Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Former Teacher Reveals Just How Little Some Parents Care About Their Kids' Hygiene In Eye-Opening Video

Screenshots from @itsmaggieperkins/TikTok
@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

TikToker and former teacher Maggie Perkins opened up about some of the unhygienic things she'd see from her students—and explained to parents how they could do better.

Though teachers act as an additional guardian to children, there are remarks that they are not allowed to make to parents without it being considered overstepping.

Now that she's not in the classroom anymore, however, TikToker and former teacher Maggie Perkins has no problem spilling all the tea, informing parents of the ways in which they're falling short in caring for their children, and how that impacts other people's perception of their children.


In the first video in a series, Perkins shared basics, like not touching genitals, washing hands after using the restroom, and basic maintenance, like brushing teeth, clipping nails, and washing hair.

In addition to the child's hygiene is the cleanliness if their possessions. Their water bottles grow mold, and their lunch boxes, backpacks, and winter and rain coats get dirty and need to be washed.

You can watch Perkins' first video here:

@itsmaggieperkins

As a teacher I was not able to tell parents these things. Some of them are about hygiene and others are social and developmental. Regardless, it impacts how other kids (and adults) perceive your child. I observed these regardless of social class, background, gender, etc. I observed these at all grade levels. #parentsoftiktok #teacherlife #parenting #formerteacher #middleschoolteacher #elementaryschool #healtheducation

In a follow-up video, the former teacher continued to explore other hygiene issues that she'd noticed about her students that other students and teachers noticed, too.

Among these were greasy, unwashed hair, as well as picking and eating scabs and boogers. With basic hygiene tasks like butt-wiping and blowing noses not being taught at home, many children were constantly dirty and smelly to others in the classroom.

You can watch the video here:

@itsmaggieperkins

When I was a teacher, I would not have been able to tell parents these things. There are a lot of kids who pick scabs and eat them. This is really gross to see, and becomes a hygiene problem, especially when they are using very dirty fingernails to pick these scabs. Hair washing needs to be a priority, kids need to learn how to actually clean their scalp. You have to really use shampoo and you have to really clean the scalp. A lot of kids develop hair that has been greasy for multiple days, and dandruff builds up. Please teach your kid how to blow their nose. They are wiping and eating boogers and have constant not running on their faces. These are the things that other people notice about your child. If you need support helping your child with these things, please look up article articles, or videos for how to talk to your child ##teacherlife##teachersoftiktok##formerteacher##parenting##middleschoolteacher##elementaryschool##parentsoftiktok

In a third video, Perkins focused on the effects of smoking around children. Even when parents don't smoke inside the home, the smell would often still linger on their clothing and in their hair, which would transfer to their children.

She astutely pointed out that this will become an issue beyond embarrassment for children when they reach middle school, as some authority figures might think they are smoking cigarettes or weed, and they'll receive unwanted, undeserved attention or punishment.

Other smells like cat litter or excess dust or cardboard in a house with too many possessions can similarly transfer to kids.

You can see that video here:

@itsmaggieperkins

Replying to @OneCoolMom just a few more things. If an adult in the home smokes, the child smells like smoke,. That just does not wash out. A lot of kids are going to school with no socks on. It starts to really smell bad, and mildew builds up. Parents send the same water bottle to school every single day without washing it. There’s mildew in there, and when sweet drinks are added, also mold. The kids ears are gross. A lot of kids have earwax buildup that is yellow and brown and crusty in coming out of their ear canal. A lot of kids also are literally dirty behind their ears. Parents need to literally wash behind the ears. #teachersoftiktok #teacherlife #formerteacher #parenting #teachertok #middleschoolteacher #elementaryschool

Some viewers were heartbroken that these things even needed to be said.

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

Others agreed and shared additional pointers for parents and guardians to consider.

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

@itsmaggieperkins/TikTok

It's alarming that a former teacher felt the need to make a series of videos about tasks that should be among the most basic of hygiene maintenance.

Parenting is hard and involves a lot of moving parts, but providing a child with basic care is non-negotiable.

More from Trending

A person cooking with a mis en place
person slicing green vegetable in front of round ceramic plates with assorted sliced vegetables during daytime

Chefs Break Down The Best Cooking 'Hacks' Everyone Should Know

While some people find cooking soothing and therapeutic, others might break into hives at the very thought of it.

Mainly owing to the fact that they don't always find the journey quite worth the payoff of a perfectly cooked roast chicken, or a spongy and creamy cake.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gavin Newsom; Screenshot of Donald Trump
Mario Tama/Getty Images; @atrupar/X

Gavin Newsom Hilariously Trolls Trump For Struggling To Stay Awake During Antifa Roundtable

California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked President Donald Trump for appearing to fall asleep during a White House roundtable about Antifa, which the administration recently designated a "domestic terror organization" even though it's not an organization at all.

Antifa is a loose network of anti-fascist activists with no central structure, no funding, no membership roster, and no offices or leadership hierarchy for prosecutors to target.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @timleesblee's TikTok video
@timleesblee/TikTok

Remote Worker Speaks Out After Job Uses 'Dystopian' Software To Track His Productivity

There are a few vital truths to every office-based job. First, there are going to be "busy work" moments, from meetings to admin tasks to minor side-quest-style projects that add to the company in some small way but otherwise feel like a waste of time.

Second, as human beings, we all need breaks to restore our mental focus, so a person who occasionally scrolls through their personal email, sends a few texts to a friend, or even scrolls Instagram for a few minutes, will likely be more productive than those who attempt to lock in and do nothing but their job throughout their entire shift.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot from @skylr.m's TikTok video
@skylr.m/TikTok

Texas Mechanic Speaks Out After Noticing How The Price Of Services Skyrocketed Within The Past Year

A mechanic in Texas turned heads with his observations about how dramatically prices have gone up in the past year.

TikToker @skylr.m from San Antonio, Texas, admitted that he doesn't know anything "about politics" but felt the price jumps he's been witnessing in real time are "pretty crazy."

Keep ReadingShow less
Tweet and photos from @ZONEofTECH's  Twitter (X) account
@ZONEofTECH/Twitter (X)

Man Hospitalized After Samsung Galaxy Smart Ring Swells On His Finger Before Flight

Most of us have worn a ring at some point in time. If the ring felt a little snug and struggled to pass the knuckle, we might have experienced that irrational fear that the ring might not ever come off again!

But for Twitter (X) user, Daniel, that became a valid concern while wearing his Samsung Galaxy Ring.

Keep ReadingShow less