This is a sponsored post from Blogher. All opinions and ideas expressed here are my own and although I have been compensated - if you know me, you know I speak my mind.
A few years ago, I worked in the cafeteria in my kids’ school. The school goes from Pre-K, age 3, to 8th
grade, 14 or so. The kids run the gamut in development – you get teeny tiny kids in there, barely tall
enough to carry a lunch tray, to hulking, behemoth 8th grade boys, who need to shave twice a day and
girls with more curves than most grown women.
It was warm in the kitchen area, and when the kids came through the line, the air temperature rose
several degrees. I noticed that when the bigger kids came through, not only did the temperature rise, as
well as the noise level – but so did the odor. In particular, I noticed that the boys were especially, um,
fragrant – but it wasn’t just typical (and natural) body odor. No, it was more of a perfume-y odor. Upon
investigation, I discovered that the boys knew that they smelled odiferous and so they had begun to
pass around several cans of strong smelling body spray in an attempt to both cover the smell and attract
the girls.
Neither effort was successful.
When I spoke with the gym teacher, she indicated that she had several brands of deodorant available
for both girls and boys, and she encouraged them to not only apply it at home, but use her stash after
gym class. The boys were all too embarrassed to do so, and instead decided to be “manly” and apply the
heavily scented body spray much too heavily and much too often. It took discussion from myself, my
boss and the gym teacher to tell the boys that when it comes to body spray, less is indeed more – and
deodorant is a *much* better choice.
The folks at Unilever -- makers of Degree® Men, Degree® Women, Degree® Girl, Dove®, and Suave®
-- have introduced the “Don’t Fret The Sweat” campaign which aims to reduce the embarrassment
that kids feel when it comes to the sweat-inducing moments in daily life. Working with a roster of
community partners and experts in their fields, the campaign’s Don't Fret The Sweat Facebook page is designed to help provide parents with the tools that they need to speak to their kids without discomfort and help them be inspired in all that they do.
Do you have a similar stinky story to share? Lay it on me – here, where I can’t smell it, thanks! – and be
entered to win a $100 Visa gift card and a Don’t Fret The Sweat gift pack.
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My two oldest girls have entered that stage. My 12-year-old now showers of her own volition, but there's something about 10-year-olds that resists showering ("but I took one a couple days ago!"). I always tell them that it's better that I bell them about their stink issues than to be known as the stinky girl at school.
Posted by: Lynn | October 04, 2011 at 09:17 AM
My 11 year old has BEEN going through this stage for a couple of years. It was gradual at first. A whiff of something... odd... as he walked passed. Then, more noticeable. Then and all out war on the sense of smell. He's been using deodorant for a while now, but OMG, I need to find something to de-stink his feet now! LOL
Posted by: Tess Bartz | October 04, 2011 at 09:31 AM
My 3 younger boys are 12, 11 and 9. Showers are a must every single day, if not twice a day.
A few months ago we had just return home from camp. My youngest was filthy and is in dire need of not only a shower, but a good scrub down in the shower. He was refusing, saying he had gone swimming at camp and was clean. Finally he got in the shower, and his 11 year old brother handed him a brand new bar of soap, to which he replied with great disgust, "What is this stuff?!"
Posted by: Shelly | October 04, 2011 at 10:17 AM
I bought my almost 10 year old her first deodorant a couple of months back; she'd been given one at camp and it had broken, so she needed a new one, and requested I get one for her. As I tossed the hot pink/black "tween" deodorant into the grocery cart, I felt as if there should be a soundtrack playing; first deodorant for oldest child! It was one of those firsts that I never thought much about, you know? I'm pretty sure she doesn't use it much, and she doesn't really need it yet, but it's a start.
Posted by: Laura H. | October 04, 2011 at 10:19 AM
My story is during the summer my daughter thinks I can't tell when she's been rushing and doesn't put on deodorant because it doesn't take long to get musty during summer camp
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Posted by: Tabathia | October 04, 2011 at 10:27 AM
tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/121230124409556992
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Posted by: Tabathia | October 04, 2011 at 10:29 AM
I work in a school as well, and come spring, the upper elementary hall is quite ripe. Luckily, my own kids have never had an issue with applying deodorant.
