Charlotte, has been mentioning it for weeks now. "Mom, my head hurts at school." "The classroom smells so strong." "After recess everyone uses those body sprays and it's awful."

At first I kind of brushed it off - teachers work hard to make their classrooms nice, and a little air freshener seemed harmless enough. But when I was at back-to-school night and walked into her classroom. Guys. The wave of artificial smell that hit me was SO strong. Wax melts burning on the desk, a whole basket of body sprays on the counter for kids to use after recess.

We live fragrance-free at home - have for years - so maybe we're more sensitive to it now. But Charlotte mentioning it week after week? That got me paying attention.

So I started looking into it, and what I found made me realize this wasn't just about us being picky. This was about our kids' health.

The Fragrance Problem

Here's what I didn't know: fragrance companies don't have to tell you what's actually IN their products. That word "fragrance" on a label can mean any combination of thousands of different chemicals - and your kid is breathing it in for six hours a day.

About 1 in 5 people have health problems from fragrances - headaches, breathing issues, all kinds of things. And for kids? It can affect their ability to focus, their behavior, even their development. The chemicals in fragrances (especially something called phthalates) can mess with hormones and brain function.

Think about that. We send our kids to school to learn and the air they're breathing might be making it harder for them to concentrate.

Why Teachers Use Them

Look, I'm not blaming teachers at all. They're trying to solve real problems:

Classrooms get stuffy
Pre-teens need to learn better hygiene
They want a pleasant space

I get it! But masking smells with synthetic fragrances isn't actually helping - it's just adding more chemicals to the air.

Better Options That Actually Work

Room Size Air Purifier

I’m sure there are better ones out there but sometimes doing better is acting not stressing about finding the BEST.

The good news?

There are ways to keep classrooms fresh without all those chemicals:

Open the windows! Fresh air is free and it's the best solution.

Activated charcoal bags absorb odors naturally - no chemicals, no fragrance, just clean air.

Baking soda in containers around the room works great too. I use this at home and it really does help.

For the after-recess body spray situation - just use fans to get air moving when kids come in hot and sweaty. Way better than having them spray chemicals all over themselves.

Talking to the Teacher

I was so nervous to send that email. I didn't want to be "that mom" complaining about everything. But Charlotte's headaches and my own reaction at back-to-school night? I couldn't ignore it.

I kept it simple and friendly - told her Charlotte was getting headaches, shared that fragrances affect a lot of people, and offered some easy solutions like opening windows and using charcoal bags. I even said I'd help get supplies if needed.

And you know what? She was receptive. Teachers aren't trying to hurt our kids - they just might not know there's a better way.

Why It Matters

Your kid might not be complaining, but that doesn't mean they're not affected. Some kids don't connect their headaches to the classroom smell. Some think it's normal. Some just can't focus as well and don't know why.

Six to seven hours a day, five days a week - that's more time than they spend at home during the school year. If we're choosing fragrance-free at home for their health, shouldn't we advocate for the same at school?

What You Can Do

Ask your kid if there are strong smells in their classroom. If there are, have the conversation with the teacher. It might feel awkward, but advocating for our kids' health is part of the job.

Because at the end of the day, fresh air and healthy lungs are more important than artificial lavender.

Have you dealt with this in your kid's classroom? I'd love to hear how you handled it!

When Your Kid Says "Mom, the Smell at School Hurts My Head"