily, brushing his teeth - if you're saying you know he has a hygiene problem, that is separate from the pet smells and clutter. If he's not washing himself properly, make sure that he is. I know independence is best, but if you can't tell whether he's brushing his teeth, watch him do it. If you can't trust him to wash in the shower, send fiance into the bathroom with him. I'm not sure what you mean that your family is doing their best to make sure he's clean - if you're the parent and he lives with you, it's your responsibility. Do you mean other relatives watch him during your work hours and you are not there to know if he's showering or going to school clean? I think doing less research and doing more cleaning would be of help to you. I can assure you that while most tweens go thru a grungy stage, it is not to the point of CPS getting involved with most people so what's going on with your son is NOT the norm. Whether all of this merits CPS being involved is irrelevent - the fact is that they ARE involved and you need to not put yourself at risk for them taking further action. CPS doesnt get involved for kids spilling lunch on their shirt, something more IS going on.
Good luck
Natalie's husband said it best IMO.
some of the rest of these reponses are just @#!% mean! Ya'll need to read the dang post again and more closely this time!
SHE SAID
SHE MAKES SURE HE BATHES AT LEAST EVER OTHER DAY
SHE MAKES SURE HE HAS CLEAN CLOTHES TO WEAR
CPS IS NOT GONNA TAKE SOMEBODY'S KID BECAUSE A HOUSE IS CLUTTERED OR YOU CAN TELL ANIMALS LIVE THERE TOO
HOW DARE ANYONE JUMP HER LIKE THIS?
If he is showing up to school with DIRTY smelling clothes on DAILY I could see a call to the HOME but not CPS. My parents smoked and you could smell it on me, it was all over the house, that does not mean he is not taken care of! As far as animals go if there is urine and poop that is all over and not cleaned up THAT is a problem! If there is food and trash and dirty dishes everywhere THAT is a problem!
I have 2 dogs and a cat.. who are outside most of the time, but they do have accidents INSIDE... cat smell is hard as !@$$ to get out...
I have a now 15 yr old girl that I swear spills things on herself almost every day. She is a clutz and always has been. She has crazy hair that if she brushed it in the morn 2 hours later it looked unruly. The school started this crap with her too. WHen she was about 9, but they called ME not CPS.
My son was like yours, and if he didnt actually bathe in the shower I made him get back in til he was clean.
Katherine I would go to the school and talk to them and ask them why they feel they need to call CPS about such small problems.