Hygiene: You Don't Want To Be The Kid Who Smells

I began all of my hygiene lessons by telling my students that farmers have a saying: 

The pig never smells himself. 

The children have a lot of fun trying to decipher the meaning of that sentence. Finally, someone will realize that while others may think you have a body odor problem, you may not realize it yourself. I then tell the children that there is a reason that I titled this lesson:

You Don’t Want To Be The Kid Who Smells

I love telling the students about my elementary school years: 52 students in one classroom, desks front to back, not leaving your seat for ANYTHING. Wool jumpers all year long for the girls, long pants, shirts and ties for the boys. I also tell them that lunch recess was 15 minutes of running and screaming on the blacktop. Now, suppose it is late June, recess is over, and all 52 of us (in our wool clothing) file back into this room. 

Me: “Do you think you might notice anything if you walked into that room? 

Students: “Did it smell bad?”

I guess it probably did. 

What areas should you be covering and how do you go about it? First- how about a definition of the word hygiene? What does it mean to you? What areas of hygiene do we need to address? Let’s proceed from the top down. 

Hair 

Depending on your child’s hair you may want to encourage shampooing 2-3 times per week, more often if the hair is very oily. Of course, if your child has been active and perspiring or swimming in the ocean or a chlorinated pool, your child should shampoo that same evening. If shampoo time is torture for your son or daughter, here are a few tips: There are special shampoos for children. How about allowing your child to pick a special shampoo, just for him or her? If your child’s hair is very thick and/or curly, you may want to encourage a comb-out immediately after conditioning.

Oral Hygiene

Puberty is a time of increased socialization. A clean smelling mouth and white teeth are an important way to ensure that your child feels good about the impression he or she makes. 

Children should be brushing their teeth twice a day. One of my children disliked the taste of toothpaste. I learned that there are toothpastes specific for children with a more kid-friendly taste. Remind your child to brush all the teeth, with special attention to the molars, where cavities often begin. Don’t forget about the tongue as well. Removing the bacteria on the tongue is one important way to prevent bad breath. This process should take at least 2 minutes. Remember to change toothbrushes every 3-6 months. Ownership is important. Your child might actually enjoy selecting his or her own toothbrush. 

Children should also be taught to floss. This will require practice but the results are worth it. If your child is rushed in the morning and tired at night, it is perfectly okay to floss at a different time of day. The key is to make it a routine. 

As with everything, modeling is key to good habits. If your child observes you brushing and flossing it will become a natural part of the daily routine. 

Perspiration 

This is my favorite topic with the students. It never fails to elicit giggles. The “funniest” word? Armpits! By now, the children are aware that hormones start to really kick in as puberty takes hold. These hormones will cause an increase in perspiration (the children prefer the word sweating). The children are also aware that perspiration is the body’s method of cooling down. The body releases water from the pores. This water evaporates and cools the body. It is important for the kids to know that it is not the sweat that causes the odor. The real culprit is the bacteria that lives on our skin. Bacteria mixes with the liquid- here comes the smell!!

Bacteria love dark places-hence- smelly feet and armpits!!

What is a child to do? The first thing that most of the children say is DEODORANT! Yes deodorant is important but putting deodorant on a sweaty body is not the answer. 

I ask the children if you would paint a wall with termites. No, of course not, first we would remove the termites. The same goes for perspiration and bacteria- soap and water first, then deodorant. 

A Difficult Situation

In my years as a school nurse, I had many instances of a teacher coming to me to ask my assistance with a student who had a hygiene issue. Often it was noticeable body odor, but greasy hair and bad breath were also problems. While most of the students referenced were fifth graders, there were also third and fourth graders. Depending on your child’s growth, size and age of puberty, these problems can arise earlier than you might anticipate. 

Your child is transitioning from child to adolescent and then teenager. All of these new routines are time consuming, time that perhaps had been spent at play or in other forms of leisure. Your son or daughter might be reluctant to take the time necessary for good hygiene practices. This is another reason to institute a routine. Rather than viewing proper care of one’s body as a chore, your child has to understand that this is not a subject that is open to debate. Greasy hair, sweaty feet, unpleasant breath… remember: You don’t want to be the kid who smells!

How to Handle

There are several approaches that you, as a parent, might pursue. Bear in mind that your child is still in many ways just that- a child. These are not problems with which they are familiar. 

Peer pressure

My first approach was always gentle peer pressure. “I am speaking to you about this because I do not want you to hear it from another student”. 

Why is this happening?

You want to explain to your child that as you grow, your hygiene needs change. Extra attention to hair, nails, teeth and body hygiene are all a part of growing up and that is a wonderful thing. 

Establish a routine

This is a good time to institute a routine. I always gave my fifth graders deodorant samples and this caused a lot of excitement. There are many products aimed at young teens. Children enjoy selecting products in their favorite scents. In this way again, you have given your child ownership of the routine.  

A private conversation

Lastly, when you have these discussions with your child it is a good idea to keep them private. It is best not to have a giggling sibling listening in to your special conversation.