Posted by: Bari | October 04, 2011 at 10:30 AM
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/#!/barif0815/status/121231052344803331
Posted by: Bari | October 04, 2011 at 10:32 AM
My #2 child (male) has a habit of misplacing his deoderant. He is dyslexic, so I have to give him a bit of a break. ;) But anyways, I was up in the boys' room the other day to supervise some cleaning. We ended up finding the mother lode ... 12 different sticks of deoderant in various scents and amounts in each container. Gotta love that at least he uses at least one of those containers each day.
Posted by: Stacey | October 04, 2011 at 10:57 AM
My kids are little still but I really dread the B.O. issue when my sons get older. We DO have stinky socks laying around the house sometimes, though.
Posted by: mami2jcn | October 04, 2011 at 01:05 PM
My stinky story is mine. Three years ago I stopped being able to wear normal deodorant/anti-perspirant. It has taken me a while to find a natural deodorant that doesn't leave me stinky by the end of the day. It's so hard and I'm dreading actual puberty with my girls. One is almost there.
Posted by: Kirsten | October 04, 2011 at 01:30 PM
Stinky boys hopping in the car after being at the skate park! OMG somebody get me a hose. And really there is no cure for the stinky feet. Really there isn't!
Posted by: addy | October 04, 2011 at 01:41 PM
My oldest son began using deodorant years ago, actually, after crawling in bed with me one night. He wrapped his arms around my head and *PFFFEW* I knew he needed to start.
Thanks for the chance!
Posted by: Headless Mom | October 04, 2011 at 03:28 PM
As a teenager, I grew up with my cousin in the same house and he was my same age. I couldn't understand how he smelled so, uh, differently than I did. I called it man stink. It was my chore to vacuum the house and I HATED doing his room because it was literally a wall of stench I was walking into! It's not very nice, and I'm sure that adds to the stigma, which I didn't even really know there was until I read this blog post. Now that I'm a mom of super active 3 year old, who seems to have no plans on stopping any time soon, I'll definitely keep in mind to have a more gentle approach when my boy starts becoming, how did you put it, odoriferous, lol! Here's to winning (hopefully) 100 smackeroos!
Posted by: Kimberly | October 04, 2011 at 08:51 PM
no stinky story here, but not looking forward to these types of talks with future kids! scg00387 at yahoo dot com
Posted by: steph | October 04, 2011 at 09:46 PM
http://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/121400655880531968
Posted by: steph | October 04, 2011 at 09:47 PM
Ahhhh the sweet smell of a bottle's worth of Axe....brings back memories. LOL
Posted by: Karen | October 05, 2011 at 09:32 AM
My oldest two are boy/girl twins and were born in Africa. Let's just say their sweat glands are reamarkably well developed and they are over achievers. Makes sports seasons particularly odiferous. When I walk by and say. "Oh hon..." they just go take shower. :-)
Posted by: Angie | October 05, 2011 at 10:45 AM
I have stinky stories , not about my daughter... More about me. I have hot flashes and on top of that this summer here in Kansas we had 40 some dys in a row of over 100 degree temps. So yeah. I was possibly a little stinky. Lol.
Posted by: Leann Lindeman | October 05, 2011 at 12:12 PM
The teenager does a pretty good job keeping himself clean and smelling good... the younger one - not so much. I have to force him to bathe and put on clean clothes, not the dirty ones he just took off!
Posted by: Robin M. | October 05, 2011 at 01:36 PM
i'm not looking forward to having this talk with me kids
karinaroselee at gmail dot com
Posted by: Karina | October 05, 2011 at 02:53 PM
I feel like I'm the stinky (rather sweaty) one!! I've worn pantyliners in my suit jacket armpits when I have the feeling that clinical strength just won't be enough!
Posted by: Nicole | October 05, 2011 at 03:47 PM
My twin boys just acquired the need. I let them pick out their own deodorants and leave it out in plain sight as a reminder. I also nag a lot.
Posted by: Steva Spottswood | October 05, 2011 at 06:35 PM
My older daughter plays travel soccer and left her stinky cleats/shin guards in her bag one weekend and they contaminated her "clean" jerseys and shorts. ACK! ;)
Posted by: Jamie | October 06, 2011 at 11:38 AM
I'm definitely dreading it- the stink and the rest of the teenage stuff! :)
Posted by: Erika | October 06, 2011 at 11:58 AM