It isn’t like we can just tell our overly-sensitive tween boys that they stink and it is embarrassing us! 
So, how do we deal? Let me give you some background first.
Tripp is 10 and will be 11 in November. The hair on his legs has gotten REALLY dark and I see some black peach fuzz in the corners of his upper lip! WHAT!?? But my baby is ONLY TEN! Oh yeah… the other day he reached over me for something and I thought I was going to vomit. About this same time, I got an email from Mom Central telling me about this awesome new site by Unilever Deodorants: Don’t Fret The Sweat.
The very first Q and A really grabbed me and I begged to be part of this campaign. Straight from the Don’t Fret The Sweat website:
Q. My kid seems too young to start using deodorant. How young is too young?
A. It’s not about being the right age. It’s about whether they need it or not. Kids generally need to start using deodorant when they enter puberty. That’s when special hormones start to affect their sweat glands and cause body odor. And the onset of puberty can be around eight years old or earlier, depending on your kid.
Eight!? Holy Cow! Thanks goodness I didn’t have to deal with this at 8. But, isn’t it funny how different kids are? Zack is 8 and he is in love with smelling good. So, if it were him that needed deodorant, it would be no big deal. Alas, it isn’t him! It is our 10-year old boy in the Autism Spectrum. Uh huh, yeah…. exactly! DIFFICULT to say the least.
Anyway, side-tracked, LOL! Don’tFretTheSweat.com doesn’t just dole out deodorant info and money-saving coupons, but it has loads of very useful articles to help you talk with your Terrible Tweens (and Teens). Whether your child (and you) are having peer pressure issues, confidence problems, or simply hygiene dilemmas, Don’t Fret the Sweat will have a post for you.
After reading “Developing a Tween Hygiene Regime”, I feel more confident about talking to my little boy. I, personally, see this being a great resource as my three boys go through something I have never had to deal with. Also, I was sixteen before… well, you know… I didn’t have to deal with puberty at a young age and I understand these changes are much more difficult for kids who are not yet teens or are very young teens. I have already bookmarked this site to refer back to!
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Unilever and received the items necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate
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About Kelli
Been there. Wait. Am there.
Our 9 yr old and our 11 yr old boys both have reached the stinky under arm phase. But it scares us to use certain deodorants, kwim? But we do not want them to stink either. Before baseball games we remind them like 20 times…. USE DEODORANT!
They have also reached the age where they want to use manly body wash….go figure.
I think I was in middle school before the word deodorant was even in my vocab! Boy have times changed.
.-= Crystal & Co´s last blog ..Check Me Out! =-.
My boys reached that stinky time at around 10 & 11 as well.. they still stink. Although generally they are a “TEENSY” bit better at listening to us when we say “PEEEE EWWWW!!” I hit puberty very young.. I was 10 (barely) and started stinking then, so I know how it is. I however, WANTED to smell good. LOL! Boys are a whole different species! hehe