Tween/Teen Hygiene Question

My son is in 8th grade and the showers are never, ever used by anyone in the school. Ever.

They all just swipe deodorant under their arms, spray some Axe (gag!) and go. My son just switched to and Old Spice spray because Axe is the fave of the younger boys.

And no shower = no towel.

hi ~ My son who is now 18 yrs old likes Dove, Right Guard & AXE. As for a gym towel; he will need to bring it home every couple of days otherwise it will smell especially being hung up back in the locker after being wet; plus it's just good hygiene. :0) My son played football & the boys locker room was digusting (smelly) and actually had a couple of cases of MRSA. That is something you don't want to have to deal with.

Well, if he decides not to shower, but you insist he not be the 'stinky kid' perhaps you can get him some 'sport wipes.'

Found these online: http://www.actionwipes.com/

But I've seen these in the stores. Too bad they're geared towards girls and your son would likely get teased all year long if a peer found out he used them: http://www.playtexsport.com/NewProducts.aspx

Maybe something like this would interest him: http://www.hockeymonkey.com/sportmate-refreshing-sport-wi...

For deoderant - I was going to suggest those AXE ones. Those seem to be "cool" yet not too manly smelling as old spice.

Towels - This one has great reviews online. http://www.amazon.com/Sea-to-Summit-DryLite-Towel/dp/B001...

All fibers will grow mold. If he hangs it up it will dry if the locker has ventilation. If he leaves it wadded up it will stink by the end of the day every day. I would say if he takes a back pack to and from school put a walmart bag in there and just have him put the damp towel in it to bring home, a fresh towel could go back every morning.

I would most likely just see how it goes. He can let you know how the lockers are set up. If they are small he needs a small bag, if they are like school lockers so they will actually hold his clothes while he's in class then the hanging of the towel is on him fully.

Towels should come home each week at least. I use the same towel for a couple of days.

We're not there quite yet.
In the middle school my son goes to, the 6th graders do not switch to gym clothes (dress out) for PE.
In 7th grade they dress out (must wear gym uniforms - they sell them at the beginning of the year) but don't shower.
I'm not sure but I think 8th grade is the same.
I think they start requiring showers in high school.
I read something about aerosol sprays not being allowed in school, so a roll on or stick deodorant would be alright.
A towel has to come home for washing EVERY WEEK (but every kid will forget it occasionally at school).
Because there's no way a towel can hang out to dry completely between uses at school so it will get moldy if it's not washed every week.
If your son doesn't have a deodorant scent he likes, there are some unscented ones out there. Our son (he's 13) doesn't want to smell like Dad yet. (He's shaving his upper lip about once every few months.)
Really the middle school should be having an orientation for rising students and they should be able to tell you what will be required, what's optional and what is not allowed.

Our kids' middle school has showers but #1 they don't have time to shower and #2 no one would shower anyway because they don't want to be fully naked in front of each other.

I say just get him some of that Axe deodorant. That's what my son uses.

My 14 year old used Axe deodorant when he didn't really need deodorant. All of the boys did. Once they started to really stink, Axe didn't cut it anymore. Now he uses Mitchum Sport. He smells much better now. :)

Time does fly !

If you want to read about natural products... since they get absorbed into the bloodstream: CaringConsumer.com is awesome.

I just checked with my sons (15 & 24)....neither used the showers nor did their friends. :)

For dressing out for gym, my sons used the Nike/Adidas/Reebok...what I would call the "shoe bags". Drawstring, backpack style. Big enough to hold the necessities....clothes & deoderant.

Both of my sons like Old Spice, Axe, Speed Stick, etc. They both like Degree, but considered it uncool. I usually just buy whatever I have coupons for ....& they have to deal with it! :)

Axe has some good smelling teenish scents. I believe it they have the complete hygiene line. Both my boys have it and like it. Several choices of scents too.

I don't know any tweens/teens that shower after gym class. Even when I was in school during the 80's the kids didn't use the showers (except after a sporting match against another school). I would suggest getting him the salt crystals deodorant and use it in the morning, it will prevent any odor even if he is sweaty. I would also have him then shower at home after school.

If he does use the showers, then he shouldn’t need too much in the locker. He could always bring a gym bag each day, this way you know the towels and gym clothes are clean.

I don't like the idea of tweens/teens using the aluminum type of deodorants, they cause breast cancer (even in males).

I dont think our middle or highschool has showers. Does your school really use them? I would go more with the hygiene wipes, if he is concerned. Unless, everyone does shower. Then, i would ask his friends moms what they do. Good luck :)

If he's showering after gym class, he likely won't *need* to apply deodorant for the remainder of the school day. Shower fresh, right? I think if he has shampoo & soap/body wash, he'll be all set. And those come in teeny weenie little trial sizes.

My 9 year old likes all of the Axe products & scents.

this may sound stupid but in middle school in highschool we had 2 shower stalls in the locker rooms that NEVER got used and i mean never .. but if he does need that stuff and really doesnt like using deoderant i would just buy him a cheap one and get him a strong smelling body wash so that if he doesnt use the deoderant he wont smell.. also i know they make a body wash for men that is also a shampoo so if u get that u got it all covered

His middle school has showers? Does he really think he will have time
to shower? Is this for after gym class or somethinig else. Bit more info
would help.

God I am glad Tommy went to an all boys high school. They used the soap that came out of the dispensers, if one of the guys had deodorant they tossed that around if not none of them cared if the other ones got smelly. :p That was on the rare occasions they actually used the showers.

Andy uses Degree sport but would never take it to school with him. A good basting in the morning usually makes it through the day without any take to school items.

I would doubt they have time to shower or that anyone uses them. we had about 5 minutes to get dressed after gym in middle and high school. No one ever showered. Plus, if they did, the towel would be an issue because you aren't issued your own gym locker. We had to bring a lock and remove it after class. That's a lot of lockers if everyone had their own individual school locker and gym locker.

If he likes Old Spice, they make an odor blocker version. I agree with someone else that we had showers and we NEVER EVER used them. SD has never reported showering after dance class, either. My SS used to like Axe and similar. Now he uses Olay Ribbons but he's 22 and not 12 so he can shrug off teasing about it. Suave and Dove also make "manly" bodywash.

Make sure he brings in new gym clothes at least once a week if not more. I used to keep 2 shirts in my locker and a spare pair of white socks. Wash gym clothes with some vinegar for odor control.