How to Get Your Teen Son to Care About Hygiene
Updated: Aug 31
Puberty is always an awkward time. Kids start to get taller but don’t fill out yet. Boys can have a squeaky voice change that’s comical for everyone but them. Kids who barely ate anything growing up suddenly become ravenous. Kids start to become interested in dating, but they don’t know how to do it. As adults, thinking back on puberty tends to lead to cringe-worthy memories.
Adults tend to forget puberty because of the change in body odor. Sweat starts to get a distinct smell, and shoes can be even worse. As kids transition from child to teen, they don’t automatically notice the scent that comes with it. Since it’s their own body, they seem to be immune to it. Much to the chagrin of everyone around them, the smells of puberty are distinct.
If you are the parent of a smelly teen son, fear not! You are not alone. Many teen boys go through a stinky phase where they don’t want to shower, brush their teeth, change their clothes, or generally do anything to keep up with their hygiene. Here are some tips to get your stinky teen to care about his hygiene.
5 Tips to get your teen son to care about hygiene
As you’re approaching the topic of personal hygiene with your teen son, remember that it can be a sensitive topic. Some teen boys genuinely don’t care about their appearance or other people’s thoughts. Others just haven’t noticed that they smell or look bad to other people.
When trying to get your teen son to care about hygiene, emphasize how much good hygiene will impact him. He might not care if you think he smells terrible, but he might care about how he is perceived by other people or about his health. Ideally, instilling good hygiene practices will eliminate nagging and help your teen care about his upkeep.
Create a daily routine at home
Many teen boys are oblivious to what they need to maintain hygiene. So, they need a parent to step in and teach them. By creating a daily routine that your teen needs to follow, some hygiene standards can become a habit.
Shower every night before bed.
Before leaving for school in the morning, put your night clothes in the laundry bin.
Put your school clothes in the laundry bin when you change into your night clothes.
Brush your teeth immediately after breakfast and dinner.
Good hygiene practices need to become habitual to get your teen son to care about hygiene without nagging him all the time. Having a daily routine will help solidify the habits.
Buy them the necessary supplies
Stinky teen boys won’t even think to buy sanitary items like deodorant or a comb. Buy those supplies, and show your teen where to keep them for daily use.
Talk to them about the importance of good hygiene
Stinky teen boys typically don’t realize why they should even bother with basic hygiene. They don’t think it’s a big deal and don’t see why anyone else would think it’s a big deal. Have conversations with them about why hygiene matters both socially and physically.
Set standards for cleanliness in the house rules
These cleanliness rules could include things like:
Wearing clean clothes when you leave the house.
Brushing your teeth before you leave the house.
Washing your hands before eating.
Wearing deodorant every day.
Showering every day.
Put dirty clothes in the laundry bin.
Bring them shopping with you to buy the supplies
When kids feel like something is being forced on them, they’re less likely to care about it. Once you’ve clarified that they need to improve their hygiene, bring them shopping with you to buy the supplies. Getting a say in what they use and how it smells can buy stinky teen boys into caring about how they smell.
Though it’s common for teen boys to go through a stinky phase, some teen boys stop caring about everything altogether. If you are worried that your teen son’s apathy toward his hygiene is beyond the usual, he might need outside help.
Some teens struggling with mental health problems like depression stop caring about their appearance and refuse to do anything that requires effort. If this describes your teen son, contact us today to learn more about our therapeutic boarding school for troubled teen boys.