Personal Hygiene

Anyone can probably come up with a story about when someone’s personal hygiene, or lack there of, has knocked them to the floor. It’s not nice to pick on anyone, but there are times when you wonder what someone was thinking. My worst experience was in line at a grocery store. An otherwise well put together person in line smelled so bad that I thought I was going to be sick. It’s probably nothing more than a lack of knowledge, or in some cases, a medical problem. If you have kids, you have to teach them how to care for their ever-changing bodies so they aren’t one of the offenders.

Most teenagers want to smell good, but they just aren’t sure how to do it. They may think a shower in the morning is all they need, but some need more than that. Some can sweat all day and never leave a trace of odor while others can walk out the door in the morning and be in need of another shower within ten minutes. The last group is the one that needs to most help with personal hygiene. It’s really hard to look your child in the eye and tell them that they stink, but this might just be something you have to do.

Most girls look forward to when they can shave their legs for the first time, as it is something of a rite of passage for most girls. However, they may not be sure when they should start wearing deodorant for personal hygiene reasons. You might think they don’t need it yet, but if they ask for it, let them have it. Even if they don’t need it, it is something that is a good habit to have. There is something mortifying about arriving at school only to realize that it was forgotten. That child will then worry all day that they smell. Start the good habit early.

Personal hygiene should start long before it is an issue. Though some people don’t have a bath each day, children should get into that habit before they start school. Not only is this a great part of a schedule, it is a way to be sure they will take personal hygiene seriously as they grow. If a bath or shower each day is a habit, it is one that they will stick with for the rest of their lives. As for the smelly shoes, well, you are on your own there.