Macam Mana Driver Bas Sekolah Boleh Tahan Bau Budak Balik Sekolah

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Well, salute to the school bus drivers and my babysitter who have to handle this daily, along with me and other parent, of course

I've been in a deep-dive Google spiral lately, all because of one very confusing problem: my kids' body odor. Every day when they come home from school, the smell is so strong, it feels like I could pass out. 🤮 #iykyk. I’m honestly so confused. It’s not like they've just come back from a construction site, kan?
Honestly, all my siblings were boys too (they're men now, of course), and we never had this kind of body odor. We were always clean. Even when I used to fetch my 4th and 5th brothers from school, there was never this intense smell. 
And for the record, there are 12 and 19 years between me and them; I'm the eldest.
I was so confused by this smell that I thought it must be a laundry problem. I tried everything: changing the detergent 🧼, adding fabric softener for extra fragrance, cleaning the washing machine, and even buying five new uniforms for each boy so they could have a clean one every day. I was washing clothes daily, but none of it worked. The "problem" was still there

Since the laundry wasn't the issue, I moved on to the next thing: toiletries. I thought maybe their "baby" products weren't suited for their age. 🧴 Or maybe, just maybe, they were too lazy to bathe properly. 🛁 I found myself nagging them every day, and my favorite line became, "Seriously, Ibu has to watch you bathe to make sure you're doing it right? Come on, guys! Cleanliness, cleanliness, cleanliness! It's basic common sense. Your toiletries are even more expensive than mine eh!"
It got to the point where I was tired of membebel, 😩 so I started bathing them myself to make sure they were "thoroughly clean" once in a while. Yes, even Adam and Iman. I told them they should be embarrassed that their mother still had to bathe them. But still, the smell persisted

Okay, fine, I had body odor too, but not until I was 13, when I had my first period. Even then, it was only after intense, sweaty activities. Tu pun sebab I was in a band (the bandgirls!). After an evening prep session, we'd barely shower 🚿 and rush to band practice. It wasn't just sitting around—we had to run, do sit-ups, and everything for stamina, all under the sun. That was the only time I smelled. Other times, I was fine. To top it up,  I was a school athlete too, and even after practice, I didn’t smell that bad. My seniors would have screamed at me with "kepam" if I did, but I didn't get that. I always wore deodorant and perfume, so the odor was manageable

So, I finally realized it was probably time to introduce deodorant to my boys kan? So, last weekend, we went to the nearby Watsons and bought a Dashing Deo+Perfume for them. It was another additional step to their routine, on top of their talcum powder and perfume. And guess what? Voila! It worked like magic. 
I literally facepalmed 🤦🏻‍♀️. Apalah yang complicated sangat hidup ni? Was it because I had this mental block that kids are still babies and shouldn't have odor? Or that if they did, it would be that slightly sour smell we're supposed to find endearing? So much for denial, right

Well, for now, the problem is solved. But Dashing brand deodorant? Seriously, Suzlin? You’re the kind of mom who doesn't let her kids eat junk food and makes her own MSG, cheese, and bread. And yet, here you are, allowing an aerosol product with alcohol, parabens, and all the "bad stuff" for your kids' daily use? 
Problem solved, right? Well, not entirely. I started thinking, "Seriously, Suzlin? You're a mom who makes her own MSG, cheese, and bread to avoid junk food, and now you're giving your kids an aerosol product with alcohol, parabens, and all that other bad stuff?" My kids' toiletries are more expensive than mine because I've always tried to avoid these ingredients. I felt like I was disgracing myself. Well, at least I try.  A mom does what a mom has to do, right

This new concern is bothering me, so I’m back to googling 🔍 for better, healthier alternatives. I'm looking for organic, non-alcohol options that are safe, effective, and cheap for four boys. I considered using a crystal deodorant, the kind you rub on wet skin right after a bath, but I’ve decided against it. I'm too clumsy and always end up breaking them, and if I can't keep one intact, my boys definitely won't be able to either


My friend suggested the Amway deodorant, which costs RM38 for 100ml. I'm trying to figure out if that's actually cheap, since my own Nivea deodorant is roughly RM15 for 50ml. We're going to give the Amway one a try and I’ll share my verdict later. In the meantime, I’m still adding more options to my Shopee cart. I'd love to know if you have any suggestions

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